---
title: How do I get video thumbnails (cover images)?
question: get video thumbnails
area: video
audience: beginner
surface: desktop
keywords: [thumbnail, thumbnails, cover, cover image, youtube thumbnail, packaging, concepts, tiktok cover, how many thumbnails, thumbnail tab]
related: [how-do-i-record-footage, how-do-i-run-the-video-team, how-do-i-get-a-vertical-version, where-do-i-find-the-finished-video]
updated: 2026-07-21
---

# How do I get video thumbnails (cover images)?

Ask for thumbnails when you record by setting the **Thumbnails** count on the recorder, and the team's **Thumbnail** specialist designs a set of cover-image concepts. They show up in the project's **Thumbnails** tab, grouped by concept, ready to open, review and use. The Standard edit scope makes four by default and the Full scope makes twelve.

## Before you start

- Thumbnails are made during editing, so set this when you record with automatic editing on, or ask the team afterwards.
- The very quick and quick edit scopes make no thumbnails. Choose Standard or Full, or set a number yourself.

## Step by step

1. Open the recorder (the **rec** button, or **Film footage** on a project).
2. With **Edit automatically** on, find the **Thumbnails** slider and set how many concepts you want, from 0 up to 20. **none** means the team makes none.
3. Record and stop. The team designs the set as it works.

Already recorded, or built the project by hand? Click **Run team** and ask for thumbnails in the note, for example "make 6 thumbnail concepts". See [How do I run the video team?](how-do-i-run-the-video-team.md).

## Finding and using them

Open the project and click the **Thumbnails** tab.

- The concepts are grouped, each group showing the different formats of the same idea side by side.
- Use the **Format** chips at the top (**All**, **16:9**, **9:16**) to filter, and the **Concept** chips to focus on one idea.
- On any image, **Open** views it full size and **Reveal** shows the file in Finder so you can upload it.
- If the team wrote a short rationale for a concept, it shows under the group title.

The **16:9** thumbnails suit YouTube and widescreen players. The **9:16** ones suit TikTok, Reels and Shorts. If you asked for a vertical video too, you will usually get vertical covers to match. See [How do I get a vertical version?](how-do-i-get-a-vertical-version.md).

## How do I know it worked?

The **Thumbnails** tab shows a gallery of concepts instead of the empty "No thumbnails yet" message, and each image opens with **Open** or reveals in Finder with **Reveal**.

## Common problems

**"The Thumbnails tab is empty."** Either you asked for none, or the edit scope was too light to make any. Run the team with a thumbnail count, or choose Standard or Full.

**"I only got widescreen covers."** The team makes vertical covers when the video has a vertical format. Ask for a 9:16 version as well. See [How do I get a vertical version?](how-do-i-get-a-vertical-version.md).

**"I want a different style of thumbnail."** Say so in the **Run team** note, for example "bolder text, my face on the left", and run it again.