# Photo thumbnails missing **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussions\ **Created:** [October 30, 2023, 11:18am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/photo-thumbnails-missing/858116 "2023-10-30T11:18:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lock](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/lock/32/138320_2.png) [@lock](https://forums.plex.tv/u/lock)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 11:18am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/photo-thumbnails-missing/858116/1 "2023-10-30T11:18:49Z")
I read all previous posts about that and no one gave a solution. Part of the thumbnails in my Photo collection are missing (even if I can open the photos without problems), and all the menu related options (analyze metadata or so) aren’t helping. How to refresh the library and have Plex rebuilding the previews? [![](https://i.postimg.cc/nc2YrDb5/IMG-6326.png) ](https://i.postimg.cc/nc2YrDb5/IMG-6326.png) Removing and readding the library is not an option, as I have tons of dates/notes/names personalized. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![lock](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/lock/32/138320_2.png) [@lock](https://forums.plex.tv/u/lock)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2023, 5:40pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/photo-thumbnails-missing/858116/2 "2023-11-12T17:40:27Z")
No answer? I like Plex but what I really hate is that they don’t have a support system at all (only other users on this forum). I understand that for the free version, but Plex Pass members shouldn’t be left alone in the ocean with no help at all. There’s a bug in Plex and I don’t know how to solve the problem… ☹ ---
**Author:** ![amahta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@amahta](https://forums.plex.tv/u/amahta)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2023, 9:49pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/photo-thumbnails-missing/858116/4 "2023-11-21T21:49:00Z")
I have the same problem. In my case it’s about the thumbnail for Albums as well. ---
**Author:** ![amahta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@amahta](https://forums.plex.tv/u/amahta)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2023, 9:49pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/photo-thumbnails-missing/858116/5 "2023-11-21T21:49:50Z")
Any way to force refresh thumbnails for photos? ---
**Author:** ![lock](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/lock/32/138320_2.png) [@lock](https://forums.plex.tv/u/lock)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2023, 1:45am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/photo-thumbnails-missing/858116/7 "2023-11-27T01:45:44Z")
As suggested by the plex team I’m attaching here the [server log:](https://support.plex.tv/articles/200250417-plex-media-server-log-files/) [Plex Media Server Logs\_2023-11-27\_02-42-36.zip](https://forums.plex.tv/uploads/short-url/sRVSixbHI0qSaMUfQw7VqZMvE0B.zip) (6.7 MB) No need to paste the client one, as the issue is server side (all clients don’t show the thumbnails). ---
**Author:** ![chris\_decker08](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chris_decker08/32/316799_2.png) [@chris\_decker08](https://forums.plex.tv/u/chris_decker08)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2023, 5:25pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/photo-thumbnails-missing/858116/8 "2023-11-30T17:25:05Z")
@lock I have started looking into this for you. While looking at your logs I can see an error transcoding the photo for thumbnail generation, however it is not immediately clear what is causing said error. Would you be willing provide a copy of one of the photos PMS is having difficulties with? ---
**Author:** ![lock](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/lock/32/138320_2.png) [@lock](https://forums.plex.tv/u/lock)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2023, 5:46pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/photo-thumbnails-missing/858116/9 "2023-11-30T17:46:02Z")
Sure, I’m attaching a pair of them in this post. The strange thing is that those photos are there since several years (at least 2-3, I think) and previously all thumbnails were showing correctly. I never changed them and I was used to stream them on my handphone via 4G. Keep in mind that, opening the image, everything is ok, it’s shown correctly. Another anomaly is that only some albums are affected. I have many where all thumbnails are shown correclty, and 3-4 where about 50% of thumbnails are black (but they were working when I added them). the images are uploaded directly from plex photo directories, not downloaded from the app: ![30 - Monaco by night](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/9/1/5/9154fede977107346dc527738f45b4aa187725de.jpeg) ![19 - Desideri](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/c/2/c/c2cc105f13e916b11a0a7711e346dd630c1317c7.jpeg) ![74 - Kyu Kaneiji, la pagoda a 5 livelli](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/1/e/c/1ec23f93b48aa7212b9ab98b6c45b83abc912376.jpeg) Thanks. **Edit:** Looking at the uploaded pics, it looks like they were resized. I’m attaching a zip archive of them here: [Plex Images.zip](https://forums.plex.tv/uploads/short-url/fjcNnx51XtGN95HF5AkaFZBXnKY.zip) (8.0 MB) ---
**Author:** ![lock](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/lock/32/138320_2.png) [@lock](https://forums.plex.tv/u/lock)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2023, 4:33pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/photo-thumbnails-missing/858116/10 "2023-12-02T16:33:02Z")
Hi @chris_decker08 I prepared the db file but I can’t send it to the email you gave me: “We’re sorry, but your email message to [“[notifications@plex.discoursemail.com](mailto:notifications@plex.discoursemail.com)”] (titled Re: [Plex Forum] [PM] RE: Photo thumbnails missing) didn’t work.” Do you have another one? ---
**Author:** ![chris\_decker08](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chris_decker08/32/316799_2.png) [@chris\_decker08](https://forums.plex.tv/u/chris_decker08)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2023, 2:26am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/photo-thumbnails-missing/858116/11 "2023-12-03T02:26:34Z")
@lock I sent that request via a forum DM, if you reply to it you should be able to attach your DB. ---
**Author:** ![lock](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/lock/32/138320_2.png) [@lock](https://forums.plex.tv/u/lock)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2023, 2:22pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/photo-thumbnails-missing/858116/12 "2023-12-03T14:22:29Z")
Ok, thanks. Done. ---
