this is message I have received for nearly every photo in my pictures folder. Just updated to Windows 7 --- pictures opened up just fine in XP pro AND in VISTA home..... what gives...... **************************************************************************************************** MODERATOR NOTE 9 JULY 2018 This 8 1/2 year old thread has long since run its course and is now locked. The original question was properly answered on 17 February 2010, the day after it was asked. More information: There is no "update" for Windows Photo Viewer. Windows Photo Viewer is part of the Windows operating system. If any of its component files need updating, they will be updated if you use Windows Update. If you have an image file type other than .jpg and .jpeg, .tif and .tiff, .png, .gif, .bmp and .dib, .wdp , ask your favorite search engine <<how do I open xxx files >> If you have a version of Windows other than Windows 7, you should ask your question in the appropriate section of Microsoft Community. If you have Windows 10 and want to use Windows Photo Viewer to view image files instead of the Windows 10 Photo app, you can find instructions for doing so by asking your favorite search engine. One such site is https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/14312-restore-windows-photo-viewer-windows-10-a.html If none of the information in the Answer or above helps you, please read the following articles and ask your own new question. Please provide details about your system and your particular problem and please ask your question in the appropriate section of Microsoft Community. How to begin your own, new thread about your computer & your problem How to ask a question ****************************************************************************************************

Hi Arielnancy, As the sentence suggests, the picture file format may not be supported or you do not have the latest updates to photo viewer. So, I have a .png file, and it can be successfully opened on another machine (running a corporate version of WindowsXP!). So it would seem that my newly-purchased Windows8.1 machine needs "updates to photo viewer". Where does one go to get these updates?

I am so pleased with Windows 8.1 that I'm thinking of throwing it away and changing to Apple. I also have a fully up to date installation on a top of the range PC and it will not open a photo. XP was great but Windows 8 is rubbish. I'm thinking of upgrading to Apple Mac. I understand that Apple PC's will open JPEG photos, will allow me to use Google Drive and will keep my email addresses and phone numbers. (Windows 8 lost all my contacts when I synced.)

I need a good tablet that can store documents and not just for media. I need this for travel. I purchased a Surface Pro 2 with the max storage but it has windows 8.1 which is confusing. I can't use 8.1. I threw it in the trash. I am wondering about Android tablets or maybe Apple.

Hi Donald, I'm thinking of using Apple with Cloud storage. I currently use Google Drive and a home cloud device (Synology) that is OK. I'm now having problems opening PDF documents with Windows 8. It used to open them OK but has recently stopped. It is no longer acceptable to me, I need to be able to open photos and PDF. It's a real shame that Windows is so bad as I have always used Windows in the past. I also paid for the "best rated" password manager app for Windows 8 but it doesn't work in Win 8 either (it's great with other systems). I have looked into Android but I'm a bit worried that they don't seem to get good write-ups regarding "home office" type use. I think Apple is quite expensive and I heard that you can't attach photo's to email in Apple. If you find out any more about Android I'd be very interested (I have it on my phone and tablet and it's great but I don't use it for word processing or spreadsheets, and the storage is very limited so Cloud storage is essential (but that also applies to my £1200 Windows 8 laptop). I'm probably going to buy an apple mac and use it with my Android tablet and phone and bin the Win 8 laptop (unless I can load Apple/Android software onto it?) Thanks, Peter

windows photo viewer can't open this picture because either photo viewer doesn't support this file format or you don't have the latest updates to photo viewer"

Anonymous

this is message I have received for nearly every photo in my pictures folder. Just updated to Windows 7 --- pictures opened up just fine in XP pro AND in VISTA home..... what gives......

****************************************************************************************************

MODERATOR NOTE 9 JULY 2018

This 8 1/2 year old thread has long since run its course and is now locked.

The original question was properly answered on 17 February 2010, the day after it was asked.

More information:

There is no "update" for Windows Photo Viewer. Windows Photo Viewer is part of the Windows operating system. If any of its component files need updating, they will be updated if you use Windows Update.
If you have an image file type other than .jpg and .jpeg, .tif and .tiff, .png, .gif, .bmp and .dib, .wdp, ask your favorite search engine <<how do I open xxx files >>
If you have a version of Windows other than Windows 7, you should ask your question in the appropriate section of Microsoft Community.
If you have Windows 10 and want to use Windows Photo Viewer to view image files instead of the Windows 10 Photo app, you can find instructions for doing so by asking your favorite search engine. One such site is https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/14312-restore-windows-photo-viewer-windows-10-a.html
If none of the information in the Answer or above helps you, please read the following articles and ask your own new question. Please provide details about your system and your particular problem and please ask your question in the appropriate section of Microsoft Community.

