Relay PublishThe short answer
Keep the original cover image. Retrieval from Instagram depends on the API; using it elsewhere depends on the destination format and account options.
1. Keep the cover as a separate file
Save the final image in your production folder alongside the video. You then have a clean source if a network does not provide a thumbnail or if you need to edit the text later.
A screenshot can help in a pinch, but may include interface controls, cropping or insufficient resolution. Prefer the original export. Keep an editable version for a series that shares the same visual style.
2. Design for a thumbnail, not a poster
Text needs to remain clear at small sizes. Choose one idea, a few words and strong contrast. On a busy background, a quiet area or solid panel can make the title easier to read.
Keep the main subject and essential words away from the edges. Check several crops: a vertical image may look different in a profile grid, link preview or player. There is no identical safe area guaranteed across every network.
3. Separate a retrieved image from an accepted image
Relay can show the Instagram cover when the API provides it. If it is missing, the video is not necessarily unusable: access to the image and access to the media are separate questions.
Check that an available image matches your intended cover, rather than a generated frame. Publication details offer cover viewing, replacement or download where available. Seeing an image in Relay does not prove every destination will accept it.
4. Check each destination’s options
A platform may accept a custom image, use a moment from the video or control its own preview. Options can differ between Shorts, regular videos and API publishing. On YouTube, account eligibility and format affect thumbnail controls.
For the TikTok video API used by Relay, do not rely on sending the Instagram cover as a separate custom image. TikTok requires its own publishing controls, and production access remains pending. Check network capabilities instead of assuming universal cover support.
5. Review important posts before sending
Use With approval mode for launches, announcements or visually distinctive series. Review the image, caption and destinations before uploading. This precaution cannot force a network to display the chosen thumbnail.
After publication, open the final link. If the cover was rejected, read the reason and check available options before uploading the video again. The upload diagnosis helps distinguish cover issues from publication failures.
Before you move on
- Keep original video and cover files.
- Test small text and several crops.
- Check the retrieved cover in Relay.
- Verify destination options and the final result.
Official references
Platform rules can change. Check these sources for eligibility and technical constraints.
Practical guidance, not a promise of reach. Examples are illustrative. The Relay Publish public app is in preparation; platform access and permissions remain required.