Video Thumbnail Generator — Frames and Contact Sheet, Free

See a whole video at a glance, or choose the best cover frame

Choose how many frames you want and the tool takes them at even intervals through the video. You can download all of them on one contact sheet, with the time printed on each frame, or click the frame you like best and download it at the video's full size as a cover image. Everything happens in your browser, and the video is never uploaded.

How the frames are chosen

The video is divided into as many equal slices as the frames you asked for, and one frame is taken from the middle of each slice. Taking the middle avoids the first frame, which is so often black or a logo. For a 10 second video and 4 frames, the frames come from 1.25, 3.75, 6.25 and 8.75 seconds. For a 10 minute video and 9 frames each slice is about 67 seconds long.

The contact sheet

The sheet lays the frames out in a grid you choose, with a small gap around each. Nine frames in three columns, each 320 pixels wide from a widescreen video, make a sheet 992 × 572 pixels. Switch on the timestamps and each frame gets its time in the corner, which is handy for choosing where to cut or for a quick summary of a long recording.

Choosing a cover image

The small previews are only for choosing. Click one and the download button saves that moment again, taken fresh from the video at its full pixel size, so a 1920 × 1080 video gives a 1920 × 1080 cover. If you need an exact moment between the frames shown, use screenshot from video, which steps one frame at a time.

Fitting it to a platform

Platforms ask for their own image sizes and shapes, so check what yours wants. A cover that has the wrong shape can be trimmed with the image cropper and set to an exact size with the image resizer. To change the shape of the video itself, use change video aspect ratio.

Frequently asked questions

How do I make thumbnails from a video?

Drop the video into the box, choose how many frames you want and press Make thumbnails. The frames appear as a grid. Download them all on one contact sheet, or click one and download it as a cover image.

What is a contact sheet?

A single image that shows many frames from a video in a grid, like a sheet of photo proofs. It gives a summary of the whole video at a glance, and can have the time printed on each frame.

How are the frames chosen?

The video is split into equal slices, one for each frame, and a frame is taken from the middle of each slice. That keeps them evenly spread and avoids the first frame, which is often black.

What size is the contact sheet?

It depends on your choices. With nine frames in three columns, each 320 pixels wide from a widescreen video, the sheet is 992 × 572 pixels. Wider frames, more columns or more rows make a bigger image.

How do I save one frame as a cover image?

Click the frame you like in the grid, then press the download button for that frame. It is taken again from the video at the full video size, not from the small preview.

Can I choose exactly which moment to use?

The frames here are evenly spaced. To pick an exact moment, use the screenshot from video tool, which lets you step one frame at a time.

Should I save as PNG or JPEG?

PNG loses nothing and makes bigger files; JPEG is much smaller and fine for photographs. For a cover or contact sheet shared online, JPEG is usually the better choice.

Is my video uploaded, and is it free?

Nothing is uploaded. The frames are taken in your browser, so the video never leaves your device. The tool is free, with no account and no limit.