The feature is rolling out first to creators enrolled in the YouTube Partner Program, allowing them to replace automatically selected Shorts thumbnails with fully customized images during the upload process. YouTube said broader availability will come in future updates.
Alongside custom uploads, YouTube has introduced a desktop option that lets creators choose from three suggested thumbnail frames for Shorts. On mobile, creators can continue selecting any frame directly from the video using the YouTube app.
The company is also expanding the use of generative AI in YouTube Studio by bringing thumbnail generation into Ask Studio for long-form videos. Creators can simply ask the AI to create a thumbnail, then modify layouts, colors, and other design elements through follow-up prompts.
The latest enhancements are part of YouTube's broader effort to provide creators with more production tools powered by artificial intelligence while improving content discovery and presentation across the platform.
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