I have custom templates that I have created and shared with my team and they are sitting in a shared directory. They access them by changing their WorkGroup Templates directory to this shared directory, then by going to File, New, Shared. 3 Templates show up in the list below, but all 3 documents are not really distinguishable other than their name.

Is there a way to edit the way these Templates show up in this selector list? I honestly have tried searching for this answer and it's a complete circle jerk when you search for, "how to you change the way a template looks in the template selector." Every document assumes you want to modify the template itself and not the way it looks in this File, New, Shared menu. I guess if I knew what this menu was actually called, it might help, but instead I'm here asking you.

Any suggestions?

My answer that was here previously was not particularly helpful for this question which is about how to get template images to show instead of generic. I have deleted it from here and reposted it as Alternative Ways to Access Custom Templates - Alternatives for File New in Word

At the bottom of the File Save As dialog there is an option to Save Thumbnail. Ensure that is checked if you want the thumbnail image to show in the Backstage view for File New.

The File Save As dialog, Save Thumbnail, didn't make a difference in my menus. They still show up blank. That was the simpler option. I'll look at the more advanced options now.

I'm sorry, I misread your question and the options I gave are very good but do not address getting the image you want.
See Redirecting


There is also a checkbox in the Advanced Properties dialog that should be checked.

I appreciate the replies, but it is still not working. I'm still looking at 3 blank template documents when I go to create File, New, Shared. I appreciate you sharing what you have shared, but so far changing the Save a thumbnail hasn't made a difference. Also, there wasn't anything in Advanced Options I could find that had anything to do with the Template Preview Pane.

The last link you sent me was Save as a Thumbnail (which I have already set) and the Advanced options showed how to turn it on for all documents, which I don't really want to do as it will increase the size of all documents. I'm okay increasing the size of the templates, but not all my documents.

Attached Images

WordTemplatePreviewPane.jpg (55.6 KB, 17 views)

I wanted to share my version information in case that was important. My computer is Windows 11 and I'm running Office 365 with Word version 2203.

It can be inconsistent. The best results are when Save Thumbnail is used when the template is first saved. Don't forget that to save the thumbnail there must be changes to save in the document/template. This is most easily done by adding a character then backspacing to remove it.

Generating the thumbnail is the only way that you will get an image of your template in the Backstage view for File New.

If you unzip a template you will find the image in the docProps folder in either png or emf format. You can make one yourself by taking a screenshot of the first page in Print Preview.

Attached Images

Screenshot 2022-06-18 215251.png (24.3 KB, 16 views)

Advanced Properties
This is a five-tab dialog box.
You can reach it through File > Info > Properties > Advanced Properties