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Question

How can I take a large photo and make that into a YouTube Thumb?

Forum|Forum|4 years ago
July 13, 2021
3 replies
2924 views

I have a very photo that is 5MB and I want to make that into a YouTube Thumb which has to be no larger than 2MB. I know when I transform the image some of it will be cropped out, I’m not concerned about that, I just want to be able to make it into a YouTube Thumb.

This is what I’ve done so far. I brought the image into photoshop 2021, duplicated the layer, then did a canvas size of 1920 x 1080. I then transformed the top layer to make it fit within the canvas. I then flattened the layers, saved but it’s still too big to use for YouTube. What am I doing wrong? (The reason why I put it in layers is so I could save the original file if I want to go back in the future).

Also, Is there a way to take a large image and make it into a specific MB size?

I tried asing this question before but maybe I didn't ask the right way. I'm using a Mac just so you know.

This topic has been closed for replies.

Stephen Marsh

Community Expert

The other topic thread is here:

Why is image size is smaller than when I save it?

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop/why-is-image-size-is-smaller-than-when-i-save-it/td-p/12172307

Nancy OShea

Community Expert

Go to File > Save as copy. Give your copy a new filename like YouTube.psd.

Close original PSD.

Flatten YouTube.psd image.

At this point you have a choice.

Either use Image > Image Size and change the width to 1280px and height to 720px. Or use the Crop Tool to achieve the same result (see screenshot).

Use Ctrl/Cmd + S to save file.

Hope that helps.

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert

Nancy OShea

Community Expert

I forgot to mention, you will need to export PSD file to optimized JPG before you upload it to YouTube.

File > Export > Export As > JPG... (see screenshot).

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert

C

christopherw31662392Author

Known Participant

Okay I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong but when I follow your instructions, I made the PSD file flat, I then cropped it with your specs, I even put in the 96 like you had it and for some reason it takes a super long time for me to save and then it wont save it as a jpg, I can only save it as a Large Document Format, PNG, Tiff.

With your second comment, so are you saying after I flatten the PSD file and crop it, I then export that as a jpg? Is that why I can't save as a jpg?

Jumpenjax

Community Expert

How are you saving the file? Jpeg? If so, when you save and the information about the file comes up image options, where is the quality? If it is above 8 you should slide the quality to 8 and save that should make the file smaller but not lose to much quality.

Lee- Graphic Designer, Print Specialist, Photographer

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christopherw31662392Author

Known Participant

I save it as a jpg and when I go all the way down in terms of quality it's still above 2MB.

Stephen Marsh

Community Expert

You need to use export, not save/save as.

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