# What are "thumbs.db" files?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-thumbs-db-files/254684>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 12, 2004, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-thumbs-db-files/254684 "2004-07-12T11:56:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Certainly\_If\_You\_Please](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@Certainly\_If\_You\_Please](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Certainly_If_You_Please)\
**Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-thumbs-db-files/254684/1 "2004-07-12T11:56:06Z")

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Does anyone know what type of file this is? The one I found is associated with my website files.

thanks

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**Author:** ![Ponster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponster/32/17081_2.png) [@Ponster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponster)\
**Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-thumbs-db-files/254684/2 "2004-07-12T12:14:22Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> For some time now I have been concerned about a mystery file called Thumbs.db that started appearing in many folders on my computer, my server account and the College web server. The name seemed ominous. Was this the sign of some sort of hacker getting into the system and leaving his finger prints around?
> 
> The truth - as is so often the case - turned out to be much more mundane and innocuous. The thumbs.db file is generated by the Windows operating system. It is a database file containing the small images displayed when you view a folder in “thumbnail” view (as opposed to tile, icon, list, or detail view). No harm is done by deleting thumbs.db files. There is no need to include them in your system backups. Whether you see these files or not is a function of your File Options settings.

From…

[http://www.fcs.iastate.edu/computer/tips/thumbs/default.htm](http://www.fcs.iastate.edu/computer/tips/thumbs/default.htm)

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**Author:** ![Certainly\_If\_You\_Please](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@Certainly\_If\_You\_Please](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Certainly_If_You_Please)\
**Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-thumbs-db-files/254684/3 "2004-07-12T16:50:37Z")

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Great answer, Ponster! thanks!

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**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\
**Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-thumbs-db-files/254684/4 "2004-07-12T20:18:18Z")

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> [@Certainly If You Please](#):
>
> Does anyone know what type of file this is? The one I found is associated with my website files.
> 
> thanks

🆒 In truth, thumbs.db is a database of your thumb fingerprints which Microsoft keeps for Homeland Security in order to identify those who send unamerican and unpatriotic messages anomynously over the internet. :eek: