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

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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.

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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.

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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

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  1. Anonymous
    2011-09-29T18:40:12+00:00

    I get the generic paint icon, i.e.cup with pencils.

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  2. Anonymous
    2011-09-29T19:03:43+00:00

    Interesting default program,

    Is that your choice of a default photo editor/ viewer - paint ?

    If you use the preview pane do they display a photo preview,

    My first thought is to change your default photo viewer/ editor, to wlpg or even windows photo viewer.

    I have to say when people change the setting to always show thumbnails and never icons, they often forget to click on the top button apply to folders, and okay.

    Only click on apply and okay is not enough, for the setting to be applied to all folders.

    On the same view tab section in folder options,

    Check the box to show preview handlers in the preview pane as well, apply to folders and apply and okay.

    I have to say this is very strange,

    Also I would suggest,

    Click the start button, and type in the little explorer box, disk cleanup and hit the enter key or click on the suggestion link on the top,

    Once it completes,

    Make sure the temporary files boxes are checked and the thumbnails box is checked,

    Then click on okay, and confirm yes permanently delete these files.

    Windows will rebuild your thumbnail cache in windows explorer.

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