Use Thumbnails in a classic SharePoint Picture Library, or choose Tiles in a modern document library. The correct option depends on the library type and whether your site uses the classic or modern SharePoint experience. If previews are blank, check the image format, library view, and— for the documented classic SharePoint Online issue—whether the image exceeds 50 megapixels.
Choose the right thumbnail view
SharePoint has several library experiences that look similar but use different labels:
| Where your images are stored | View to choose | What you see |
|---|---|---|
| Classic Picture Library | Thumbnails | Small previews of pictures in the library |
| Modern document library | Tiles | A visual, thumbnail-oriented card layout |
| Asset Library | Thumbnails (default) | Media previews for quick browsing |
| Document-library web part | Tiles or Details | A selected library view embedded on a SharePoint page |
Do not look for the classic Thumbnails command if you are in a modern document library. In that interface, the equivalent is normally Tiles.
Show thumbnails in a classic SharePoint Picture Library
- Go to the SharePoint site that contains the picture library.
- Open the library from the site page, the Quick Launch navigation, or Site Contents.
- Open the Library tab.
- Open the Current View drop-down on the ribbon.
- Select Thumbnails.
- Select a thumbnail or the file name to open the image and its details.
This is the classic workflow Microsoft documents for displaying small versions of pictures. If you do not see the Library tab or Current View, the library is probably using the modern experience; use the modern procedure below instead.
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Change the classic view back later
Open Library and Current View again, then select another saved view. The thumbnail setting applies to the view you select, so changing views can make the previews appear to disappear without deleting any files.
Show image previews in a modern document library
- Open the document library.
- Select the current view name or the view selector near the upper-right of the library.
- Choose Tiles.
- If you need a persistent variation, open the view selector, choose Edit current view, and save the desired columns, sorting, filtering, and layout.
Tiles is the modern SharePoint equivalent of a thumbnail-focused view. The files remain in the document library; only their presentation changes. Selecting a tile opens the file, while selecting the item’s details control exposes metadata and other actions.
Use the details pane for a single preview
In a list-style view, select the item from the left side of its row and open the Details pane. In a thumbnail-oriented view, select the top-right corner of the item’s image and then open the pane. The pane can show a thumbnail of the selected file’s content along with metadata and file information.
Use an Asset Library for media-heavy collections
An Asset Library is a media-focused document-library type. Its default Thumbnails view is designed for quick visual browsing and supports image, video, and audio content types. SharePoint can automatically extract metadata for BMP, GIF, ICO, JPEG, PNG, and TIFF files.
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Choose an Asset Library when people regularly browse by appearance rather than filename, or when a team needs media-specific metadata. A general document library with Tiles is usually simpler when images are just one file type among many.
Put a thumbnail-oriented library on a SharePoint page
The modern document-library web part can display a selected library view in either Details or Tiles layout.
- Edit the SharePoint page where the library should appear.
- Add or select the Document library web part.
- Choose the site and library.
- Select the view that uses Tiles, or select the tiles layout if the web part offers the choice.
- Publish or republish the page.
This keeps the files in their original library while giving page visitors a visual gallery-like entry point. For a page containing selected images rather than an entire library, an Image Gallery web part may be more appropriate.
Why SharePoint thumbnails are blank
The image is over 50 megapixels
Microsoft documents a classic SharePoint Online issue in which a Picture Library image can open normally but its thumbnail does not display when the image exceeds 50 megapixels. Reduce the image below that threshold and upload the replacement, or move the content to the newer document-library experience. This limit is specific to the documented classic thumbnail-preview issue; it should not be treated as a universal limit for every SharePoint version or preview surface.
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You are using the wrong experience
A modern document library does not use the classic ribbon command. Select Tiles from the view selector instead. Conversely, a classic Picture Library may not show the modern view controls.
The format is unsupported in that environment
Preview support varies by SharePoint edition and surface. Microsoft’s SharePoint Server Subscription Edition guidance lists formats including AI, BMP, EMF, EPS, GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, PSD, SVG, TIF, TIFF, and WMF. A format listed for one edition is not a guarantee that every tenant, browser, or library will render it identically. Convert a problematic file to PNG or JPEG for a practical compatibility test.
The file is still processing or has not synchronized
Wait for upload and synchronization to finish, refresh the library, and check whether another user can open the file. If the file itself cannot open, solve the upload, permission, or corruption problem before troubleshooting thumbnails.
A browser or permission issue is masking the preview
Test the library in a private browser window, confirm that you have permission to view the file, and check whether the preview appears for another image. If only one account has the problem, clear cached site data or ask an administrator to verify permissions and sharing settings.
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The image is too large for a different preview service
Microsoft’s OneDrive.com image-preview guidance states a limit of under 100 MB, approximately 12,000 × 8,000 pixels. That figure belongs to the OneDrive.com guidance and should not be applied automatically to every SharePoint tenant, server edition, or library type.
A systematic troubleshooting checklist
- Identify the library: Picture Library, modern document library, or Asset Library.
- Choose the matching view: classic Thumbnails or modern Tiles.
- Open the file itself: if it fails, investigate upload, permissions, or corruption.
- Test a small PNG or JPEG: this separates a library problem from a file-format or size problem.
- Check dimensions: reduce images above 50 megapixels when using the classic Picture Library workflow.
- Refresh and retest: allow synchronization to complete, then reload the page.
- Try another browser or private window: this rules out stale cache and extensions.
- Check the page component: a web part may be configured for Details instead of Tiles, or may point to a different saved view.
- Escalate with evidence: provide the library URL, file type, pixel dimensions, approximate file size, view name, and whether the file opens normally.
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FAQ
Can I make Tiles the default view?
Yes. Edit the current modern library view and save it as the view used by the library. The exact default-view control can depend on your SharePoint permissions and tenant configuration.
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Will changing to Tiles move or duplicate files?
No. A view changes presentation, sorting, filtering, and displayed fields; it does not move or duplicate the underlying files.
Why can I open an image but not see its thumbnail?
In the classic Picture Library issue documented by Microsoft, images over 50 megapixels can open while their thumbnails remain blank. Reducing the image or using the newer document-library view addresses that specific case.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Thumbnails available in every SharePoint library?
No. Classic Picture Libraries and Asset Libraries use Thumbnails, while modern general document libraries normally use Tiles.
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What is the fastest way to test whether a file is the problem?
Upload or view a small PNG or JPEG in the same library and compare its preview with the original file.
The Bottom Line
Use Thumbnails for a classic Picture Library or Asset Library, and Tiles for a modern document library. If a classic preview is blank, check the 50-megapixel issue before changing permissions or rebuilding the library.
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