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Thumbnails for video files do not appear in OneDrive on Windows 11

Stefan Str 10 Reputation points
2026-02-08T10:21:59.5533333+00:00

Issue: In my personal OneDrive on my laptop, thumbnails for most video files (MP4, MOV) are not displayed. It appears that video files starting at around ~250 MB are affected. Smaller video files (< ~250 MB) do seem to generate thumbnails. Thumbnails for images (e.g., JPG) are displayed correctly (but the file size ist mostly smaller than 250 MB). The problem only occurs with video files stored in OneDrive. As soon as a video file is stored outside of OneDrive on the local drive, thumbnails are generated.

My system:

  • Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
  • Windows 11 Pro, version 25H2, all Windows Updates installed
  • Installed OneDrive versions:
    • Build 26.007.0112.0002 (64-bit)
      • After updating: Build 26.012.0119.0002 (64-bit)
      • All files are fully downloaded locally (Files On-Demand is not enabled)

 

I executed a couple of troubleshooting steps (multiple times) which were recommended:

File Explorer → Folder Options:

  • The checkbox “Always show icons, never thumbnails” is not selected.
  • View switched to Large icons / Extra large icons.

Disk Cleanup / Thumbnail cache:

  • Cleared the thumbnail cache multiple times using Disk Cleanup, and restarted the laptop.
  • Alternatively cleared via Command Prompt (Administrator) by using the command "del /f /s /q /a %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\thumbcache_*.db"

 

OneDrive settings and reset actions:

  • In File Explorer → right-click on OneDrive → Always keep on this device is enabled. All files are locally available (green circle with white checkmark).
  • OneDrive → Settings → Sync and backup → Download all files selected.
  • OneDrive → Settings → Account → Unlink this PC, then uninstalled the OneDrive app, deleted all locally stored files in the original OneDrive path, reinstalled OneDrive, set it up again, and allowed all data to be downloaded locally (green circle). Laptop restarted.

Observation: As soon as the locally stored video files are not inside a OneDrive folder—or after Unlink this PC when the files are no longer associated with OneDrive—thumbnails are displayed. The issue only reproduces when the videos are inside OneDrive and fully available offline.

Any ideas how I can fix this thumbnail issue in OneDrive?

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneDrive | For home | Windows
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  1. Richard Keeling 75 Reputation points
    2026-05-05T17:20:15.8433333+00:00

    Hi, I can speak on their behalf - this issue still exists. Most of my videos no longer have thumbnails, regardless of their file size.

    OneDrive device ID: [Moderation note: PII removed]

    OneDrive version: Build 26.070.0414.0001 (64-bit)

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  2. Kai-H 16,355 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-02-18T06:21:05.9366667+00:00

    Hi, Stefan Str

    Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum.

    Sorry for this unwanted experience that you're encountering. What you are seeing strongly points to a OneDrive integration issue in File Explorer, not a general Windows thumbnail setting, because the same videos immediately generate thumbnails once they are outside the OneDrive-managed folder.

    Here are some suggestions you can try:

    Make sure OneDrive is actively “online and syncing”, then let it re-confirm local availability

    Even when files show as kept offline, Windows 11 can still wait for OneDrive to confirm a file’s state before it generates previews, and thumbnails may fail when OneDrive’s sync state is not fully “settled.”

    Practical approach: verify OneDrive is not paused, let it run for a while on the affected folder, then reopen the folder in File Explorer. This can prompt Explorer to request thumbnails again with the correct file state.

    Trigger the video thumbnail handler and codecs (especially relevant for MOV/HEVC)

    On Windows 11, thumbnail generation for some video types can depend on the codec pipeline being initialized. A simple trigger that often works is opening one affected video with the built-in Photos app for a few seconds, then returning to File Explorer.

    Why this helps: it can register or “wake up” the decoder and thumbnail handler that Explorer uses for previews.

    Force a clean re-index of thumbnails for that folder by moving it out and back

    Multiple reports show thumbnails return as soon as the files are moved outside OneDrive, which makes this a useful controlled workaround.

    Try moving just one affected subfolder to a non-OneDrive location, confirm thumbnails appear, then move it back into OneDrive. Why it helps: it forces Windows and OneDrive to rebuild their metadata and thumbnail requests for that content.

    Treat it as a likely OneDrive client regression and report it with your build numbers

    Use the Microsoft support contact path and include: OneDrive build, Windows version, size threshold (~250 MB), and the “inside OneDrive vs outside OneDrive” reproduction steps.

    Hope this helps. Feel free to get back if you need further assistance.

    If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment."    

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