How to retrieve a video thumbnail from its link

BiliCover was a link-based video-cover lookup for Bilibili and YouTube, but its former domain now redirects to a creator notice saying the service has shut down. That changes the practical answer: do not rely on old instructions promising a working extractor. If you need a thumbnail today, use the platform’s current creator tools or obtain the image and permission from its owner.

What happened to BiliCover

The address previously associated with BiliCover now lands on a Bilibili post dated June 12, 2026, announcing that the cover-extraction site is offline. The notice does not describe a replacement service or an expected return date. Treat mirrors and lookalike domains cautiously, especially if they ask you to sign in or install software.

If you own the video

For a video you published, open the creator account’s official editing or management page and retrieve the cover from your own project files or upload history. Keep the original image at its source dimensions when possible. If you no longer have the file, export or download it through the platform’s own creator workflow and verify the result before reusing it in a new edit.

If you need a YouTube thumbnail

YouTube’s Data API documents thumbnail variants such as default, medium, high, standard and max resolution when available. The returned set and dimensions can vary by resource and by the source upload; do not assume every video has every size. Use the official video page or API documentation and check image dimensions before laying it out.

If the video belongs to someone else

A public thumbnail is not automatically licensed for republication. Ask the creator for the original file and permission for your intended use, or choose an image with a license that covers your project. Keep the video URL and permission record with the saved asset.

Verify the source before saving

Confirm that the title and creator match the video you meant to reference, then record where the image came from and when you retrieved it. The former BiliCover address currently points to the shutdown notice linked below; the YouTube documentation explains why available sizes can differ. Neither source grants permission to reuse a creator’s artwork.