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YouTube Cover

Generate scroll-stopping YouTube thumbnails from your video title, bold composition, expressive focal point, and a punchy headline rendered right on the image.

ModelNano Banana Pro
5.3

Still needed: Video Title

Runs on

API

Examples

Before / AfterNano Banana Pro

Bold: Pyra, fully automated

Gemini 3 Pro Image. Pyra's portrait becomes a billboard-bold YouTube thumbnail: face front and centre, a crisp baked "FULLY AUTOMATED" hook, her violet infinity mark as the symbol. One title in, a click-ready 16:9 cover out.

YouTube Cover API

Call this pipeline from your own code. One request dispatches a run; the model is an input field, not a separate endpoint.

4 inputs
1 required
5.3 credits
bun add @pipe2-ai/sdk
import { createClient } from "@pipe2-ai/sdk";

const client = createClient(process.env.PIPE2_TOKEN!);

const { run_pipeline } = await client.RunPipeline({
  pipeline_slug: "youtube-cover",
  input: {
    title: "I Rebuilt My Studio in a Weekend",
  },
});
pip install pipe2
import asyncio
import os

from pipe2 import Pipe2Client

client = Pipe2Client(token=os.environ["PIPE2_TOKEN"])

run = asyncio.run(client.run_pipeline(
    pipeline_slug="youtube-cover",
    input={
        "title": "I Rebuilt My Studio in a Weekend",
    },
))
go get github.com/pipe2-ai/sdk-go
client := pipe2.NewClient(os.Getenv("PIPE2_TOKEN"))

input := json.RawMessage(`{
  "title": "I Rebuilt My Studio in a Weekend"
}`)

run, err := pipe2.RunPipeline(context.Background(), client, "youtube-cover", input)
if err != nil {
    log.Fatal(err)
}
brew install pipe2-ai/tap/pipe2
pipe2 pipelines run \
  --pipeline youtube-cover \
  --input-json '{"title": "I Rebuilt My Studio in a Weekend"}' \
  --wait

Get an API token →

Parameters

title required

The video title, drives the composition. Write it like a headline: specific, concrete, emotional.

string
description

Optional extra context to shape the visual (channel genre, mood, key scene).

string
style

Art direction preset. bold = saturated and dramatic, minimal = editorial and spacious, clickbait = extreme reaction face, cinematic = teal-orange film still, vlog = warm lifestyle, gaming = neon and motion blur.

boldminimalclickbaitcinematicvloggaming default bold
Show all 4 inputs
subject_image

Optional: URL of a face or product photo to anchor the thumbnail.

string

Use it from an AI agent

Point any MCP client at pipe2 and your agent gets these tools. It finds this pipeline, reads the same schema above, then runs it.

  • list_pipelines
  • get_pipeline_schema
  • run_pipeline
  • get_pipeline_run_status
  • request_upload
https://mcp.pipe2.ai/mcp
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pipe2ai": {
      "url": "https://mcp.pipe2.ai/mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_TOKEN" }
    }
  }
}

Full API reference MCP setup CLI reference

YouTube Cover Generator: Click-Through That Scales

Turn your video title into a thumbnail that earns the click. AI handles the composition, lighting, and focal point that separate 2% CTR from 10%.

How It Works

  1. Enter your title: the AI reads it like a headline
  2. Pick a style: bold, minimal, cinematic, vlog, gaming, or clickbait reaction
  3. Optionally add a face or product photo: it becomes the thumbnail anchor
  4. Generate in seconds: ready to upload

Built for YouTube

  • 16:9 native: 1920×1080, YouTube-ready
  • Rule of thirds: focal point offset, negative space for overlay text
  • High contrast: reads at tiny sizes in the browse feed
  • Expressive subjects: faces convey emotion, products feel aspirational

Who This Is For

  • Creators who don't want to open Photoshop for every upload
  • Agencies managing multiple channels and batching thumbnails
  • Anyone A/B testing thumbnail variants to find what sticks

Frequently Asked Questions

What size is the output?
16:9 at roughly 1920×1080 pixels, YouTube's recommended thumbnail resolution.
Can I overlay my own text?
Yes. The AI renders a short punchy hook headline (2 to 4 words distilled from your title) directly onto the image in the negative-space area. The thumbnail already ships with that baked-in text, and you can still add more of your own in any editor if you like.
Do I need to upload a photo?
No. If you don't provide a subject image, the AI invents a suitable scene from the title alone. A face or product photo anchors the result more reliably.
How many credits does it cost?
5.3 credits per thumbnail. Pricing is flat, re-run with a different title or style to A/B test.
Can I generate variations of the same thumbnail?
Yes, run the pipeline multiple times with slightly different titles or styles to A/B test which performs best.

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