diff --git a/docs/source/_static/data_icon.png b/docs/source/_static/data_icon.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..835121ff
Binary files /dev/null and b/docs/source/_static/data_icon.png differ
diff --git a/docs/source/conf.py b/docs/source/conf.py
index fda3e86f..42ac0668 100644
--- a/docs/source/conf.py
+++ b/docs/source/conf.py
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@
         "dependencies": ["environment.yml"],
     },
     "reference_url": {"movement": None},
+    "default_thumb_file": "source/_static/data_icon.png",  # default thumbnail image  
     "remove_config_comments": True,
     # do not render config params set as # sphinx_gallery_config [= value]
 }