ThumbCrafted

How to Use ThumbCrafted

A step-by-step guide to creating thumbnails on desktop and mobile.

1 Quick Start

Get from image to finished thumbnail in three steps.

Upload Image
Step 1
Upload your image

Click Upload Image on the homepage or drag, paste or drop a file onto the upload area. You can also click Try Free Editor in the header. Your image loads instantly — nothing is uploaded to a server.

Tap Upload Image on the homepage. Select a photo from your camera roll or files. The image loads instantly in your mobile browser — nothing leaves your device.

CLICK BAIT
Step 2
Edit with tools

Use the sidebar tabs to add text, shapes, arrows, blur, captions, emojis, and more. Click any element on the canvas to select, resize, or reposition it. The live preview located under Canvas (where your edits occur) updates in real time.

Tap the tool tabs at the bottom of the screen to add text, shapes, arrows, blur, and more. Tap any element to select it, then drag to move or use handles to resize. The live preview located under Canvas (where your edits occur) updates in real time.

SIDEBAR Controls Thickness Font / Size Oswald 24px Style B I U CANVAS Your edits happen here TEXT PREVIEW Live preview updates in real time
Export Size YouTube Instagram X / Twitter Facebook Download
Step 3
Export & download

Click the Download button in the header. Choose an export size preset (YouTube 1280×720, Instagram 1080², and more) or keep the original dimensions. Save as PNG or JPEG. You can also click the save button and choose filetype before saving under live preview.

Tap the Download button at the top. Select your preferred size (YouTube, Instagram, etc.) and format. You can also tap the save button under the live preview to choose filetype before saving. The image saves directly to your device.

Live Preview YOUR EDIT PNG JPEG 💾 Save Save button under live preview — choose format before saving

2 Shapes & Borders

Add visual emphasis with shapes. ThumbCrafted includes rectangles, circles, lines, arrows, and 11+ SVG shapes.

Adding Shapes
Choose from default and extended shapes

Open the Shapes tab in the sidebar. You'll see 6 default shapes (Rectangle, Circle, Line, Block, Censor, Arrow). Click More Shapes to reveal 11 additional SVG shapes including Star, Heart, Triangle, Check, X Mark, Speech Bubble, and more.

Tap the Shapes tab at the bottom. Swipe through default shapes (Rectangle, Circle, Line, Arrow). Tap More Shapes to see extended shapes like Star, Heart, Triangle, and Speech Bubble.

Tip: Use the Shape Style controls to toggle between Fill / No Fill and add an Outline with custom color. Select any shape on the canvas, then adjust in the sidebar.
Thickness Color
Customizing
Resize, recolor, and adjust thickness

Click (or tap) any shape to select it. Drag the corner handles to resize. Use the Thickness slider and Color picker in the sidebar to customize. You can also drag the shape to reposition it anywhere on the canvas.

3 Text & Captions

ThumbCrafted offers two text systems: Quick Text for bold headlines and Captions for multi-line wrapped text.

Quick Text
Bold single-line headline. 14 fonts, per-word color, 5 text effects (Neon, Shadow, Fire, Highlight).
Captions
Multi-line text block with word wrap, justify, per-word color, bold/italic, and auto-sizing width.
TOP 10 TOP This caption wraps across multiple lines automatically with per-word color
Adding Text
Headlines and captions

Go to the Text tab. Click Add Text for a bold headline, or Add Caption for a multi-line text block. Double-click text on the canvas to edit it. Use the sidebar controls to change font, size, color, outline, and text effects.

Tap the Text tab. Tap Add Text or Add Caption. A text modal opens where you type your text and pick font, color, and size. Tap the text on canvas to reposition.

Per-word color: Select a text element, then click individual words in the color section to assign different colors to each word. Great for emphasizing keywords.

4 Images & Overlays

Layer additional images on top of your base image. Perfect for reaction faces, product shots, logos, and watermarks.

WATERMARK
Overlays
Insert images, circular crops, and watermarks

Go to Modify > Insert Image to add a photo overlay. Toggle Circular for a round crop. Use Modify > Watermark to add a repeating watermark with adjustable opacity and rotation.

Tap Modify then Insert Image to add a photo overlay. Tap the Circular toggle for round cropping. Tap Watermark to add a watermark with opacity control.

5 Blur & Effects

Apply blur, image adjustments, and one-tap filters to enhance your thumbnail.

Blur Tools
Brush blur, shape blur (rect/circle/line), 7 styles, adjustable strength.
Adjustments
Brightness, contrast, saturation sliders + 8 color filters.
Enhance
Sharpen, Vibrance, Clarity, Vignette — one-click Auto Enhance.
Filters
Cinematic, Warm, Cool, BW, Vintage, Dramatic, Faded, Vivid.
Tip: Use Blur > Shape mode to blur specific regions (faces, text, sensitive info). Choose rectangle, circle, or freeform shapes.

6 Export & Templates

Save your work as a reusable template or export in the perfect size for any platform.

YouTube 1280 × 720 Instagram 1080 × 1080 Save Template Reuse on any image Load Template Fit / Fill / Stretch
Saving & Exporting
Platform presets and reusable templates

Click Download in the header to export. Choose from size presets: YouTube (1280×720), Instagram (1080²), IG Story, X/Twitter, Facebook, or Original. To save your layout for reuse, go to Templates > Save Template. Load it later onto any new image with Fit, Fill, or Stretch modes.

Tap Download to export. Choose your platform size and format (PNG or JPEG). Templates can be saved and loaded from the Templates section in the tools area.

Want even more tips and tricks? Click here

Ready to create?
Open ThumbCrafted Editor