**Author:** ![chris\_decker08](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chris_decker08/32/316799_2.png) [@chris\_decker08](https://forums.plex.tv/u/chris_decker08)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2023, 2:59pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/photo-thumbnails-missing/858116/13 "2023-12-06T14:59:26Z")
Running “analyze” on the library should re-generate the thumbnails. If this does not work can you send me logs of you running the action? ---
**Author:** ![lock](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/lock/32/138320_2.png) [@lock](https://forums.plex.tv/u/lock)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2023, 3:18pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/photo-thumbnails-missing/858116/14 "2023-12-06T15:18:52Z")
I’m attaching the log to this reply. Pressing “analyze” button does nothing. There isn’t any sign of activity, it’s like if the link doesn’t work (maybe it does something, but with no visual feedbacks). I pressed it two or three times, then waited for about five minutes, but there were no changes in the thumbnails: they’re still all black. [Plex Media Server Logs\_2023-12-06\_16-14-58.zip](https://forums.plex.tv/uploads/short-url/qFyrPe5C0i8rEWNR6hSasOeePp4.zip) (6.3 MB) ![Screenshot 13](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/2/f/c/2fcf64013b6e162db7368628085a4976cb3f7d5e.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![chris\_decker08](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chris_decker08/32/316799_2.png) [@chris\_decker08](https://forums.plex.tv/u/chris_decker08)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2023, 9:40pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/photo-thumbnails-missing/858116/15 "2023-12-06T21:40:46Z")
@lock its a long shot but can you try running Analyze on the entire library instead of individual items? ---
**Author:** ![lock](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/lock/32/138320_2.png) [@lock](https://forums.plex.tv/u/lock)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2023, 10:06pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/photo-thumbnails-missing/858116/16 "2023-12-06T22:06:49Z")
Sure, but I’ve first a question about it. Sometimes, when I import photos, timedate is not always correctly recognized and I have to change it manually. In most photos I added manual notes or changed the displayed name, and sometimes all these new info are lost if I add or remove photos to the album (there’s a sort of automatic refresh, I guess). Do I risk to loose these information doing an “analyze” on the whole library? Is it better if I first check, one by one, that every photo (it will take some time) has the lock active in every important text field? Additional question: is there a way to lock every field of a library with a single command? Edit: To be more clear, so far I ran the analyze on a single album, not a single photo. I’ll proceed with library if you can confirm my questions above. ---
**Author:** ![chris\_decker08](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chris_decker08/32/316799_2.png) [@chris\_decker08](https://forums.plex.tv/u/chris_decker08)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 1:16am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/photo-thumbnails-missing/858116/17 "2023-12-07T01:16:31Z")
@lock you can always make a copy of the database (the file you sent me) and restore it if analyze does something you do not like. However, that got me thinking, is there any correlation between the files you changed the timedate on and the files which are having issues with thumbnails? ---
**Author:** ![lock](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/lock/32/138320_2.png) [@lock](https://forums.plex.tv/u/lock)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 1:31pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/photo-thumbnails-missing/858116/18 "2023-12-07T13:31:57Z")
It’s a good question but unfortunately I can’t remember at all. The strange thing is that one of the albums with more problems came from a series of iPhone photos (the older ones are scan of photos or photos shot with the earlier digital cameras), so they should be “more compatible”. Anyway give me some minutes and I’ll try to do what you suggested, then I’ll come back to update you. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![lock](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/lock/32/138320_2.png) [@lock](https://forums.plex.tv/u/lock)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 1:39pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/photo-thumbnails-missing/858116/19 "2023-12-07T13:39:41Z")
Ok, I pressed the “Analyze library” and, as usual, got no visual feedback. It’s now passed like 10 minutes and the right menu shows “Cancel search…”, no idea if it’s related to that: ![Screenshot 15](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/f/7/0/f70a646174eb895568a7e705edeb343a3c98f857.png) I also clicked “Manage library \> Update all metadata” and it asked for confirmation as it said all fields not protected would have been resetted. None of the two commands made difference: all thumbnails are still black. ---
**Author:** ![lock](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/lock/32/138320_2.png) [@lock](https://forums.plex.tv/u/lock)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 1:44pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/photo-thumbnails-missing/858116/20 "2023-12-07T13:44:25Z")
Another test: I deleted one of the images with no thumbnail and added again to the library. Now thumbnail is back. So it seems Plex somehow lost some thumbnails and it’s not able to recreate them (or it thinks to have them but they’re corrupted). ---
**Author:** ![lock](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/lock/32/138320_2.png) [@lock](https://forums.plex.tv/u/lock)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 2:20pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/photo-thumbnails-missing/858116/21 "2023-12-07T14:20:33Z")
Edit: It’s now passed more than one hour and still “Cancel search…” is there. Clicking it will return to “Analyze library”. Since nothing changed, I guess it gets stuck somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![chris\_decker08](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chris_decker08/32/316799_2.png) [@chris\_decker08](https://forums.plex.tv/u/chris_decker08)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2023, 5:15pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/photo-thumbnails-missing/858116/22 "2023-12-12T17:15:58Z")
@lock I believe I have identified the issue and implemented a fix. Would you mind runing analyze again using [this](https://artifacts.plex.tv/plex-media-server-experimental/1.40.1.7764-614628cd6/synology-dsm7/PlexMediaServer-1.40.1.7764-614628cd6-x86_64_DSM7.spk) build and letting me know if it fixes it? [Next page](https://forums.plex.tv/t/photo-thumbnails-missing/858116.md?page=2)