Applies ToSharePoint Server 2016 SharePoint in Microsoft 365

Asset libraries in SharePoint make it easy for you to capture a thumbnail of a video, or to upload a thumbnail image for a video in the library. A video thumbnail is the first thing that most people see when they interact with a video. A thumbnail is also what is shown in search results. Thumbnails are especially helpful in a library with many media files, because they give viewers a preview of the video content.

To capture or change a video thumbnail in an asset library of a SharePoint site, follow these steps.

  1. Open the asset library that contains the video.

  2. Select the video, then to the right of the video, select Video settings.Screenshot showing the Video settings panel used to change settings for a video in a library.

  3. Select the Thumbnail drop-down list. The two commands you can use to edit a video thumbnail appear.Screenshot showing the Thumbnail editing options in SharePoint.

  4. If you want to use a picture from your computer as the video thumbnail, select Upload thumbnail.Screenshot showing the Upload thumbnail command in SharePoint.

  5. If you want to edit the current thumbnail, select Edit thumbnail.Screenshot showing the Edit thumbnail command in SharePoint.

To learn how to make these edits, use one of the following procedures.

Use a picture from your computer as the thumbnail

If you have an image stored on your computer that you want to use as a thumbnail for the video, follow these steps.

  1. Select Upload thumbnail.

  2. Type the path for the picture file, or browse to select the image file, and select Open.

  3. If your new thumbnail looks OK, select Done.

Capture a new thumbnail from your video

You can capture a thumbnail from any video that's stored in an asset library. However, you can't capture a thumbnail from a video if it's stored outside an asset library.

  1. Select Edit thumbnail.

  2. From the video, move the seekbar to the new frame you want to use.Screenshot showing the seekbar you can use to locate a new thumbnail image.

  3. When the video shows the image that you want to capture, select Select this frame. If the image isn't quite right, you can also select Cancel and try again.Screenshot showing a new thumbnail to replace an existing thumbnail in a SharePoint asset library. The new captured thumbnail image will appear in your SharePoint asset library.

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