What size should a Pinterest thumbnail be?

A standard Pin thumbnail uses a 2:3 ratio at 1000×1500 px. Video cover thumbnails follow the same 2:3 ratio so the still matches the video frame, while square 1:1 thumbnails at 1080×1080 are also accepted.

How do I set a custom thumbnail for a Pinterest video?

When you upload a video Pin, Pinterest lets you pick a cover frame or upload a custom image. The custom cover should match the video's aspect ratio — 2:3 at 1000×1500 for standard, 9:16 at 1080×1920 for Idea Pins.

What aspect ratio do Pinterest thumbnails use?

Static and video thumbnails use 2:3 (1000×1500), Idea Pins use 9:16 (1080×1920), and board covers are square 1:1. The 2:3 ratio is preferred for the feed because it occupies the most vertical space.

What is the maximum file size for a Pinterest thumbnail?

Image thumbnails can be up to 20 MB. Keep them well under that for fast loading — a high-quality JPEG or PNG at the recommended pixel size is usually only a few hundred kilobytes.

Why does my Pinterest thumbnail look cropped?

Pinterest crops to its display ratio, so a mismatched aspect ratio gets trimmed. Exporting at the exact 2:3 or 9:16 dimensions for the format prevents cropping, and keeping text centred avoids the edges that may be trimmed on different devices.

Pinterest Thumbnail Size Tool

Email me this result

Get this tool's output sent to your inbox, plus one useful tool a week. No spam, unsubscribe any time.

This tool returns the exact thumbnail and cover-image dimensions for every Pinterest content type so your preview never gets cropped or blurred. Pick the format — static Pin, video cover, Idea Pin or board cover — and it shows the pixel size, aspect ratio, accepted file formats and the maximum file size.

How it works

Pinterest renders thumbnails at fixed aspect ratios, and any image that does not match gets centre-cropped to fit. The tool stores the recommended pixel size per format and derives the simplified aspect ratio by dividing both sides by their greatest common divisor — so 1000×1500 reduces to 2:3 and 1080×1920 to 9:16.

For video Pins, the cover thumbnail must match the video’s own ratio so the still and the moving frame line up; mismatched covers create a jarring jump when the video starts. The tool flags the correct cover ratio for each video format.

Tips

Design at the exact listed dimensions so Pinterest never re-crops your thumbnail.
Keep titles and key visuals inside the central safe zone — different devices trim slightly different edges.
Use PNG when your thumbnail contains text overlays for the crispest edges; use JPEG for photographic covers to keep the file small.
For video Pins, upload a custom cover rather than letting Pinterest pick a frame — a designed cover with a clear hook earns more clicks.