Why is Windows 10 default image viewer extremely slow?

Anonymous
2018-08-24T10:07:47+00:00

Hi there

I use Windows 10 Home on a 64 bit, 8GB RAM Samsung laptop. It was upgraded from Windows 8.1 and basically functions well. Since Samsung stopped making notebooks around the time Windows 10 was coming out, there have been no corresponding Windows 10 compatible software from them for this model. However, this has never been a problem as Windows 10 brought along all the necessary drivers and I did not install any Samsung software except for one settings program, which has an integrated battery life extender, which I need.

One thing that I have noticed and that has probably gotten worse is if you use the default Windows 10 picture viewer to open any image, it takes extremely long to load it after the black interface opens. I have for example just tried to open a 1000 x 2000 jpg image and as it took I guess well  over a minute, I just closed it and opened it with IrfanView instead, which just took seconds. Other programs like Photofiltre are equally fast.

I think I ever read in some forum months back how to speed it up, but do not remember the steps,, but in any case I think it made no big difference.

Sometime ago I tried to set Irfanview to be the default viewer for images, including jpg & png which I remember worked for that session.  Later, not sure it was that day, I noted it had somehow been changed back to Windows default, though I did not follow this up again until today, as I normally open images directly in one of the different image editors I want to use anytime.

I have just set it again to IrfanView but cannot immediately test if it remains so after a reboot, since I'm currently making a system image backup which will take several hours.

So my question:

  • What causes the default Windows 10 image viewer to be extremely slow at opening images?
  • Just in case Windows resets the image viewer to Windows default, how can this be stopped so the selected one remains?

My system and software are kept constantly up-to-date and has the most currently available updates for Windows, drivers and other software.

The system runs well and for some unconnected reason, recently run Scannow & DISM restorehealth and all is OK.

Thank you in advance

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Files, folders, and storage

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Anonymous
2018-08-24T14:19:36+00:00

You can get the old Photo Viewer back if you want it.

I enabled it because I prefer it.

Click the picture to make it bigger.

See this link ---

https://winaero.com/blog/how-get-windows-photo-viewer-working-in-windows-10/

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Vijay A. Verma 104.9K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
2018-08-24T10:16:47+00:00

I believe you are talking about Photos app of Windows. For the first time, somebody has reported that Photos app is slow (at least I am coming to know of this for the first time).

You can try following to correct if something is wrong with Photos app.

  1. Run Windows Store Apps Troubleshooter

Type troubleshoot in Windows Start Search box > Click Troubleshoot > Scroll down to bottom and click Windows Store Apps > Click Run the Troubleshooter and follow on-screen directions.

  1. Reset Photos App

Windows+X > Settings > Apps > Apps & Features > Locate Photos by Scrolling Down > Click Advanced Options > Click Reset

Go to Microsoft Store > Click 3 horizontal dots on top right > Downloads and Updates > Check if there is any update for this app > If yes, update it.

  1. If Reset doesn't work, then you should uninstall using Powershell and reinstall the Photos App

Windows+X > Click Windows Powershell (Admin) > Copy the below command and right click in Powershell to paste it

get-appxpackage Microsoft.Windows.Photos | remove-appxpackage

Now, you need to reinstall it

Use below Powershell command to install

Get-AppxPackage -allusers Microsoft.Windows.Photos | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”

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59 additional answers

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  1. Anonymous
    2018-10-09T11:59:13+00:00

    Most frustrating photo app ever! After deleting or moving a photo I have to wait several minutes before I can do the next one.  Can someone please help

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  2. Anonymous
    2019-05-12T20:10:57+00:00

    Great one! Thank you 'A. User'! for the amazing help.... :)  I didn't even imagine of getting back the Photo Viewer in Windows 10. 

    The "Photos" in Win 10 is worst program ever. Its another proof that, Microsoft does not care our experience.

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  3. Anonymous
    2019-01-24T18:39:43+00:00

    This is the command to reinstall Photos. The Vijay_Verma version omits the "}" at the end.

    Get-AppxPackage -allusers Microsoft.Windows.Photos | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}

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