The Content Applet Thumbnail Manager helps you control how content images appear across different content layouts. Instead of relying on automatic image cropping, you can choose which part of an image stays visible and upload different versions for specific layouts. This helps keep important details in view, gives content creators greater control over how their content looks, and creates a more polished experience across mobile and larger screens.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to use the Thumbnail Manager to customise images for different layouts and get more control over how your content is presented across Oak.
Before You Start
- You must be a Content Contributor to edit and publish content
Content Preview vs. Thumbnail Manager
This guide will cover how to upload your content images and ensure they are visually strong on your homepages. Before looking at the steps, let's understand the difference between Content Preview and Thumbnail Manager.
Content Preview
The Content Preview section controls the preview thumbnail, the preview title, and the preview description.
These settings can appear in places like Latest News, Newsletters, and other preview placements.
Note: The Thumbnail Manager applies to Blank Pages, News Articles, Personal Blogs and Policies, with Events coming up next.
Thumbnail Manager
The Thumbnail Manager controls the focal points and ratio-specific images in your Content Applet layouts, including Smart Layout.
They do not change thumbnails in Latest News or Newsletters.
How To Access the Thumbnail Manager
- If you're editing content, click Continue in the bottom-right of the page to go to the publications page (also known as the meta-data page). This is where you can choose the author and publication area.
Alternatively, if the content has already been published, go to the Page Options (three dots) in the top-right corner and select Edit. Click Continue to navigate to the publications page.
- The Content Preview section is now on the right-hand side of the publications page. Firstly, edit the preview title and preview description. This is what will show in your Content Applet and Latest News Applet.
If these fields are left blank, the preview will default to the content's original title and description.
Upload a new preview thumbnail by selecting Upload image.
If there is an existing thumbnail, hover over the image and click the upload icon. To remove an existing image, click the bin icon.
- The media picker will open. Choose an image or upload a new image from your file browser.
- To manage the focal points and layout ratios, select Manage focal points. Any changes made here will only influence the Content Applet.
- Each ratio is for a different Content Applet layout, such as Carousel and Feed. By default, the image will be duplicated across all ratios and will be centred automatically. Click into each ratio tab to view the different image and layout.
Ratio | Common Use | Recommended Size |
|---|---|---|
16:9 | Carousels and digital signage | 1600 x 90px |
5:1 | Hero banners and wide headers | 2000 x 400px |
4:3 | Feed cards and mobile layouts | 1200 x 900px |
12:5 | Featured cards within Feed | 1800 x 750px |
1:1 | Small carousel cards | 800 x 800px |
- Adjust the zoom of your image by dragging on the image corners or by using the zoom bar beneath.
- Drag the square around the image to change the focal point, for example on a person's face, campaign text, a product image, or a logo.
- Replace the image for the selected layout only by selecting Replace Image. Replacement images can be used for campaign banners, graphics with text, leadership announcements, or promotional artwork.
- If you need to remove an image replacement and default back to the original image preview, click the bin icon in the top-right of the image.
Adding an image for each layout allows the image's focal point to change as it moves through the Smart Layout feed. Once you're happy with each layout's image, click Save to return to the publication page, followed by publishing your content as usual.