Looking for a simple way to pull down a YouTube thumbnail image of a video online? I thought this information would be helpful to some of you. I ran across where I wanted to use a thumbnail image to promote a YouTube video and I found myself curious on how to accomplish this. It really is pretty simple so let's dive in here.
The Basic URL to Pull YouTube Thumbnail Image
http://img.youtube.com/vi/VIDEO_ID/#.jpg
Where you see “VIDEO_ID” is where you'd put the unique block of characters that identifies that video. So if the link is http://youtu.be/6Gv9knBA4aA to your video then simply use 6Gv9knBA4aA for the “VIDEO_ID” part of the above URL.
Example of URL
http://img.youtube.com/vi/6Gv9knBA4aA/#.jpg
Next you see the “#” in the URL and that represents one of the 3 thumbnails that YouTube auto produces for you when you upload a video. Drum roll please… you simply use “1,2,3” for that “#” symbol. Well… you could use “0” and that gives you the bigger Thumbnail Image for the video. Examples below here.
http://img.youtube.com/vi/6Gv9knBA4aA/1.jpg
How To Video
[Video link: http://youtu.be/Nz7_xp-2cfQ]
Example of YouTube Image Thumbnails
Full Size Option for Default Thumbnail Image, (480×360)
http://img.youtube.com/vi/bQVoAWSP7k4/0.jpg
Full Size YouTube Thumbnail 480×360
1st Option for Thumbnail Image, Small (120×90)
http://img.youtube.com/vi/6Gv9knBA4aA/1.jpg
120×90 YouTube Thumbnail
2nd Option for Default Thumbnail Image, Small (120×90)
http://img.youtube.com/vi/6Gv9knBA4aA/2.jpg
2nd 120×90 YouTube Thumbnail
3nd Option for Default Thumbnail Image, Small (120×90)
http://img.youtube.com/vi/6Gv9knBA4aA/2.jpg
3rd 120×90 YouTube Thumbnail
Hope that this helps in some little way on how to get YouTube Thumbnail Images!
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