Whatnot thumbnail size and free thumbnail maker
As of November 2026, Whatnot recommends a vertical show thumbnail in a 9:16 ratio at 1080 x 1920 pixels. You can use a vertical preview video instead, and if you add neither, Whatnot uses your profile photo. The maker below builds a 1080 x 1920 thumbnail in your browser: add a product photo, a title and your show time, then download it.
Your thumbnail
Stays in this browser. Nothing is uploaded.
Preview · 1080 x 1920
Exports at 1080 x 1920 pixels (9:16), the size Whatnot recommends for show thumbnails as of November 2026.
Your photo stays on your device. The maker runs entirely in your browser, and nothing you add is uploaded to BreakTemplate.
Whatnot thumbnail size guide
| Spec | Whatnot, as of November 2026 |
|---|---|
| Shape | Vertical, 9:16 ratio |
| Recommended size | 1080 x 1920 pixels |
| Video instead | A vertical preview video, also 9:16 |
| If you add nothing | Your profile photo is used |
| File types and size limit | Not published in Whatnot's help center |
| Where buyers see it | Feeds of show thumbnails in the app, and the link preview when a show is shared |
The size comes from Whatnot's help article on how to schedule, edit, and start a show, which lists the thumbnail as optional, asks for a vertical 9:16 image or video, recommends 1080 x 1920 pixels, and links Whatnot's own Show Thumbnail Template. The article does not list accepted file types or a maximum file size, so this page does not guess at them. The maker exports a PNG, plus a JPG option for a smaller file.
Why vertical: 9:16 is the shape of a phone screen held upright, and the Whatnot app presents shows as feeds of show thumbnails. Making the image at exactly 9:16 means nothing important depends on how a different shape would be cropped.
Where to add it
- Open Seller Hub in the app or on whatnot.com (on the web, open the Shows page).
- Select Schedule a Show and enter the show name, date, time, category, and primary selling format.
- In the optional settings, choose Add a thumbnail or preview video and pick the image you downloaded.
- Publish the show, then share its link: the preview shows your username, show title, and thumbnail.
Thumbnail design tips for card breaks
- Make it readable on a phone. Buyers scroll past thumbnails at a small size, so a few big words beat a sentence. If the title is hard to read in the preview on this page, it is too long.
- Show the real product. A photo of the actual box or case you will open tells buyers what the break is. Whatnot's Listing Guidelines, which cover listings rather than the show thumbnail itself, require photos of the actual item and do not allow stock photos alone. Holding the thumbnail to the same standard keeps it honest.
- Name the show. Product and format in plain words, such as the set name plus "PYT team breaks."
- Add the date and time, with a time zone. A shared show link previews the thumbnail, so people who see it before you go live know when to come back.
- Avoid misleading claims. The Listing Guidelines ban clickbait: images, titles, or descriptions that mislead buyers to promote a different item or lead them off Whatnot. Do not show a hit you are not breaking, and do not advertise prizes, paid bounties, or bonuses tied to outcomes, which the Card Breaks Policy does not allow in breaks.
- Leave room at the edges. Whatnot adds its own elements to show tiles; for example, the Premier Shop badge appears in show thumbnails for sellers in that program. Keep key text away from the edges.
- Stay consistent. Whatnot suggests its Show Thumbnail Template for clean, consistent visuals. The same layout and colors every show help followers recognize you in the feed.
After the thumbnail: going live
With the show scheduled, the next steps are the stream and the break itself. The beginner's guide to selling on Whatnot covers the seller application and your first show, and the OBS setup guide for Whatnot covers streaming from a computer. If you run breaks, BreakTemplate's live break board puts buyers and teams on screen: you type each buyer once in Break Control and the OBS overlay updates in about two seconds. More no-signup tools are on the free tools page.
Whatnot thumbnail questions
What size is a Whatnot thumbnail?
As of November 2026, Whatnot recommends a vertical show thumbnail at 1080 x 1920 pixels, which is a 9:16 ratio. A vertical preview video in the same 9:16 ratio can be used instead.
Does Whatnot have a thumbnail template?
Yes. Whatnot's help article on scheduling a show links its own Show Thumbnail Template, made in Canva, as of November 2026. The maker on this page is a no-signup alternative that exports at the recommended 1080 x 1920.
What file type should a Whatnot thumbnail be?
Whatnot's help center does not list accepted file types or a maximum file size as of November 2026. This maker exports a PNG, or a JPG for a smaller file. If one format does not upload, try the other.
What happens if you skip the thumbnail on Whatnot?
Whatnot uses your profile photo instead, as of November 2026. A custom thumbnail that shows the product and the show time tells buyers far more about the show.
Is the thumbnail maker free, and are photos uploaded?
It is free with no signup. The maker runs entirely in your browser, so your photo never leaves your device and nothing is uploaded to BreakTemplate.