Show video thumbnails in Linux file managers
Summary
This article will guide you through enabling video preview thumbnails, installing necessary packages like ffmpegthumbnailer, and managing your thumbnail cache for popular Linux distributions.
Introduction #
Tired of seeing generic icons instead of video previews in your Linux file manager?
This guide will walk you through installing the necessary packages across all major distributions to enable video thumbnail previews in Nautilus, Dolphin, Thunar, and other popular file managers.
Required packages #
The main package needed for video thumbnails is ffmpegthumbnailer, which generates thumbnails from video files.
To install ffmpegthumbnailer and any additional packages, follow the instructions below.
Install ffmpegthumbnailer #
- Debian-based distributions
Debian, Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Pop!_OSsudo apt update sudo apt install ffmpegthumbnailer - Arch-based distributions
Arch Linux, Manjaro, EndeavourOSsudo pacman -S ffmpegthumbnailer - Fedora-based distributions
RHEL (Red Hat Enterprise Linux), Fedora, Nobara, CentOSsudo dnf install ffmpegthumbnailer - openSUSE-based distributions
openSUSE Leap, Tumbleweedsudo zypper install ffmpegthumbnailer - Gentoo
sudo emerge media-video/ffmpegthumbnailer
Additional packages #
Some file managers may require additional packages:
- Nautilus (GNOME Files):
gstreamer1.0-libav(sometimes needed)
- Nemo (Cinnamon’s file manager):
nemo-fileroller(sometimes included)
- Dolphin (KDE’s file manager):
ffmpegthumbs
- Thunar (XFCE’s file manager):
tumbler(thumbnail service)
Thumbnail cache locations #
The thumbnail cache is typically stored in your home directory:
- Most distributions:
~/.cache/thumbnails/(user-specific cache)/var/cache/thumbnails/(system-wide cache)
- KDE Plasma (Dolphin):
~/.cache/thumbnails/~/.kde4/cache-*/thumbnails/(for older KDE versions)
- XFCE (Thunar):
~/.cache/thumbnails/~/.thumbnails/(legacy location)
Clearing the thumbnail cache #
To clear the thumbnail cache, delete the cache directory or directories listed above, e.g.:
rm -rf ~/.cache/thumbnails/*
For a more thorough cleanup, also remove the legacy location (if applicable):
rm -rf ~/.kde4/cache-*/thumbnails/
rm -rf ~/.thumbnails/*
After clearing, you can regenerate thumbnails by reopening your file manager and navigating to the folder containing your video files.
Tips for troubleshooting #
- If thumbnails do not appear, ensure that thumbnail previews are enabled in your file manager’s preferences.
- Thumbnails are usually only generated for files smaller than a set size. Check the settings to increase the size limit.
- Make sure you have the correct video codecs installed. Some thumbnails might not generate if the format is not supported.
- If all else fails, restarting your desktop session after clearing the cache can help reset thumbnailing behavior.
FAQ's #
Most common questions and brief, easy-to-understand answers on the topic:
Why are video thumbnails not showing in my Linux file manager?
Video thumbnails may not show if you are missing required packages like ffmpegthumbnailer or if the thumbnail cache needs refreshing. Some file managers also require specific plugins for video previews.
How do I install ffmpegthumbnailer on Ubuntu?
Use the command: sudo apt install ffmpegthumbnailer. This will install the necessary thumbnail generator for video files.
Where is the thumbnail cache stored in Linux?
Most desktop environments store thumbnails in ~/.cache/thumbnails, but some may use paths like ~/.thumbnails depending on the system.
How do I clear the thumbnail cache in Linux?
You can clear it with rm -r ~/.cache/thumbnails/*. This will remove all stored thumbnails, forcing regeneration on next view.
How can I force Nautilus or Nemo to regenerate thumbnails?
After clearing the cache, reopen the file manager and browse the folder with video files. Thumbnails should be automatically regenerated.
Do all file managers support video thumbnails?
Graphical ones like Nautilus, Nemo, Dolphin, and Thunar support video thumbnails, but they may require certain packages to be installed.
Further readings #
Sources and recommended, further resources on the topic:
Author
Jonas Jared Jacek (J15k)
Jonas works as project manager, web designer, and web developer since 2001. On top of that, he is a Linux system administrator with a broad interest in things related to programming, architecture, and design. See: https://www.j15k.com/License
Show video thumbnails in Linux file managers by Jonas Jared Jacek is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
This license requires that reusers give credit to the creator. It allows reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, for noncommercial purposes only. To give credit, provide a link back to the original source, the author, and the license e.g. like this:
<p xmlns:cc="http://creativecommons.org/ns#" xmlns:dct="http://purl.org/dc/terms/"><a property="dct:title" rel="cc:attributionURL" href="https://www.ditig.com/show-video-thumbnails-in-linux-file-managers">Show video thumbnails in Linux file managers</a> by <a rel="cc:attributionURL dct:creator" property="cc:attributionName" href="https://www.j15k.com/">Jonas Jared Jacek</a> is licensed under <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" target="_blank" rel="license noopener noreferrer">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>.</p>For more information see the Ditig legal page.
