Xfce Forum

felipeferri

Member

From: Brazil

Registered: 2026-08-26

Posts: 1

Request for enhanced media information and thumbnail previews in Thuna

Hello Thunar/Xfce developers,

I would like to suggest a feature that could make Thunar much more useful for managing media files.

Currently, Thunar provides basic file information, but it does not display detailed metadata for images and videos in a way similar to what Windows 11 provides in File Explorer.

For example, when selecting a media file, it would be very useful to have a preview/details panel showing information such as:

Image/video thumbnail
Image dimensions and resolution
Video resolution and frame rate
Video and audio codecs
Duration
Bitrate
File size
EXIF metadata for images
Creation date and other relevant metadata
Audio information such as codec, sample rate, channels, and bitrate

Ideally, this could be presented in a clean information panel or sidebar, without requiring the user to open another application or run a command such as exiftool or ffprobe.

I understand that Thunar aims to remain lightweight and simple, so perhaps this functionality could be implemented as an optional plugin or an expandable "Media Information" section in the file properties/details view.

For users who frequently manage photos and videos, having this information directly in the file manager would be extremely convenient and would bring Thunar closer to the usability of modern file managers while still preserving its lightweight nature.

Would this be something the Thunar/Xfce team would consider implementing, or would an external plugin be the preferred approach?

Thank you for your work on Thunar and the Xfce desktop!

eriefisher

Wanderer

From: ON, Canada

Registered: 2008-10-25

Posts: 1,025

Website

Re: Request for enhanced media information and thumbnail previews in Thuna

Stop polluting the forum with the same thread. There is no need to post the same topic in every sub forum. I have deleted all but one. If this is a legit feature request the you can use the bug tracking system to place a request. Look at the top right of your browser and see the "Bugs" link.

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But it's all right, when you're all in pain and you feel the rain come down
It's alright, when you find your way, then you see it disappear
It's alright....
Chris Cornell

gogogadget

Member

From: EU

Registered: 2023-03-19

Posts: 78

Re: Request for enhanced media information and thumbnail previews in Thuna

Image thumbnails should work by default, unless the preferences have been changed :
https://docs.xfce.org/xfce/thunar/preferences

For videos, you need to install ffmpegthumbnailer.

You can create custom actions to show video or audio specifications.

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EndeavourOS
Xfce+gtk3-classic (no CSD)+Picom

treeview

Member

From: Holly Springs, NC

Registered: 2025-07-27

Posts: 32

Re: Request for enhanced media information and thumbnail previews in Thuna

Image thumbnails should work by default, unless the preferences have been changed :
https://docs.xfce.org/xfce/thunar/preferences
For videos, you need to install ffmpegthumbnailer.
You can create custom actions to show video or audio specifications.

In https://forum.xfce.org/viewtopic.php?pid=83542#p83542 I was replying to a post which was removed, which asked the exact question here that you replied to. Your welcome!
So, here's you prize back. :-J

Last edited by treeview (2026-08-26 12:37:05)

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