<p>You can't see it in the image you uploaded because it's a JPEG, but PNG files which have a full alpha channel can do the trick you mentioned. It works with websites or apps where the "thumbnail" image is displayed on a white background and the "full" image is displayed on a black background. In the thumbnail display, white pixels and completely transparent pixels look the same, because of the white background; in the full image, black pixels and completely transparent pixels look the same.</p>

<p>Thus, you can have a white-on-black picture and a black-on-white picture in the same image, and the background hides one of the two images. You can easily see what's going on if you look at the image against a background of some other colour.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-18T14:43:02.830Z
Actually I read that it is possible with PNG files, but the thing which amused me and brought me here is that, how this trick is applied to JPEG format.
Adesh Tamrakar
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-20T16:32:31.600Z
@AdeshTamrakar Transparency is supported in [JPEG 2000 format](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JPEG_2000).
Nathan Reed
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-17T11:01:58.830Z
2017-02-17T11:01:58.830Z
Dan Hulme
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/FL0Xn.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/FL0Xn.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p>Download this picture and see it as a thumbnail, like in whatsapp or your phone gallery and you'll find that it shows another picture in the thumbnail.</p>

<p><em>If you can't see the thumbnail:</em>
You can simply do some changes in color, or do some filters on it using PicsArt and you'll notice the difference.  I've searched the whole internet, but haven't got the answer yet.
Please explain how is this happening. </p>

<p><strong>Note:</strong> I know about the trick with PNG files, but this is a JPEG file and the trick works with this too.
I added <a href="https://youtu.be/j6gFEULzAdE" rel="nofollow noreferrer">video</a> a to elaborate.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-17T05:48:42.393Z
It doesn't show a different thumbnail for me when downloaded.
user1118321
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-17T06:03:53.650Z
Probably this feature got lost when imgur reapplied compression. Some formats embed a separate thumbnail, if they do then nothing stops the thumbnail from being a different picture.
joojaa
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-17T06:10:56.710Z
also possibly its same as http://thume.ca/projects/2012/11/14/magic-png-files/
joojaa
<image-processing>
Why thumbnail shows just another pic?
Adesh Tamrakar
# Why thumbnail shows just another pic?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-02-16)

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/FL0Xn.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/FL0Xn.jpg)

Download this picture and see it as a thumbnail, like in whatsapp or your phone gallery and you'll find that it shows another picture in the thumbnail.

*If you can't see the thumbnail:*
You can simply do some changes in color, or do some filters on it using PicsArt and you'll notice the difference. I've searched the whole internet, but haven't got the answer yet.
Please explain how is this happening.

**Note:** I know about the trick with PNG files, but this is a JPEG file and the trick works with this too.
I added [video](https://youtu.be/j6gFEULzAdE) a to elaborate.

**Tags:** image-processing

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: It doesn't show a different thumbnail for me when downloaded.  
> **username_2**: Probably this feature got lost when imgur reapplied compression. Some formats embed a separate thumbnail, if they do then nothing stops the thumbnail from being a different picture.  
> **username_2**: also possibly its same as http://thume.ca/projects/2012/11/14/magic-png-files/  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2017-02-17. Score: 2

You can't see it in the image you uploaded because it's a JPEG, but PNG files which have a full alpha channel can do the trick you mentioned. It works with websites or apps where the "thumbnail" image is displayed on a white background and the "full" image is displayed on a black background. In the thumbnail display, white pixels and completely transparent pixels look the same, because of the white background; in the full image, black pixels and completely transparent pixels look the same.

Thus, you can have a white-on-black picture and a black-on-white picture in the same image, and the background hides one of the two images. You can easily see what's going on if you look at the image against a background of some other colour.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Actually I read that it is possible with PNG files, but the thing which amused me and brought me here is that, how this trick is applied to JPEG format.  
> **username_4**: @username_0 Transparency is supported in [JPEG 2000 format](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JPEG_2000).  

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