A long-awaited feature will soon start rolling out on YouTube for creators.

YouTube has announced that it has been testing a new feature called "Test & Compare," the company's name for what is essentially a thumbnail A/B testing tool.

YouTube's Test & Compare will let creators split test their thumbnails in order to maximize video views. Credit: Mashable Screenshot / YouTube

As YouTubers know, a thumbnail image can make or break how a video does on the platform. Even MrBeast, the platform's most popular creator, has shared his obsession with creating, swapping, and testing thumbnails. However, until now, there has been no built-in option to test thumbnails out on YouTube. Most creators who do split testing on thumbnails use paid third-party tools that automate the manual process of swapping out thumbnails and tracking how they do.

YouTube's tool, Test & Compare, however is built right into the platform and allows creators to test out up to three thumbnail options. It tracks the performance of a video based on which thumbnail is displayed for viewers and then automatically selects the one driving the most views.

According to YouTube, it has been testing the feature out with a select few hundred YouTubers for the past few months. The company says Test & Compare is still in its "early stages" but plans on rolling out the beta version of the feature to thousands of more creators "in the coming months." It hopes to roll the split testing tool out "more broadly" next year. YouTube announced the feature on Thursday at VidCon and uploaded a subsequent video announcement to its official Creator Insider channel.

YouTubers who want to be considered for the beta version of the tool can sign up for the Creator Research program here.