What's inside this article:
- Basic information
- Use a frame from the video as the thumbnail
- Use the website teaser image as the thumbnail
- Upload an image to use as the thumbnail
- Advice for vertical videos
Basic information
The video thumbnail (sometimes called a "poster" or "player image") is the image that is displayed in the video player before the video is played.
After you upload a video file to Pangea CMS, the following options are available to define the video thumbnail:
- Use a frame from the video as the thumbnail
- Use the website teaser image as the thumbnail
- Upload an image to use as the thumbnail
Use a frame from the video as the thumbnail
You can use a frame from the video as the thumbnail.
Follow these steps:
- Under Thumbnail, select Video frame.
- Under Video frame, manually enter the timepoint for your preferred video frame. Use the format HH:mm:ss.fff.
The defined frame is now visible under Preview.
You can change the frame that is visible under Preview using the player controls. However, this action does not change the thumbnail. To change the thumbnail, you need to manually enter a different timepoint under Video frame.
Use the website teaser image as the thumbnail
You can use the website teaser image as the thumbnail.
Follow these steps:
- Under Thumbnail, select Website teaser.
- Go the Website teaser in the left panel.
- Under Horizontal image, select the image you want to use as the thumbnail.
- Under Vertical image, optionally set the vertical version of the thumbnail. This extra step is recommended for vertical videos.
When you return to Video, the selected horizontal image is now visible under Preview.
Upload an image to use as the thumbnail
You can quickly upload an image from your device to use as the thumbnail. When you use this option, it is not necessary to manually provide the image metadata (such as the Source and Caption).
Follow these steps:
- Under Thumbnail, select Upload image.
- Hit the Upload image button.
- Perform either action below:
- Drag and drop the image file into the box.
- Hit Browse files and navigate to the location on your device where the image is saved. Select the image.
The selected image is now visible under Preview.
The selected image is also added automatically as the horizontal and vertical website teaser image. However, you will not be able to crop either version of the image.
The selected image will be uploaded automatically to Pangea CMS. However, the uploaded image will not be searchable in Pangea CMS, and it will not be useable on other pages.
Advice for vertical videos
When your site is viewed on a mobile device, vertical videos are displayed in a vertical player. On other devices (desktop / tablet), vertical videos are displayed in a horizontal player with pillars. This means that for vertical videos, it is important to consider both versions of the thumbnail (horizontal and vertical).
For vertical videos, we suggest one of the options below:
- Use the website teaser image as the thumbnail
- Use a frame from the video as the thumbnail
- Use an uploaded image as the thumbnail
Use the website teaser image as the thumbnail
If you use the website teaser image as the thumbnail, you can manually set up the vertical version of the image (including cropping). This approach is recommended for vertical videos, as you have full control over which part of the image is visible in the vertical player.
Follow these steps:
- Via Video > Thumbnail, select Website teaser.
- Go to Website teaser.
- Select the image under Vertical image.
- Hit the Crop image button to adjust the default cropping.
- Under Horizontal image, you might select the same image or a different image.
The vertical image will be displayed in the vertical player (on mobile), and the horizontal image will be displayed in the horizontal player (on desktop / tablet).
If a vertical image is not selected, the central section of the horizontal image will be displayed in the vertical player (Pangea will automatically crop the image).
Use a frame from the video as the thumbnail
If you use a video frame as the thumbnail, no extra steps are required for vertical videos.
Your selected frame will be displayed in the vertical player (on mobile) and in the horizontal player (on desktop / tablet).
Use an uploaded image as the thumbnail
If you use an uploaded image as the thumbnail, no extra steps are required for vertical videos.
Your uploaded image will be displayed in both the horizontal and the vertical player.
If you upload a horizontal (16:9) image, the central section of the image will be displayed in the vertical player (on mobile). You will not have the option to manually select which part of the image is visible in the vertical player. The full image will be displayed in the horizontal player (on desktop / tablet). Pangea will automatically crop the image.
