Hi HN,

I built a small web tool that lets you extract the original thumbnail images directly from YouTube’s CDN using only a video or Shorts URL.

It pulls all available resolutions (including maxresdefault when present) without using the YouTube API, accounts, or extensions. The goal was to make a simple, fast utility for creators and designers who want the actual uploaded thumbnail file rather than screenshots.

It works entirely in the browser and doesn’t store URLs or logs.

I’d appreciate feedback on:

Reliability across older vs newer videos

Edge cases with Shorts thumbnails

Any technical or UX improvements you’d suggest

Link: https://picknar.com/