---
title: Generate File Preview API
slug: generate-file-preview
url: https://apyverse.com/apyhub/service/generate-file-preview
provider: ApyHub
categories: [File Conversion, File Manipulation, Image Processing]
auth: api_key
---

# Generate File Preview API

Generate PNG previews from uploaded files or remote URLs. Return a binary download or a signed preview link for documents, images, video, and archives.

## Endpoints

| Method | Path | Description | Atoms |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| POST | `/generate/preview/url` | What it does Generates a PNG preview from a remote file URL and returns a signed link to the genera… | 300 |
| POST | `/generate/preview/file` | What it does Generates a PNG preview from an uploaded file and returns the result as a binary downl… | 300 |
| POST | `generate/preview/file/url` | What it does Generates a PNG preview for an uploaded file and returns a signed link to the generate… | 300 |
| POST | `/generate/preview/url/file` | What it does Generates a PNG preview from a remote file URL and returns the result as a streamed bi… | 300 |

## About

## What it does

File Preview Generator creates PNG previews from a file you upload or a file at a remote URL. Send a `file` or a `url`, and get back either a downloadable PNG or a signed `data` link to it. You can also pass an optional `width` query value to control the preview size.

Use it when you need a quick visual representation of documents, images, videos, or archives without building rendering logic yourself. The upload-based endpoints support streamed download or a signed link response, while the URL-based endpoints let you preview assets already hosted elsewhere.

File Preview Generator is useful for document browsers, file management dashboards, review queues, and systems that need thumbnails before a user opens the original file. It is a straightforward way to generate preview images for remote assets or files already in your request pipeline.

The API returns only what the endpoint schema defines: a binary PNG download or a JSON object containing the preview URL. That keeps integration simple whether you want to store the image, serve it directly, or hand off a signed link to another service.

## Usage

Authenticate with an ApyHub API key in the `apy-token` header.
Full docs and a live playground: https://apyverse.com/apyhub/service/generate-file-preview