How to begin your own, new thread about your computer & your problem

How to ask a question

****************************************************************************************************

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

Hi Arielnancy,

As the sentence suggests, the picture file format may not be supported or you do not have the latest updates to photo viewer.

Windows Photo Viewer can only view .jpg and .jpeg, .tif and .tiff, .png, .gif, .bmp and .dib, .wdp file types.

For more information refer this link: Understanding picture file types**http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Understanding-picture-file-types**

You may follow the steps below:

1. Right click on any one of the picture and select Open With and click Change Default program.

2. Now select the Windows Photo Viewer in the list.

3. Now put a check mar for “Always use a selected program to open this kind of file”.

You may also try opening the same picture using Paint and check if you are able to open without any issues.

Check if you don't have file extensions displayed by default, right-click on an offending image and look at the file's name.

If you have not set it as default program to open images, do this :

Change which programs Windows uses by default

A default program is the program that Windows uses when you open a particular type of file, such as a music file, an image, or a webpage. For example, if you have more than one web browser installed on your computer, you can choose one of them to be the default browser.

Open Default Programs by clicking the Start button, and then clicking Default Programs.

In Default Programs, you can:

· Set your default programs. Use this option to choose which programs you want Windows to use by default. If you want to use your Windows Live Photo Gallery or Photo Gallery to open all photos, use this option.

Refer to this link: **http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Change-which-programs-Windows-uses-by-default**

Refer the link for similar issue: **http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7pictures/thread/2da99b17-8bd1-48a7-9ab9-160e4b3bac2c**

Thanks and Regards:

Swathi B - Microsoft Support. Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.

0 comments

122 additional answers

Anonymous

2014-09-03T18:53:59+00:00

Hi Arielnancy,

As the sentence suggests, the picture file format may not be supported or you do not have the latest updates to photo viewer.

So, I have a .png file, and it can be successfully opened on another machine (running a corporate version of WindowsXP!). So it would seem that my newly-purchased Windows8.1 machine needs "updates to photo viewer".

Where does one go to get these updates?
Was this answer helpful?

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Anonymous

2014-09-03T19:20:17+00:00

I am so pleased with Windows 8.1 that I'm thinking of throwing it away and changing to Apple.

I also have a fully up to date installation on a top of the range PC and it will not open a photo. XP was great but Windows 8 is rubbish.

I'm thinking of upgrading to Apple Mac. I understand that Apple PC's will open JPEG photos, will allow me to use Google Drive and will keep my email addresses and phone numbers. (Windows 8 lost all my contacts when I synced.)
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2014-09-05T14:48:08+00:00

I need a good tablet that can store documents and not just for media. I need this for travel. I purchased a Surface Pro 2 with the max storage but it has windows 8.1 which is confusing. I can't use 8.1. I threw it in the trash. I am wondering about Android tablets or maybe Apple.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2014-09-09T18:25:49+00:00

Hi Donald,

I'm thinking of using Apple with Cloud storage. I currently use Google Drive and a home cloud device (Synology) that is OK.

I'm now having problems opening PDF documents with Windows 8. It used to open them OK but has recently stopped. It is no longer acceptable to me, I need to be able to open photos and PDF. It's a real shame that Windows is so bad as I have always used Windows in the past. I also paid for the "best rated" password manager app for Windows 8 but it doesn't work in Win 8 either (it's great with other systems).

I have looked into Android but I'm a bit worried that they don't seem to get good write-ups regarding "home office" type use. I think Apple is quite expensive and I heard that you can't attach photo's to email in Apple.

If you find out any more about Android I'd be very interested (I have it on my phone and tablet and it's great but I don't use it for word processing or spreadsheets, and the storage is very limited so Cloud storage is essential (but that also applies to my £1200 Windows 8 laptop). I'm probably going to buy an apple mac and use it with my Android tablet and phone and bin the Win 8 laptop (unless I can load Apple/Android software onto it?)

Thanks, Peter
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