Automate video uploads to thumbnails with FFmpeg and Google Drive
Needs changesNeeds changes. This template uses 2 thing(s) that n8n 3.0 removes: Write Binary File, Read Binary File. 2 breaking item(s) found. Static check, last run 2026-10-19.
What this workflow does
This workflow has 7 nodes and runs when an HTTP POST request hits its webhook URL. Along the way it connects Google Drive.
How it runs
Trigger: When an HTTP POST request hits its webhook URL.
- Validate Upload is Video (IF) (If): checks a condition and branches into true / false
- Persist Upload to /tmp (Write Binary File) (Write Binary File): uses Write Binary File
- Extract Thumbnail with FFmpeg (Auto-Install) (Execute Command) (Execute Command): runs a shell command on the n8n host
- Load Thumbnail from Disk (Read Binary File) (Read Binary File): uses Read Binary File
- Upload Thumbnail to Drive (Google Drive) (Google Drive): uses Google Drive
- Return API Response (Respond to Webhook) (Respond to Webhook): sends the response back to the webhook caller
Services it uses
Before you upgrade to n8n 3.0
2 things in this workflow are removed in n8n 3.0. Fix them before you upgrade:
- Write Binary File in Persist Upload to /tmp (Write Binary File): replace with Read/Write Files from Disk.
- Read Binary File in Load Thumbnail from Disk (Read Binary File): replace with Read/Write Files from Disk.
Rather not rewrite it? Many of these flows can be rebuilt in Make (free plan).
| Removed in 3.0 | Replace with |
|---|---|
| Write Binary File Persist Upload to /tmp (Write Binary File) | Read/Write Files from Disk |
| Read Binary File Load Thumbnail from Disk (Read Binary File) | Read/Write Files from Disk |
Nodes used (7)
- Webhook
n8n-nodes-base.webhook - If
n8n-nodes-base.if - Write Binary File
n8n-nodes-base.writeBinaryFile - Execute Command
n8n-nodes-base.executeCommand - Read Binary File
n8n-nodes-base.readBinaryFile - Google Drive
n8n-nodes-base.googleDrive - Respond to Webhook
n8n-nodes-base.respondToWebhook
From the author
Automate Video Upload → Auto-Thumbnail → Google Drive This workflow accepts a video via HTTP upload, verifies it’s a valid video, extracts a thumbnail frame at the 5-second mark using FFmpeg (auto-installs a static build if missing), uploads the image to a…