Update a video thumbnail
A thumbnail and a poster show a preview of the media content in your player. A thumbnail is preview content that appears in search results or playlists. A poster is preview content that appears in the player before a viewer or a piece of code initiates media playback. These previews can increase a viewer's engagement with your media.
For a consistent user experience, a thumbnail and poster for a video are generated from the same preview file.
Each time you upload a video to your JWP account, two thumbnails are created:
- A static thumbnail created from the 10th second of your video
- (Enterprise only) An auto-generated motion thumbnail created from the first 10 seconds of the video
Sometimes the preview file may not be the most engaging moment of your video. After you have uploaded your video, you have these options to improve the thumbnail and poster for a video:
- Upload a custom static preview file
- Choose a video frame as a static preview file
- (Enterprise only) Upload a custom video preview file
Each option is explained in the following sections.
If you are a developer or have developer resources, you can use the API to update a preview file.
Upload a custom static preview file
The static preview file that you upload for a video is used as the thumbnail and poster for the video.
JWP removes all sensitive metadata when an image is uploaded to protect privacy and ensure user security. Image capture tools can add sensitive metadata, also known as EXIF, to images, including GPS location of the picture, the time of day, and the camera used.
Standards
A custom static preview file should adhere to the following standards.
| Standard | Information |
|---|---|
| Accepted file formats |
|
| Image dimensions | 1920x1080 |
Process
Use the following video and steps to upload a custom static preview file.
- From your JWP dashboard Media Library, click the name of a video. The detail page for the video.
- Under Thumbnail to the right of Static, click ⋯ > Upload New Thumbnail.
- From your computer, choose and upload a custom static preview file.
Choose a video frame as a static thumbnail
Use the following video and steps to choose a video frame as a static thumbnail.
- From your JWP dashboard Media Library, click the name of a video. The detail page for the video appears.
- Under Thumbnail to the right of Static, click ⋯ > Select From Video.
- Click Select from Video.
- From the timeline strip, choose a video frame to use as the static thumbnail.
- Click Save.
(Enterprise only) Upload a custom video preview file
The video preview file that you upload for a video is used as the thumbnail and poster for the video.
Standards
A custom video preview file should adhere to the following standards.
| Standard | Information |
|---|---|
| Accepted file formats |
|
| File duration | 5-6 seconds (ideal) If the video file is >10 seconds, only the first 10 seconds will be used for the thumbnail and poster. |
| Audio | N/A If the video file has audio, the audio will not be included in the thumbnail and poster. |
Process
Use the following video and steps to upload a custom video preview file.
- From your JWP dashboard Media Library, click the name of a video. The detail page for the video appears.
- Under Thumbnails to the right of Motion, click ⋯ > Upload New Video.
- From your computer, choose and upload a custom video preview file.
FAQs
Why has the video thumbnail not changed?
After choosing a new thumbnail, your thumbnail may take up to 15 minutes to appear in your dashboard, on your site, or in your app.
If you re-upload a video using the same media ID, your previously chosen custom thumbnail is used for the video. To change the thumbnail to match a re-uploaded video, you must manually choose a new thumbnail.
Updated 10 months ago