Late last year, YouTube began rolling out support for adding custom images as playlists covers, but this functionality was limited to the desktop experience. Up until now, users on mobile only had the option to use AI-generated thumbnails. Luckily, this is now changing and even users on mobile devices can now pick custom images. However, as the title suggests, there’s a catch to this (at least for the majority of users).
A few hours ago, a u/rick-Turnover-4808took to Reddit to highlight that they could now add a custom image as a thumbnail for their YouTube Music playlist on mobile. This is something a lot of users have been waiting for patiently ever since it went live on on YouTube for the web.
Multiple users in the comments mentioned that they weren’t able to see the option, despite installing the latest YouTube Music update. But someone suggested trying it via the YouTube app, instead of the YT Music. Upon testing it myself, I can confirm that the option to select a custom image for the thumbnail is currently only available on the YouTube app.
Here’s a comparison of what you see when you tap the pencil icon to change the thumbnail on YouTube vs YouTube Music (at the moment):
Even after installing the latest YouTube Music available on iOS and Android, I could only set a custom AI-generated thumbnail. So if you want to change playlist thumbnails, you’ll have to use the standard YouTube app.
To add a custom image as the thumbnail, navigate to the playlist, tap on the pencil icon, then tap the ‘Choose form library’ option and select the image you want to use. You can also adjust the crop before applying.
It’s unclear why YouTube made it work this way, but I can only suspect that an upcoming update will bring the same functionality to YouTube Music as well.
Anyway, give it a shot and let me know if you could set a custom image as a thumbnail via the YouTube mobile app. Furthermore, in case you have the option within the YouTube Music app itself, drop a comment to confirm the same. Thanks in advance!
Dwayne Cubbins
866 Posts
For nearly a decade, I've been deciphering the complexities of the tech world, with a particular passion for helping users navigate the ever-changing tech landscape. From crafting in-depth guides that unlock your phone's hidden potential to uncovering and explaining the latest bugs and glitches, I make sure you get the most out of your devices. And yes, you might occasionally find me ranting about some truly frustrating tech mishaps.
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