---
title: Generate Thumbnail from Video API
slug: generate-thumbnail-from-video
url: https://apyhub.com/apyhub/service/generate-thumbnail-from-video
provider: ApyHub
categories: [File Conversion, File Manipulation]
auth: api_key
---

# Generate Thumbnail from Video API

Extract a PNG frame from a video file or URL at a chosen timestamp, with binary download or signed link output for previews and galleries.

## Endpoints

| Method | Path | Description | Atoms |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| POST | `/generate/image-thumbnail/file` | What it does Extracts a single PNG frame from an uploaded video and streams the generated file back… | 550 |
| POST | `/generate/image-thumbnail/file/url` | What it does Uploads a video file and returns a signed link to a generated PNG frame extracted from… | 550 |
| POST | `/generate/image-thumbnail/url/file` | What it does Extracts a PNG frame from a remote video URL and returns it as a streamed binary respo… | 550 |
| POST | `/generate/image-thumbnail/url` | What it does Extracts a PNG frame from a remote video URL and returns a signed link to the generate… | 550 |

## About

## What it does
Video Thumbnail Generator extracts a PNG frame from a video at a specific timestamp. Send a video file or a remote video URL, choose the seek time in seconds, and optionally set an output size like `320x180` or `640x360`.

Use the upload-based endpoints when you already have the media in hand, or the URL-based endpoints when the file is hosted elsewhere. You can choose between a streamed binary image response or a signed URL response, depending on how you want to handle the thumbnail in your app.

Video Thumbnail Generator accepts common video formats including `.mp4`, `.mkv`, `.avi`, `.mov`, `.flv`, `.3gp`, and `.webm`. The file-based download endpoint supports uploads up to 500 MiB. The response is a PNG frame, either returned directly as binary data or provided as a signed link in a `data` field.

This is useful for generating preview images for video galleries, media upload flows, asset management systems, and content moderation dashboards where a stable frame capture is needed for display or indexing.

## Usage

Authenticate with an ApyHub API key in the `apy-token` header.
Full docs and a live playground: https://apyhub.com/apyhub/service/generate-thumbnail-from-video