Thumbnail Extractor
Save still frames from a video as JPEG images at the seconds you choose. Up to 10 frames per run.
Your file is not uploaded
Drag & drop a video, or click to select
Supported: MP4, MOV, AVI, MKV, WebM, etc. / Max 500MB
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Seconds (e.g. 90.5), minutes:seconds (e.g. 1:30) or hours:minutes:seconds (e.g. 1:02:03). Separate several times with commas. Up to 10 frames.
Processing… 0%
Extracted Frames
Equivalent FFmpeg command
CLI command for your current settings. Updates live as you change controls.
ffmpeg -ss 0 -i input.mp4 -vframes 1 -q:v 5 -huffman default -vf scale=640:-2 thumb_01.jpg
ffmpeg -ss 5 -i input.mp4 -vframes 1 -q:v 5 -huffman default -vf scale=640:-2 thumb_02.jpg
ffmpeg -ss 10 -i input.mp4 -vframes 1 -q:v 5 -huffman default -vf scale=640:-2 thumb_03.jpg Popular uses
YouTube thumbnail candidatesStill images for articlesPreview frames for review
Next tools
How to use
- Pick a videoMP4, MOV, MKV and so on, up to 500 MB.
- Choose timesType times separated by commas, such as 0.5, 3, 1:30. Seconds (90.5), minutes:seconds (1:30) and hours:minutes:seconds (1:02:03) all work.
- Set quality and widthPick the JPEG quality and output size. They start at Standard and 640px wide.
- ExtractThe frames appear in a grid, each with its own download link.
Recommended settings
YouTube thumbnail
JPEG, Original size
YouTube's help asks for 16:9 and at least 640px wide, and recommends 3840×2160. Uploads from a phone are limited to 2 MB.
Blog OGP image
JPEG, 1280px
Facebook recommends share images of at least 1200×630 px, close to 1.91:1. A 16:9 video gives 1280×720; crop the top and bottom if needed.
Storyboard grid
JPEG, every 5s
Enter 0, 5, 10… to compare scenes side by side (up to 10 frames).
When it goes wrong
Black frames
Cause: The time lands on a dark moment, such as a fade.
Fix: Move the time about 1 second either way.
Image looks blurry
Cause: The output width is larger than the video, so the image was enlarged.
Fix: Pick a width no larger than the video, or Original size.
Questions
Can I get an animated GIF?
No, only still images. Use the Video to GIF Converter for animation.
How many frames?
Up to 10 per run. Any timestamps after the tenth are ignored.
Best quality?
Set JPEG Quality to High quality (-q:v 2) and Output Size to Original size.
More detail (settings, limits, FFmpeg commands)
What each setting means
Time
The point of the video to grab, as seconds, minutes:seconds or hours:minutes:seconds. 0 is the first frame. Times past the end of the video produce no image. If an entry is not a time, the tool says so instead of starting.
JPEG Quality
High quality (-q:v 2), Standard (-q:v 5) or Compressed (-q:v 10). A lower number means better quality and a larger file.
Width
Output width in pixels. A width larger than the video enlarges the image, which makes it blurry.
Browsers and limits
- JPEG output only
- Maximum 10 frames per run
- Input up to 500 MB
The same job with the FFmpeg command line
JPEG @5s
ffmpeg -ss 5 -i input.mp4 -frames:v 1 -q:v 2 thumb.jpg-q:v sets the JPEG quality: 2 to 31, lower is better.
Six frames every 5s
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "fps=1/5,scale=1280:-1" -vframes 6 thumb_%03d.jpgSaves the frames at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 seconds, 1280px wide.
What to do next
Command Reference
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