"Not Implemented" when clicking on photos in Windows Explorer

Anonymous
2024-10-30T20:20:13+00:00

I've been having this issue since shortly before installing the latest Windows Update last week. Any time I click on a photo within Windows Explorer, a message pops up that simply lists the file path and says "Not Implemented".

This started happening before I installed the update, and it was only upon restarting my computer to solve the issue that the update was installed (I tend to procrastinate updates).

The issue appears to be caused by Explorer. Downloading any random image with my Chrome browser and opening the image from the downloads list successfully opens the image, as does viewing images from within the Photos app itself.

Restarting Explorer from task manager fixes the issue temporarily, but it has always reoccurred after some time. So that's not a permanent fix and having to restart Explorer at least once a day is not ideal. I'm more just worried that this could be the precursor to or symptom of something much more serious. I've never had this problem before, and most issues like this are resolved with a full restart.

I don't know what to do.

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

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  1. Anonymous
    2025-04-06T22:24:58+00:00

    Thanks, your suggestion is the best I've seen, and is easy to implement

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  2. Anonymous
    2025-04-06T22:30:38+00:00

    Hello Everyone,

    I know this thread is old but I found a solution to this issue. In my case it was because in the user environment variables I was missing this entry which should be at the very beginning of the path:

    %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps

    If that is missing you will ABSOLUTLEY get the error of Not Implemented.

    I had just removed it a day or so ago troubleshooting something else and I happened to remember it.

    So I thought I would share this in hopes it helps someone else...

    God Bless,

    Scott

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  3. Anonymous
    2025-04-08T18:26:57+00:00

    Simplest solution, since MS hasn't seemed to fix it, is to use a different app for photos. I (and many others) have gone back to using the legacy Photos app. Try Method 2 in link below. https://www.wintips.org/fix-not-implemented-error-when-opening-photos-or-images-on-windows-10/

    After months of dealing with this issue, your solution to install Photos Legacy did the trick. I don't know if there's anything in the current version of Photos that I'll miss. I doubt it. Thanks!

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  4. Anonymous
    2025-04-13T03:20:04+00:00

    I have noticed the same issue. However, it has grown to impact other file extensions. So far, it is impacting jpg, wav, mp3, and m4a extensions. I can't guarantee that is the total list.

    I was focusing on jpg photos and thought I had fixed the problem, doing some of the things suggested in this thread. No matter what I did, the problem returned in a few days.

    Also, as has been noted, moving these file types to the desktop eliminates the problem. The default apps can open all the files.

    It appears to me that this is a Windows/file explorer issue.

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  5. Anonymous
    2025-04-14T02:26:39+00:00

    Windows or Microsoft should send a fix

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