Show file thumbnail (preview) on folder icons when OneDrive Files On-Demand is enabled
When OneDrive files on demand is enabled, the icons of OneDrive folders show icons of default apps with which files open instead of thumbnails for the files. For example, the Photos app icon is shown on the folder icon instead of a thumbnail showing a preview of the image, the Edge icon is shown instead of a thumbnail showing the first page of the PDF, etc. This also happens if I choose a file to show on the folder icon in Properties → Customize → Choose file, even if the folder is set to be available offline and all the files in it are downloaded. Please fix it so that the file preview is shown, as for files not saved on OneDrive.

22 comments
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Dorraj commented
Please I would love this so much. Files on demand is a great feature, but not being able to see the thumbnails of the thousands of images and videos I have is really awful
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Anonymous commented
I would like to note it is possible to force the thumbnails for a particular folder to be generated as follows:
1. right-click on folder
2. select "Properties"
3. go to the "Customize" tab
4. under the "Folder pictures" section, click on "Restore Default"
5. click on "Apply"
Sometimes it has to be done twice.However, this is not a solution, the thumbnails should be generated automatically.
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Anonymous commented
There is another problem with thumbnails in the OneDrive folder: they are not displayed for Microsoft Office files. Please upvote the feedback about this as well: https://onedrive.uservoice.com/forums/913522-onedrive-on-windows/suggestions/42806873-thumbnails-for-office-files-not-displayed
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Ricardo commented
Its really an annoying bug when KFM enabled you see no thumbnails for your pictures on your Desktop screen. But if you open File Explorer you can browse to the Desktop folder and you see the thumbnails. It a bug so please fix this asap. Thank you.
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Alessandro Iraci commented
Hey, they work now!
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Anonymous commented
Just uploaded 100 photos to OneDrive and can't see thumbnails of them. can't preview them either--seems related. An issue--will make me look to other cloud services. Scanning negatives to digitize and want to share these successfully and easily. Can't be bothered to have to download a photo every time I'm browsing in the cloud.
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Lance Prager commented
One folder is set to "Always keep on this device". Still no thumbnails unless "Files on demand" is turned off.
We CANNOT disable Files on demand. Our OneDrive account has over 1TB and we sync specific folders to limit 56 GB on devices These folders are the ones we need thumbnails.
Since we cannot sync 1TB+ to our devices we are unable to view thumbnails... even if the files ARE on the device.
Microsoft disabled the PDF preview feature in order to reduce traffic for files on demand. OK, this makes sense for files that are cloud only. BUT, if the file is already on the device, there is no cloud communication required.
The only thing preventing thumbnails from displaying (for synced files) is the implementation, not the communication overhead. This should be considered a BUG. It does not serve the intended purpose of reducing traffic.
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Jeremy commented
On my PC when the OneDrive "Files On-Demand" option is activated, thumbnails for PDF files stop working in Windows Explorer (Windows 10 64 bits). For me, this does not affect JPG pictures however. Note that the PDF thumbnails continue working in folders that are not synchronized with OneDrive. Eventually, the problem is "solved" when unchecking back the OneDrive "Files On-Demand" option.
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Huub commented
It is incomprehensible that this problem still exists. This is a must for graphic-related activities.
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Anonymous commented
I work with Graphics, I need to see my thumbnails
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Anonymous commented
Yes, It's an important thing.
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Duda Caribe commented
This problem with thumbnails occurs when "files on demand" is enabled.
It is certainly a flaw in OneDrive. -
Vic commented
Another 2 year old issue which is still not addressed. Looks like I'm just wasting my time here.
In my case, when I go inside the folders, the files themselves show the thumbnail correctly. But when I'm outside the folder, then folder thumbnail shows only image app icons (irfan view in my case.)
Additionally, for mp3 files, even the files don't show album-art thumbnail. When I single-click the mp3 files, the file details pane doesn't show the album-art, as it should. It just shows the music app's icon.
All these files are stored locally.
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Linton commented
When operating offline, it is very frustrating not to have the ability to see the thumbnails as the OP said. The files are on my local drive so please restore the ability for me to access the thumbnails when I'm offlline!
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Anonymous commented
This would be a key update for our company and at present the lack of this functionality is slowing us down.
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Marcello Storrer commented
Who has a solution for this????
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Laine Lewis commented
Yes, please add this functionality. I'm in the same boat at D Fain when I can't use the photo folder because I can't tell what the photo is of. I categorize them by what they are and opening one at a time in not a workable solution.
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André Aranha commented
same problem
have to duplicate photos to see thumbnails; because before syncing these new copies, their thumbnails work -
Anonymous commented
I am so sick of this not working. Microsoft refuses to acknowledge that this is an ongoing problem. I have tried al least 4 different solutions to 'fixing' this issue online and NONE of them have worked.
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D Fain commented
Same problem. I have to show photos extensively in my position as a fiber optics instructor for the U.S. Navy. I have to MOVE ALL PHOTOS from the OneDrive folder to make them hard and fast in my "true" Pictures folder so I can see thumbnails. I HATE when I forget and allow pictures to be saved to the default OneDrive folder then have to go back and MOVE them so I can find the picture I'm looking for using the thumbnails AS THEY ARE INTENDED TO BE USED! I'm about ready to disable OneDrive entirely to avoid all the extra steps I need to take, AND which results in MULTIPLE COPIES of entire folder structures in TWO SEPARATE LOCATIONS on my laptop, which SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASES THE HARD DRIVE SPACE REQUIRED TO DO MY JOB!!!