Fix ‘For now, you can’t change the thumbnail’ on Youtube Shorts

If you’ve encountered the “For now, you can’t change the thumbnail on your Short” error when attempting to customize the thumbnail of your YouTube Shorts, you’re not alone. Many content creators have experienced this issue, leading to frustration when it comes to presenting their Shorts in the most appealing manner.

Fortunately, YouTube has provided an explanation for this problem. Recently, they have begun testing the ability to select any frame of a Short as the thumbnail on Android devices. However, this feature is yet to be available on desktop and other platforms. To ensure a successful experience, it is best to use an Android device to modify the thumbnail of YouTube Shorts at this time.

What Causes the “For now, you can’t change the thumbnail on your Short” Error?

YouTube recently unveiled the capability to modify Short’s thumbnails directly from an Android device, however, at the same time, removed the option to do so from other platforms and the PC. This has resulted in the error message “For now, you can’t change the thumbnail on your Short” appearing for users. The streaming platform clarified that this is not due to a bug, but an intentional change, as the custom thumbnail selection on the Studio desktop was not compatible with the Shorts shelf or channel pages, leading to user confusion.

Youtube clarifies issue with youtube shorts can't change thumbnail issue

How to Fix the “For now, you can’t change the thumbnail on your Short” Error

Fix 'For now, you can't change the thumbnail' on Youtube Shorts

If you want to change the thumbnail on your YouTube Short, your only option for now is to do so from your Android device. Here’s how to do it:

  1. Open the YouTube app on your Android device and go to your channel page.
  2. Find the Short that you want to change the thumbnail for and tap on it to open the video details page.
  3. Tap on the three dots in the top right corner of the page and select “Change thumbnail” from the menu.
  4. Choose a new thumbnail from the three suggested thumbnails, or upload a custom thumbnail by tapping on the “Add custom thumbnail” button.
  5. Tap “Save” to apply the new thumbnail to your Short.

It’s worth noting that this feature is currently only available on Android, so if you’re using a different platform, you won’t be able to change the thumbnail for your Short at this time. However, YouTube has stated that they plan to bring this feature back to other platforms in the future, so stay tuned for updates.

Conclusion

If you are encountering the “For now, you can’t change the thumbnail on your Short” error on YouTube, it is due to the fact that this capability is currently only available on Android devices. To remedy this issue, you will need to utilize an Android device to alter the thumbnail for your Short. YouTube has declared that they intend to reintroduce this feature to other platforms in the future, so be sure to look out for any new developments.

Aoron Kimmel
Aoron Kimmel
Software Engineer, A creative mind.

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