Windows 11: Thumbnail previews do not show on folders

Anonymous
2021-11-28T18:05:14+00:00

My folders are appearing as blank folder icons, where in Win 10 they showed thumbnail previews of the contents.

I've searched online for answers, and most appear to apply to earlier versions, and tell me to uncheck the 'icon only, no thumbnail' choice in View|Options, but that is already unchecked, so that is not the answer.

Does anyone have an actual working answer? Thanks if you do!

.....ph

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Files, folders, and storage

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.

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Sumit 44,316 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
2022-02-17T07:04:33+00:00

The Windows 11 2022 update brings Thumbnail previews to folders.

Windows 11 2022 update now available - Microsoft Community

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  1. Anonymous
    2022-02-06T02:08:01+00:00

    I want to add the exact same to mmaynard23 comment. I am also a photographer and have nearly 500GB images in hierarchical folders. The upper hierarchies (year/month) etc don't have thumbnails because there no images there. But once I get to the bottom layer, I really need that thumbnail because just seeing one image from the folder immediately tells me what folder I am looking for.

    I use lightroom of course which helps but not much. But I don't want to have to start it up every time I want to go find something. But explorer is really better. Lightroom is basically the same as this broken window 11. It shows you only the individual image thumbnails but nothing at the folder level.

    Jay

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  2. Anonymous
    2022-02-06T19:12:21+00:00

    As a visual learner and artist this is definitely the most obnoxious feature of Windows 11 I have seen thus far. Just got a new computer, didn't have much of a choice in the matter choosing Win 11. I'm so used to not even having to read what folder name I am clicking on because I often just click via the preview image--this really isn't the improvement you think it is, Microsoft

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  3. Anonymous
    2022-02-07T11:06:39+00:00

    Since Windows 11 no longer shows thumbnail previews for folder icons by default. Here is alternate solution to bring them back: https://www.folderico.com/how-to-create-folder-preview.html

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  4. Anonymous
    2022-02-07T12:10:00+00:00

    This REALLY pisses me off. I NEED preview folders as I am not a mind reader. Whoever thought that getting rid of the preview folder should be fired.

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