Create a clear design preview thumbnail
The preview thumbnail is the small image that represents your design on the homepage and in folders. It helps you and your team quickly spot the right file without opening each one.
How thumbnails are generated
The first page of your design is used as the thumbnail for all design types, including:
- Presentations and Documents
- Whiteboards and Webpages
- Templates and Social posts
If the first page is blank, filled with white elements on a white background, or overly cluttered, the thumbnail may be hard to recognize in shared team spaces.
Options for controlling your thumbnail
You can choose one of two ways to make your design easier to recognize.
Option 1: Content-based thumbnail
If your design starts with a meaningful page, like a title slide, report cover, or social media post, that’ll be set as the thumbnail automatically. This works best for standalone designs where the first page clearly shows what it’s about.
Option 2: Dedicated preview page
For more complex documents or team templates, you can add a dedicated first page just for the thumbnail. This helps create a consistent look across your organization.
To set a dedicated thumbnail page:
- Open your design and select Add page.
- Select Move up or drag the page to the top so it becomes Page 1.
- Design this page with high-contrast text and brand elements.
- Include the design type (e.g., "Monthly Report" or "Social Media Kit") so users know what to expect before opening the file.
Best practices for Enterprise teams
Clear thumbnails help your team find the right file faster and avoid misclicks, especially when working with lots of designs.
- Keep it simple: Thumbnails are small, so use large, readable fonts and avoid overcrowding the page with fine details.
- Apply Brand Kits: Use your Brand Kit colors and fonts for a consistent look across team folders.
- Use visual cues: Color-code or label thumbnails by department (e.g., blue for Marketing, green for HR) to make them easier to scan.
- Label template versions: If multiple versions exist, include the version or region on the thumbnail (e.g., "Q4 Sales Presentation – EMEA").
Troubleshooting
My design preview isn’t updating.
Make sure the correct thumbnail page is set as Page 1. If the layout is correct, try refreshing your browser or clearing your cache to see the updated image.
The thumbnail looks blank or white.
Check if Page 1 is empty or has white text/elements on a white background. Even a small background color or a single large icon can fix this.
I want a different thumbnail for the same design.
To use different thumbnails for different use cases (e.g., internal vs. external), duplicate the design and customize Page 1 in each version.
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