Thumbnails are automatically generated preview images that provide visual representations of your digital assets. They enable fast browsing and asset identification without requiring users to download or open the original files.
When a file is uploaded to Data Dwell, the platform automatically creates thumbnails in web-friendly sizes. This ensures acceptable loading speeds across the library, search results, and distribution channels while preserving your original files unchanged.
Thumbnails serve several critical functions in digital asset management:
Performance - Preview images load significantly faster than original files, particularly for high-resolution images, large videos, or complex documents. This enables smooth browsing even when working with extensive asset libraries.
Accessibility - Users can view previews of file types they may not have applications installed to open. For example, specialized image formats, video codecs, or proprietary document types become viewable directly in the platform.
Asset Identification - Visual previews help users quickly identify and select the correct asset, reducing the need to download multiple files to find what they need.
Distribution - Thumbnails appear in Portals, Showcases, and Public Links, ensuring recipients can browse and preview assets before downloading.
Thumbnail generation happens automatically after upload:
No user action is required to trigger thumbnail generation. The system handles this process in the background for all supported file types.
Data Dwell has no restrictions on which file types can be uploaded. However, thumbnail generation is available for a comprehensive range of formats.
Thumbnails are automatically created for common image formats including:
The platform also supports specialized and RAW camera formats including CR2, CR3, NEF, ARW, DNG, and many others used by professional photographers.
Preview generation is supported for:
Video thumbnails capture representative frames from:
Audio files receive placeholder thumbnails with format identification.
The complete list of supported codecs and formats includes hundreds of professional, proprietary, and legacy file types. For the comprehensive list, refer to the FAQ.
While Data Dwell supports uploading any file type, thumbnail generation may not be available for:
When thumbnail generation is unavailable, the platform displays a generic file type icon in place of a preview image. The original file remains accessible for download.
If you encounter a file type that fails to generate thumbnails, please contact Data Dwell support. We continuously expand format support and improve processing capabilities based on customer needs. Reporting unsupported formats helps us prioritize enhancements to the platform.
Thumbnail visibility follows the same permission structure as the underlying asset. Users can only view thumbnails for assets they have permission to access based on folder permissions, user groups, and role assignments.
Thumbnail processing itself does not require special permissions—it occurs automatically for all uploaded assets. However, triggering reprocessing of thumbnails may require specific user permissions depending on your platform configuration.
For information on managing and reprocessing thumbnails, see the How to Manage Thumbnails article.