Just install Pictus. Free.
Associate with PSD files, done.
Why can't PSD thumbnails be displayed in Windows 7?
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(128, 8%, 22%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EA%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Anonymous
I use Windows 7's File Explorer to upload or open graphics files in other apps. Thumbnails are very handy in seeing at a glance that I have the right picture. PNG,JPG,and even PDF thumbs are supported,but not PSD. I have to rely on a third party solution. A programmer from Adobe has answered that Microsoft has the PSD documentation and this implies that the ball is in their court. I hope a Microsoft tech can pass this concern on or give me a reason why it can't happen at least in Windows 7.
Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Music, photos, and video
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.
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
Check out Mystic Thumbs, donation-ware for now, 32 or 64 bit versions. Works good for me on windows 7 pro: http://mysticcoder.net/MysticThumbs/Default.aspx
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
PSD is as common as PDF and it has been around as long. The reason psicon.dll was dropped was over "file locking" issues with Windows.
I"pestered" Adobe,this is the answer I got:
Apple has been able to add support for PSDs in Quick Look without relying on Adobe, and MSFT has the PSD format documentation. That's not to say we shouldn't step up, too. We just haven't been able to find time yet.
I had hoped MSFT would have given some sort of direct statement on this issue,which is why I asked. Something other than the third party solutions have been given. Perhaps this is not the forum to bring this up.
I really won't say anything more about this. I think I have gone as far as I can.
psicon.dll for the free fix,Ardfrey if you can spare the $20.
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
The FREE Solution:
This is a FREE and open source PSD viewer for windows 7, 64-bit and 32-bit. Made for Vista, but I tested on Windows 7.
http://www.codeproject.com/KB/vista/PhotoshopPreviewHandler.aspx
Download links are at the top of the article...
83 additional answers
Sort by: Most helpful
-
Anonymous
2010-08-16T18:00:34+00:00 Try the following...
Note that this method has been tested on both 32 and 64 bit versions of Windows 7 and Vista.
You MUST be an Administrator on the local machine to perform this or any codec installation.
Codec Installation: Two files and two steps.
The two necessary files you will need to download are below.
- The actual codec file from Microsoft PSDCodec.dll . 
- MS Visual C++ 2008 SP1 Redist Package (x86) !\[\](http://www.phat1.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/visual_c_2008.jpeg)
Installing the files
First install the C++ package. You can learn more about what this package is and download it directly from Microsoft if you prefer by visiting thislink . When installed you may be prompted to restart your computer but it is not necessary yet as we will be restarting after the next step.
Once that is complete, Copy PSDCodec.dll to some location on the harddisk, e.g. “C:\Program Files\Common Files\PSDCodec” to install the codec in it’s new home.
Registering the codec
Now its time to register the codec. And not register in the traditional sense by entering in all your personal information but instead by using Windows built-in tools to register .dll files as command components in the registry.
From an administrator’s command prompt by clicking the start button, and then clicking “run”. In the windows that opens type “cmd “. That will open a command prompt window. Now issue the following command to register the codec with your computer:
regsvr32 “C:\Program Files\Common Files\PSDCodec\PSDCodec.dll ”
Now Its time to reboot your computer and the log back into your machine.
Success
That’s it, Windows Explorer should soon begin to display thumbnails for all PSD files that were saved from Photoshop with the “Maximum Compatibility” option (most are). As a added side effect, WIC-aware image viewers such asFastPictureViewer Professional and even Adobe’s ownBridge automatically benefit from the codec installation and uses it to open and display the same PSD files with full fidelity.