Video Contact Sheet
A thumbnail grid of a video with timestamps, saved as one image.
About this tool
Choose a video file, then set the number of columns and rows, the thumbnail size and the format. The tool jumps through the video, grabs evenly spaced frames, stamps each with its time and lays them out under a header with the file's details. Save the sheet as one image.
What a contact sheet is good for
Contact sheets come from film photography, where a whole roll was printed on one sheet to choose the best shots. For video, the same idea gives a one-glance overview of a clip: what happens, where, and roughly when. Editors use them to catalogue footage and pick shots, YouTubers to choose a thumbnail moment, archivists and families to label old recordings, and reviewers to share a quick preview without sending a large video. A 4 × 4 sheet of a one-hour video shows a frame about every four minutes. The first and last 2% are skipped so black leader frames and end credits don't waste squares, and each thumbnail carries its timestamp so you can jump straight to that moment. The header records the file name, duration, resolution and size. Frames are captured by the browser's own video player, so nothing is uploaded and the video itself isn't changed. Honest limits: the browser must be able to play the format. MP4 (H.264), WebM and most phone videos work, but some MKV, AVI or HEVC files don't play in every browser. Converting them first with a desktop tool helps. Very long or high-bitrate videos take a little longer, because each frame needs a seek. The video frame extractor, the thumbnail maker and video to GIF are related.
Frequently asked questions
What is a video contact sheet?
One image showing a grid of evenly spaced frames from a video, each labelled with its timestamp, for a quick overview.
How many thumbnails should I use?
4 × 4 (16 frames) suits most clips. Use more for long videos and fewer for short ones.
Why won't my video load?
The browser can't play that format. Try MP4 (H.264) or WebM, or convert the file first.
Is my video uploaded?
No. Frames are captured in your browser and the video never leaves your device.