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Get file thumbnail

get
https://api.box.com/2.0
/files/:file_id/thumbnail.:extension

This endpoint is in the version 2024.0. No changes are required to continue using it. For more details, see Box API versioning.

Retrieves a thumbnail, or smaller image representation, of a file.

Sizes of 32x32,64x64, 128x128, and 256x256 can be returned in the .png format and sizes of 32x32, 160x160, and 320x320 can be returned in the .jpg format.

Thumbnails can be generated for the image and video file formats listed found on our community site.

Related Guides

Request

bearer [ACCESS_TOKEN]
application/json

Path Parameters

stringin pathrequired
png

The file format for the thumbnail

Value is one of png,jpg

stringin pathrequired
12345

The unique identifier that represents a file.

The ID for any file can be determined by visiting a file in the web application and copying the ID from the URL. For example, for the URL https://*.app.box.com/files/123 the file_id is 123.

Query Parameters

integerin queryoptional
320
32
320

The maximum height of the thumbnail

integerin queryoptional
320
32
320

The maximum width of the thumbnail

integerin queryoptional
32
32
320

The minimum height of the thumbnail

integerin queryoptional
32
32
320

The minimum width of the thumbnail

Response

image/jpg

When a thumbnail can be created the thumbnail data will be returned in the body of the response.

image/png

When a thumbnail can be created the thumbnail data will be returned in the body of the response.

none

Sometimes generating a thumbnail can take a few seconds. In these situations the API returns a Location-header pointing to a placeholder graphic for this file type.

The placeholder graphic can be used in a user interface until the thumbnail generation has completed. The Retry-After-header indicates when to the thumbnail will be ready. At that time, retry this endpoint to retrieve the thumbnail.

none

Returns an error when Box is not able to create a thumbnail for this file type.

Instead, a Location-header pointing to a placeholder graphic for this file type will be returned.

application/jsonClient error

Returns an error if some of the parameters are missing or not valid.

  • requested_preview_unavailable - an incorrect dimension was requested. This will happen if the dimension requested is larger or smaller than the available file sizes for the thumbnail format, or when when any of the size constraints contradict each other.
application/jsonClient error

Returned when the access token provided in the Authorization header is not recognized or not provided.

application/jsonClient error

Returned if the file is not found, or the user does not have access to the file, or for additional reasons.

  • preview_cannot_be_generated - Box does not support thumbnails for this type of file
application/jsonClient error

An unexpected client error.

get
Get file thumbnail
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Request Example

cURL
curl -i -X GET "https://api.box.com/2.0/files/12345/thumbnail.png" \
     -H "authorization: Bearer <ACCESS_TOKEN>"
TypeScript Gen
await client.files.getFileThumbnailById(
  thumbnailFile.id,
  'png' as GetFileThumbnailByIdExtension,
);
Python Gen
client.files.get_file_thumbnail_by_id(
    thumbnail_file.id, GetFileThumbnailByIdExtension.PNG
)
.NET Gen
await client.Files.GetFileThumbnailByIdAsync(fileId: thumbnailFile.Id, extension: GetFileThumbnailByIdExtension.Png);
Swift Gen (Beta)
try await client.files.getFileThumbnailById(fileId: thumbnailFile.id, extension_: GetFileThumbnailByIdExtension.png, downloadDestinationURL: destinationPath)
Python
file_id = '11111'

thumbnail = client.file(file_id).get_thumbnail_representation('92x92', extension='jpg')
.NET
Stream thumbnailContents = await client.FilesManager.GetThumbnailAsync("11111", maxWidth: 160, maxHeight: 160);
iOS
client.files.getThumbnail(forFile: "11111", extension: .png) { (result: Result<Data, BoxSDKError>) in
    guard case let .success(thumbnailData) = result else {
        print("Error getting file thumbnail")
        return
    }

    let thumbnailImage = UIImage(data: thumbnailData)
}