This wikiHow teaches you how to preview images in Windows 10 computer folders. While photo previews are automatically enabled, this feature is "accidentally" disabled in some versions of Windows 10. You can enable previews in File Explorer settings. However, you also need to make sure the folder is managed using a review option that supports the photo preview icon.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Enabling Image Preview
Step 1. Open File Explorer
Click the File Explorer-shaped icon at the bottom of the screen, or press Win+E.
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If File Explorer doesn't appear at the bottom of the screen, you can also click the “ Start ”
type in file explorer, and click “ File Explorer ” at the top of the menu.
Step 2. Open the folder
Use File Explorer's left folder column to switch to the folder with the preview feature you want to enable.
Step 3. Click the View tab
It's a tab in the upper-left corner of the File Explorer window. The toolbar will appear from the top of the window.
Step 4. Click the Options icon
It's in the upper-right corner of the window and looks like a white box with a checkmark. Once clicked, a pop-up window will be displayed.
Step 5. Click the View tab
It's a tab at the top of the pop-up window.
Step 6. Uncheck the box “Always show icons, never thumbnails”
You can see this box in the " Files and Folders " section at the bottom of the window.
- If you don't see this box, first double-click the " Files and Folders " heading to display it.
- If this box doesn't have a check, you may need to fix the corrupted preview icon cache first.
Step 7. Click Apply, then click OK.
These two buttons are at the bottom of the window. After that, the settings will be applied and the window will be closed.
Step 8. Make sure the folder displays the appropriate review options
In order to see the preview icon, the folder must display files and subfolders using a supported preview option (eg “ Extra large icons ). To change the current display settings, follow these steps:
- Click the tab " View ”.
- Click one of the following " Layout " options: “ Extra large icons ”, “ Large icons ”, “ Medium icons ”, “ Tiles ", or " Content ”.
Method 2 of 2: Fix Broken Preview
Step 1. Understand when the preview needs to be fixed
Windows 10 stores a preview icon cache for each computer file. If the cache is corrupted, the pictures in the folder will not display properly. If you have already tried enabling image preview, emptying the preview icon cache may resolve the issue.
Step 2. Open the “Start” menu
Click the Windows logo in the lower-left corner of the screen.
Step 3. Open Disk Cleanup
Type disk cleanup, then click Disk Cleanup ” once displayed at the top of the “Start” window. A pop-up window will be opened.
You may need to click the Disk Cleanup icon when it appears on the workbar to display the pop-up window
Step 4. Scroll down the screen and check the “Thumbnails” box
You can uncheck the other boxes in the main window, but the " Thumbnails " box should still be checked.
Step 5. Click OK
It's at the bottom of the window.
Step 6. Click Delete Files when prompted
After that, Disk Cleanup will immediately clear the computer preview icon from the cache.
Step 7. Wait for the icon to finish removing
This process can take a few minutes, especially if you've never cleared the preview icon before. Once the pop-up window disappears, you can move on to the next step.
Step 8. Open the desired folder
Go to the folder with the preview icon you want to display. After a few moments of reloading, a preview of the image will appear in the window.
Step 9. Enable image preview if necessary
If the preview icon is still not showing, you may need to disable the " Always show icons, never thumbnails " setting and make sure the folder uses the appropriate preview options.
