Automatic thumbnails for video posts
Video Thumbnails Reloaded Pro helps WordPress sites display video thumbnails without requiring you to prepare each image manually. When you publish a post, the plugin finds the first embedded video and retrieves a thumbnail supplied by the video source. The thumbnail can be saved to your media library and set as the post’s featured image automatically.
The Pro edition also lets users select an aspect ratio in the settings. This is useful when thumbnails from a video source create unwanted black bars or do not fit the presentation of a site. Video Thumbnails uses high-resolution widescreen thumbnails when they are available, while non-HD videos may provide fullscreen images. Selecting an aspect ratio gives you an additional way to manage this recurring display issue.
Supported video sources
The plugin supports video thumbnails from a broad list of sites, including YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, Vine, Twitch, Dailymotion, Metacafe, TED, VK, Blip, Google Drive, Funny or Die, CollegeHumor, MPORA, Livestream, Yahoo Screen, Wistia, Youku, Tudou, SAPO, Rutube, and other listed providers.
It focuses on thumbnails supplied by supported video sites. It does not create thumbnails from self-hosted video files, and it cannot select an image from a specific time in a video. If you publish videos from your own account, the provider may offer its own thumbnail selection tools.
Flexible WordPress content support
Video Thumbnails Reloaded Pro supports custom post types and custom fields. If a theme or another plugin stores video information in a custom field instead of the main post content area, you can enter that field name on the Video Thumbnails settings page so the plugin can scan it.
Thumbnails can be used as featured images when the theme supports post thumbnails. If a theme does not support featured images, the theme may need modification to support Featured Images or the plugin’s custom functions. The plugin can also provide functions for use outside a standard loop.
Practical workflow
- Embed a video from a supported site in a post.
- Publish the post so the plugin can find the first embedded video.
- Let the plugin retrieve and save the available thumbnail.
- Use the saved image as the post’s featured image.
- Choose an aspect ratio in the Pro settings when the thumbnail presentation requires adjustment.
Installation and troubleshooting
Install Video Thumbnails Reloaded Pro in WordPress and open its settings page. Enter a custom field name if your video is stored outside the main post content area. If a thumbnail is not found, save the post changes and use the Debugging page to test the video markup and image downloading. You can also try another supported source and review the support threads for similar cases.
