---
title: "Thumbnail scrubbing"
slug: "thumbnail-scrubbing"
updated: 2025-10-22T15:34:10Z
published: 2025-10-22T15:34:10Z
canonical: "documentation.deltatre.com/thumbnail-scrubbing"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://documentation.deltatre.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Thumbnail scrubbing

| Mobile | Tablet | Web | TV |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| ![android_watermark.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/2e698e3c-4773-44a4-9476-1d05bac85eee/Images/Documentation/4490958972956.svg) | ![iOS.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/2e698e3c-4773-44a4-9476-1d05bac85eee/Images/Documentation/4490959197852.svg) | ![android_watermark.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/2e698e3c-4773-44a4-9476-1d05bac85eee/Images/Documentation/4490958972956.svg) | ![iPadOS.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/2e698e3c-4773-44a4-9476-1d05bac85eee/Images/Documentation/4490914682524.svg) | ![HTML5.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/2e698e3c-4773-44a4-9476-1d05bac85eee/Images/Documentation/4490951859100.svg) | ![android_watermark.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/2e698e3c-4773-44a4-9476-1d05bac85eee/Images/Documentation/4490958972956.svg) | ![tvOS.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/2e698e3c-4773-44a4-9476-1d05bac85eee/Images/Documentation/5569247809180.svg) | ![HTML5.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/2e698e3c-4773-44a4-9476-1d05bac85eee/Images/Documentation/4490951859100.svg) | ![Roku.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/2e698e3c-4773-44a4-9476-1d05bac85eee/Images/Documentation/4490959071132.svg) |

## What is thumbnail scrubbing?

Released in DIVA 5.6 across all DIVA-supported platforms, thumbnail scrubbing transforms the ability to navigate accurately and easily to a specific moment within a video-on-demand (VOD) stream.

The corresponding time-stamp and image preview thumbnail, situated above the scrub bar, improves the scrubbing experience and user satisfaction.

Thumbnail images are conditional, meaning they display if they're available. If thumbnail images are not available due to various reasons: (thumbnail image preview disabled, timestamp doesn't contain image preview; user is streaming in the minimal player, or there's an error), only the timestamp displays without the thumbnail image.

## Where do thumbnail images come from?

Where thumbnails come differs per platform, including an external VTT file (default), or via a DASH or HLS manifest.

Platform-specific information:

| Platform | Supported thumbnail provider |
| --- | --- |
| Responsive web and WebTV | VTT, DASH, HLS |
| Android and Android TV | VTT, DASH |
| iOS | VTT, HLS |
| tvOS | HLS |
| Roku | VTT, DASH |

### Configuration

Parameters for enabling and configuring thumbnail scrubbing are available via the DIVA API.

### Behavior

Hover over or select and drag the scrubber to activate the thumbnail scrubbing functionality.

When scrubbing to the beginning/end of a video stream (start/end of the scrub bar), the thumbnail position is fixed, while the scrubber continues moving along with video playback. Analytics track all scrubbing interactions.

In the Responsive web minimal player (when the viewport has a 640px width and below), only the timestamp displays without the thumbnail image preview when scrubbing.

Select an tab below to view examples:

Native mobile/tabletResponsive webWebTV, Android TV, RokutvOS

> [!NOTE]
> **Note:** On Native mobile/tablet thumbnail mode supports landscape mode only.

![Thumbnail scrubbing native tablet](https://cdn.document360.io/2e698e3c-4773-44a4-9476-1d05bac85eee/Images/Documentation/12081632859932.png)

*Timestamp and image preview on Native tablet*

![Thumbnail scrubbing native mobile](https://cdn.document360.io/2e698e3c-4773-44a4-9476-1d05bac85eee/Images/Documentation/12081668881052.png)

*Timestamp and image preview on Native mobile landscape*

On Native mobile/tablet, the default controls display if the thumbnail image preview is unavailable.

![RW Scrub preview - Thumbnail (timeline events).png](https://cdn.document360.io/2e698e3c-4773-44a4-9476-1d05bac85eee/Images/Documentation/12081632852636.png)

*Timestamp and image preview on Responsive web*

![RW Scrub preview - Label (no thumbnail).png](https://cdn.document360.io/2e698e3c-4773-44a4-9476-1d05bac85eee/Images/Documentation/12081668892316.png)

*Thumbnail image preview disabled/timestamp without image preview/minimal player UX/feature error on Responsive web*

![WebTV and Android TV thumbnail scrubbing.png](https://cdn.document360.io/2e698e3c-4773-44a4-9476-1d05bac85eee/Images/Documentation/12082682134812.png)

*Timestamp and image preview on WebTV, Android TV, and Roku*

![thumbnail scrubbing.png](https://cdn.document360.io/2e698e3c-4773-44a4-9476-1d05bac85eee/Images/Documentation/12120757180444.png)

*Thumbnail image preview disabled/timestamp without image preview/minimal player UX/feature error on Web TV, Android TV, and Roku*

![Linear Player - Live.png](https://cdn.document360.io/2e698e3c-4773-44a4-9476-1d05bac85eee/Images/Documentation/12120757186588.png)

*Timestamp and image preview on tvOS*

![Thumbnail without image preview - tvOS.png](https://cdn.document360.io/2e698e3c-4773-44a4-9476-1d05bac85eee/Images/Documentation/12120001842844.png)

*Thumbnail image preview disabled/timestamp without image preview/minimal player UX/feature error on tvOS*