# GetMiniThumbnail(Object)

> Obtains a small icon for a specific object instance.

## Definition

* **Type:** Method
* **Namespace:** [UnityEditor](/engine/6000.5/script-reference/unityeditor.md)
* **Assembly:** UnityEditor.CoreModule

```csharp
public static Texture2D GetMiniThumbnail(Object obj)
```

### Parameters

**** (\[Object]\(/engine/6000.5/script-reference/unityengine/object)): The object instance to return an icon for.

### Returns

| Type                                                                  | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [Texture2D](/engine/6000.5/script-reference/unityengine/texture2d.md) | A custom icon if the passed object has one, otherwise a fallback icon for its type. If the object is a Texture2D, then it is treated as its own thumbnail, and the full size texture including channel packing is returned. |

### Remarks

This resolves the most specific image available for the instance. Objects with a custom icon such as GameObjects, prefabs by type, MonoBehaviour and ScriptableObject scripts via a picked icon or the Icon attribute, lights by type, or material variants return that icon. A Texture2D is a special case: it returns the texture itself at full size, including any channel packing, so normal maps and other non-color textures appear with incorrect colors.

The image returned isn't the image displayed in the Project window (which uses [AssetDatabase.GetCachedIcon](/engine/6000.5/script-reference/unityeditor/assetdatabase/getcachedicon.md) and [AssetPreview.GetAssetPreview](/engine/6000.5/script-reference/unityeditor/assetpreview/getassetpreview.md)). For a correct, icon-sized texture image, use [AssetDatabase.GetCachedIcon](/engine/6000.5/script-reference/unityeditor/assetdatabase/getcachedicon.md), which is synchronous and always available. For a large, rendered preview, use [AssetPreview.GetAssetPreview](/engine/6000.5/script-reference/unityeditor/assetpreview/getassetpreview.md), which is loaded asynchronously and returns null until rendering finishes. For a plain type icon that never returns instance pixels use [AssetPreview.GetMiniTypeThumbnail](/engine/6000.5/script-reference/unityeditor/assetpreview/getminitypethumbnail.md).