Pictures do not display as thumbnail preview

Anonymous
2010-02-03T09:23:47+00:00

In Windows 7, I can't get pictures to show as thumbnail previews. I've tried three different methods suggested on this site. Why is this so difficult?__

The three methods I've tried are as follows:

1.    Open the folder in Windows Explorer and click the down arrow next to Views at the top.  Choose Medium icons and see if the thumbnails start working again.

2.    If not, click on Organize, then Folder and Search Options.  Click the View tab.  Make sure that "Always show icons, never thumbnails" does not have a check mark next to it.

3.    Open Control Panel. (Classic View). Click on the System icon. Click on the advanced system settings link. Under Performance, click on the Settings button. In the Visual Effects tab, Check "Show thumbnails instead of icons.”

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.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2010-08-16T19:59:31+00:00

Not sure where these answers were going but to simply make your pictures show in thumbnail mode in win7 simply open your pictures folder, click tools, folder options, view, then uncheck "Always show icons, never thumbnails"

Don't forget to hit apply!

That should do it.

Was this answer helpful?

300+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2010-10-30T14:32:38+00:00

Click on the Start button, go to Control Panel.  In Control Panel select System.  From the System window select Advanced system settings.  Select Performance settings.  Be sure the box Show thumbnails instead of icons is checked.

Was this answer helpful?

100+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2010-02-04T05:02:06+00:00

Hi RRWilcox,

You may try the following steps and check whether you can get thumbnail previews.

  1. Open the Pictures library by clicking the Start button, and then clicking Pictures.
  2. In the left pane, click the folder that contains the pictures you want to view.
  3. Click the arrow next to the Views button, and then move the slider to change the size of the thumbnails.

For more information, you may refer the following link:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/View-and-print-picture-thumbnails

You may also try to Enable or disable the thumbnail preview using group policy editor.

Note: The following steps won’t work in home editions of Windows 7.

To do this, follow the steps:

  1. Click on start and type gpedit.msc in start search bar and press enter.
  2. Now navigate to User Configuration, Administrative Templates, and Start Menu and Taskbar in left pan of Group Policy Editor
  3. Locate “Turn off Taskbar Thumbnails” in right pan of Group policy editor and double click on it.
  4. Select Enable or Disable click apply and Press ok
  5. Now check your Taskbar, it shouldn’t show Thumbnails Preview.

Please Note: Taskbar Thumbnail Preview only works when you have Enabled Aero in Windows 7.

Hope this information is helpful.

Praseetha. K.

Microsoft Answers Support Engineer

Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think

Was this answer helpful?

60+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments

326 additional answers

Sort by: Newest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2011-09-17T18:10:46+00:00

    #2 worked for me. I do enjoy a good #2

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2011-09-11T05:24:37+00:00

    Thumbnails,

    Open your my pictures location, click on organize on the top left side, click on the folder and search options, click the view tab and uncheck the top option, always show icons and never thumbnails, select apply then look for and click the box, show hidden folders, files and drives click on apply now go back to the general tab section and click on apply to folders and okay.

    If the photo thumbnails now show up but look washed out right click them and select properties, on general tab section, uncheck the hidden attribute box, and save. 

     Return to your my pictures location, change the view of the page on the top right side next to the question mark symbol, there is another symbol with a drop down arrow, click it and select at least medium or large icons from the listed options.

    Then you can contact mcafee and have them adjust the registry for you in their software scanner,

    http://service.mcafee.com/faqdocument.aspx?id=TS101228

    Massive resetting of the hidden attributes can be done by right clicking the (my pictures) listing on the folder tree, and select properties, general tab section, check the hidden box and click on apply, this will change all of the files to hidden, click yes, then uncheck the hidden box and apply, it will remove the hidden attribute from all of your files, click on yes, then save.

    If all else fails,

    Click the start button on the bottom left or windows logo,

    Type in the little explorer box, disk cleanup and hit the enter key,

    Once it completes, check the boxes for thumbnails and temporary files, and click on okay confirm with yes delete these files,

    Windows will rebuild your thumbnail cache.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments