How to save a frame from a video as a picture

A single moment from a video makes a good thumbnail, a document illustration or a keepsake. Saving it as a picture takes a slider and one choice of file type.

Find the moment

Move the slider until the frame you want is in the preview. It moves in tenths of a second. If the action is fast, nudge the slider a little either way and compare: a frame a tenth of a second earlier can be noticeably sharper.

JPG or PNG

JPG makes a smaller file and suits photographs, thumbnails and anything you will share or upload. PNG is sharper and larger and suits screenshots, text and pictures you plan to edit further.

Full size

The picture is saved at the size of your video, so a 4K video gives a 4K picture. That is more than enough for most uses, and you can shrink it in any picture editor.

What the picture is good for

A thumbnail or cover picture for a video you are about to share.
A still for a document, a slide or a web page.
A keepsake: the one frame from a long clip that you want to print or frame.
Evidence of a detail, such as a reading on a screen or a label on a product.

If the picture looks soft

A frame is only as sharp as the video it came from. Video that was heavily compressed, filmed in low light or shot on a moving camera gives a softer still. Try a frame from a steadier moment, or save as PNG so no extra softness is added when the picture is stored.

Choosing a sharp frame

Pick a moment when the subject is still. Movement blurs a single frame even when the video looks smooth.
Avoid the first and last instants of a clip, which are often soft.
If the video plays sideways, turn it first so the picture comes out the right way up.

Save a frame Free, no account, nothing uploaded.