Video cover images (thumbnails)

  • video
  • cover-image
  • poster
  • media-library
  • hero

Updated

On a Dirigible site, every video you upload gets a thumbnail automatically: Dirigible grabs a still frame and saves it as the video's cover image (also called a poster image). It sits in the media library like any other image. The cover shows while the video loads, and on phones that don't play background video.

Hero, Section, Grid video cards, and Animated Slider slides don't have a separate poster image field. They use the cover saved with the video.

What happens when you upload a video?

  1. Upload a video from the block editor or Media → Add Media File.
  2. Give it a moment after the upload finishes.
  3. Open the video in the media library. The cover shows as its featured image.

The still comes from the first tenth of a second of the clip and is saved as a JPG named after the video.

How do I replace a video's cover image?

  1. Open the video in Media → Library or in a media window.
  2. Find the Cover field.
  3. Click Generate Cover, or Regenerate Cover to replace the current one.

Regenerating deletes the old cover for that video. Other images aren't touched.

You can't pick which frame is used. If the opening frame is black or blurry, trim the clip so it opens on a clear shot and upload it again.

Where the cover shows

  • Section, Hero, and Grid video backgrounds show the cover while the video loads, and in place of the video on small screens.
  • Animated Slider slides with a BG Video show the cover while the video loads.

After a theme update, older videos without a cover get one the next time you're logged in to the dashboard. A notice shows progress until they're done.

Tips

  • Upload MP4s that open on a clear, well-lit frame.
  • The cover is a normal image. You can use it elsewhere, and set a focal point on it if it shows up in cropping layouts.