People love watching videos on Facebook. They are engaging. Hence, a perfect way to advertise products on Facebook. However, the viewers will see the thumbnail before seeing the content of your Facebook videos. Therefore, the thumbnail should be as attractive as possible.

Generally, Facebook selects images contained in your videos and uses any of the images as the thumbnail to that video. It’s an automatic process. But, Facebook will not always choose the best thumbnail. Thankfully, you can always change that thumbnail.

So how do you add or modify the thumbnail on your video?

You’ve put great effort into your Facebook video. The thumbnail should also match the effort you put into the video. Read the article. I will detail how to modify your current thumbnail to a visually appealing one.  

What’s a Thumbnail?

Although some users operate Facebook on auto-play, most users will see the thumbnail before watching the video. Thumbnails on Facebook videos serve as covers. A thumbnail has the power to put off or attract a viewer. 

An ugly one may revolt viewers from watching your Facebook video. You’ll need to alter your thumbnail if you think it’s not attractive.

You can use images Facebook draws from your video. You can also create your thumbnail or customize your thumbnail.

A good thumbnail photo should be:

  • Above 1200x675 pixels in size. However, don’t exceed 1280x720 pixels. Aim for an aspect ratio that provides a perfect thumbnail display for your Facebook video. You can use JPG or PNG formats.

Once you set your thumbnail image to these requirements, you can change your thumbnail as follows. 

Steps To Modifying a Thumbnail on Facebook 

It’s possible to edit the thumbnail on your Facebook video. However, you can only do it via the web.

Before Posting the Facebook Video

Once you upload the video, Facebook will automatically select an image from your video as a thumbnail. The image may not be visually attractive. So, change it through these steps:

  • Hover over the video and click on “Edit.”Click on the “Change Thumbnail” option on the left. You can then select between:Choose suggested – Facebook will give you ten images to choose from. Scroll through the suggested images and click an image that pleases you. Upload image – you can upload a custom image for your thumbnail. It does not have to be related to the video. Make sure to resize it to fit the requirements.Choose from video – you can choose any frame from the video as the thumbnail. Move the slider at the bottom of the video to browse through frames.Click “Save” to change the thumbnail and post the video.

After Posting the Facebook Video

It’s possible to alter the thumbnail of an already posted Facebook video. Just follow these steps:

  • Choose suggested – Facebook will give you ten images to choose from. Scroll through the suggested images and click an image that pleases you. Upload image – you can upload a custom image for your thumbnail. It does not have to be related to the video. Make sure to resize it to fit the requirements.Choose from video – you can choose any frame from the video as the thumbnail. Move the slider at the bottom of the video to browse through frames.

  • Navigate to Facebook on your favorite browser.Tap on your name in the top left corner to access your profile.Click on the “Videos” tab.Open the video you’d wish to edit. Click the three dots in the top right corner.Select the “Edit video” option.Hover over the video and click the “Edit” button.Click on “Change Thumbnail” on the left side. You can then select between:Choose suggested – Facebook will give you ten images to choose from. Scroll through the suggested images and click an image that pleases you. Upload image – you can upload a custom image for your thumbnail. It does not have to be related to the video. Make sure to resize it to fit the requirements.Choose from video – you can choose any frame from the video as the thumbnail. Move the slider at the bottom of the video to browse through frames.Click the “Save” button.Click the “Save” button again to save the changes.

Concluding Thoughts 

Your viewers will notice the thumbnail before viewing the video when scrolling through videos on Facebook. It gives them a hint of what to expect from the video.

Therefore, use thumbnails to attract as high viewership as you can. You can use images created by Facebook. You can also create your thumbnail image and change thumbnails before or after posting the videos on Facebook.