get_thumbnail
Renders one page (slide, layout or master) as a PNG. Without output_path it returns contentUrl + width/height — the URL is short-lived (~30 minutes) and served from googleusercontent.com. With output_path the PNG is downloaded and saved to that local file instead (the download is restricted to Go...
This record as markdown: /tools/a1-x-tech-mcp-google-slides/get-thumbnail.md
What get_thumbnail does on Mcp Google Slides
AI agents call get_thumbnail to retrieve information from Mcp Google Slides without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
size | string | — | Thumbnail width: large=1600px (default), medium=800px, small=200px. |
output_path | string | — | Local file path to save the PNG to; omitted = return the short-lived contentUrl. |
page_object_id | string | Yes | The slide's object id to render (from list_slides). |
presentation_id | string | Yes | The presentation id — the long id from the URL (docs.google.com/presentation/d/<presentationId>/edit) or from create_presentation output. |
Parameters from the server's own tool schema.
Why get_thumbnail is rated Low
Retrieves visual representation of slides; no modification or side effects occur.
From the tool's definition Renders one page as a PNG, returns contentUrl or downloads to local file.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs get_thumbnail safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Mcp Google Slides, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For get_thumbnail, this is the rule to start with:
get_thumbnail is read-only, so it stays allowed. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Mcp Google Slides, apply this rule, and every get_thumbnail call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about get_thumbnail
Renders one page (slide, layout or master) as a PNG. Without output_path it returns contentUrl + width/height — the URL is short-lived (~30 minutes) and served from googleusercontent.com. With output_path the PNG is downloaded and saved to that local file instead (the download is restricted to Google's image hosts). size: large (1600px, default), medium (800px) or small (200px). This is the way to SEE what a slide actually looks like — the JSON never shows rendering. Counts as an expensive read in the API quota. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Mcp Google Slides MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
get_thumbnail accepts 4 parameters: size, output_path, page_object_id, presentation_id. Required: page_object_id, presentation_id. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.
Register the Mcp Google Slides MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for get_thumbnail: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches Mcp Google Slides. Nothing to install.
get_thumbnail is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the get_thumbnail rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for get_thumbnail. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.
get_thumbnail is provided by the Mcp Google Slides MCP server (@a1-x-tech/mcp-google-slides). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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