Images in smart files let you showcase your work, reinforce your brand, and create a polished client experience. You can add images directly to content blocks, use them as page or block backgrounds, set a focal point to control cropping on mobile, and set thumbnail images for easy file identification.

Add an image block

While building a smart file, select the page you want to add an image to
Select Add a block (plus icon) > Image
Customize the image, then continue building your smart file

Add a header image

While building a smart file, add an image block as the first block on the page
Select the image block > Block settings (gear icon)
Under “Content width,” select 100%
Under “Padding (top & bottom),” select Custom, then by “Custom padding,” enter 0

Set a focal point on images and background images

Focal point controls which part of an image stays centered when it's cropped or resized across different screen sizes — so a carefully composed shot doesn't get awkwardly framed when a client opens the file on their phone. To set a focal point on any image or background image:

While building a smart file, select the image block
By “Focal point,” select Edit
Drag the focal point marker to the area of the image you want to keep centered
Select Save

Add background images

Images can also be used as the background for a block or an entire page.

Add a background image to a block

While building a smart file, select the block you want to add a background image to
Next to “Background image” in the right sidebar, select Choose > then one of the following:
- An image from your Library
- Upload to add a new image
- Import from Canva
Select Done
- Optionally, replace, crop, set the opacity, or set a focal point for the background image

📚 Tip

To add a full-length background image without any content over it, add a divider block and follow the steps above.

Add a background image to a page

While building a smart file, select the page you want to add a background image to from the right sidebar
- You may need to click outside a block first for the page list to appear
Select Page settings (gear icon) next to the page
Next to “Page background image” in the right sidebar, select Choose > then one of the following:
- An image from your Library
- Upload to add a new image
- Import from Canva
Optionally, replace, crop, set the opacity, or set a focal point for the background image

📚 Tip

Make sure your content is readable over the background image. Consider lowering the image's opacity, using a page background color, or setting background colors for specific blocks.

Set a thumbnail image for a smart file

Thumbnail images help you identify and organize smart files at a glance. They display in your template library and file list, making it easier to scan and find the right file — whether you're using list view or grid view. By default, thumbnails aren’t visible to clients, but you can enable that in settings.

Set or edit a thumbnail

Selecting a thumbnail for a smart file template sets the default for that template. You can still change it for individual projects without affecting the original template.

Open the smart file or template you want to edit
- For templates: From the navigation menu, select Templates > File templates > the template
Select File settings (gear icon)
Under “Title & Thumbnail,” hover over the image and select Edit or replace image (pencil icon)
Select an image from your Library, or upload one
- Optionally, crop the image
Select Insert > Save & exit

Remove a thumbnail

Open the smart file or template with the thumbnail you want to remove
- For templates: From the navigation menu, select Templates > File templates > the template
Select File settings (gear icon)
Under “Title & Thumbnail,” hover over the image and select Remove image (trash icon)
Select Save & exit

Turn off thumbnail visibility for clients

If you use thumbnails for internal organization such as color-coding file types, you may not want clients to see them.

From the navigation menu, select your company logo > Company settings
Select Preferences
Under “Smart file default settings,” turn off Display smart file thumbnail images to clients within projects
Select Confirm