How to add a thumbnail to a post

Thumbnails help define your posts

A thumbnail is the image that appears when you link to your newsletter post on your website or social media. Thumbnails are an important aesthetic element, offering a preview of each post. When displayed on your publication website, they provide a visual summary of your content.

For each individual post, you can specify a thumbnail by uploading an asset from your device or choosing from the options in your beehiiv library, which includes direct access to Giphy and Unsplash. The recommended size for a thumbnail in beehiiv is 1200px x 630px.

By default, the thumbnail image you add to your Settings > Publication > Thumbnail image will appear in all of the post cards on your Home Page. For instructions on adding a thumbnail to your publication, as well as setting a logo, please, refer to this article.

---

How to upload a thumbnail to your newsletter post

1. Go to your post by accessing the Post Builder. From the left panel Dashboard, open a saved post or click on Start Writing.
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. The Post Builder will open on the Compose page. Above the post title, click on Add thumbnail and choose to either Upload a new image or to Replace from image library.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Note: When adding your post thumbnail, we recommend a file size of 1200 x 630 px.
3. Choosing to upload a new image will open your device. After selecting this option, the file finder will open for you to grab an image or asset from your device. Once added the image will appear in your post above the title, authors, and content tags.
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Thumbnail Visibility settings. After a thumbnail has been added to your post, click the 6-dots to the left of the image to access the Visibility settings. If you would like the thumbnail image to appear at the top of your published web post, toggle on Show at top of web post.
   
   
   
   
   
   By default, the thumbnail will not replace the thumbnail on the Settings > Publication page, unless you toggle on Show at the top of web post.
   
   
5. If you’re looking to change the thumbnail image, you can click the 6-dots next to the thumbnail and select Upload a new image or Replace from image library. By selecting Replace from image library, you will be taken to your image library (previously uploaded images) or you can select an image from Giphy or Unsplash.
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. Your image library will open showing the image assets uploaded to your Current publication. Select an image from your library and it will immediately appear in your post above the title, authors, and content tags.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Pro Tip: If you need to adjust the uploaded image size, we offer the ability to crop, rotate, or adjust the color by clicking on the icons at the top of the image in the image library on your uploaded photo.
   

   

   
   This is not an option for Giphy or Unsplash images.

    

7. Choosing an image from Giphy or Unsplash. One of the many perks of your beehiiv account is the ability to access and use stock images from both Giphy and Unsplash directly from your library.
   To use an asset from Giphy or Unsplash as your thumbnail image, from the left panel of your library select either option to open the stock image library.
   
   
   
   
   
   
8. If you click on Giphy you’ll see a search bar and suggested keywords to choose from. Search for your desired thumbnail or select from the suggested keywords. Once you select your thumbnail, you’ll immediately return to the post editor.
   
   
   
   
   
   Tech Note: The images you’ll find on Giphy are GIFs. Since GIFs are animated, they can have large file sizes, which may increase the loading time of your newsletter. beehiiv will warn you if your email size gets too large, but it’s best to use GIFs sparingly.

    

9. If you click on Unsplash, you’ll see a search bar and suggested keywords to choose from. Search for your desired thumbnail or select from the suggested keywords. Once you select your thumbnail, you’ll immediately return to the post editor.
   
   
   

---

Frequently asked questions about using thumbnails 

Why does my thumbnail look stretched out?

If your thumbnail image appears stretched out, it often means you need to resize and reupload the image.

I resized my thumbnail, but it isn’t updating. How do I fix it?

Thumbnails can take time to re-cache on beehiiv and any other platform you post on, including social media. If you have recently edited an image in the beehiiv library, please allow up to 24-48 hours for your thumbnail to display correctly after you resize the image.

How do I upload a thumbnail for my newsletter’s audio file?

You can customize your newsletter by adding audio files and uploading a thumbnail for them. Instructions for adding a thumbnail to your audio file can be found in step 3 of this article.