Windows 11 File Explorer Preview Pane for PDF files not working consistently

Anonymous
2022-11-24T17:18:38+00:00

I am running Windows 11 version 21H2 patched up to date and have noticed this problem recently, although I am not sure exactly when it started in relation to recent patches.
When I open a folder the preview pane shows "Select a file to preview".
Selecting a .jpg file shows the preview.
Selecting a .doc file shows "No preview available" - expected as I do not have Microsoft Office.
Selecting a .pdf file causes the preview pane to go blank.

My solution is to untick the Show Preview Pane option, close explorer, open explorer, tick the Show Preview Pane option.
Selecting a .pdf file now shows the preview. (This does not work without closing explorer and reopening it.)
Has anyone else experienced this, and more to the point, does anyone know of a fix?

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

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  1. Anonymous
    2023-10-21T17:49:44+00:00

    I agree with you.

    Last week (or possibly the week before) the preview stopped working again.

    This was just after I had updated Powertoys and as I couldn't see any way of removing the update I simply removed it.

    All is now working again.

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-10-21T10:24:48+00:00

    I have Power Toys version 0.74.1 (latest I think).

    I doesn't seem to have a File Explorer option.

    I am convinced that this problem we are all having is due to Microsoft updates in Windows 11.

    Mine used to work fine until I had an update which caued the preview to vanish. Then after another update I now get a thumbnail in the top left of the preview pane, which is useless.

    If anyone who works for Microsoft reads this, I would be very happy to hear his/her response.

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-10-02T15:04:25+00:00

    It seems many people have this problem. Wih my Win 11 Pro, Explorer worked perfectly by previewing pdf files (a function hat i eally needed) bu then I had a Windows update and the preview no frustratingly longer worked. Now I have had a further update and I do get a small represenation of the pdf page but it is not clear enough to read it (music in my case).

    I have tried all the mentioned suggestins for a fix to no avail.

    So I am certain that this is a Windows update problem. They stopped it working, now they have to get it working again.

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-10-02T15:03:19+00:00

    It seems many people have this problem. With my Win 11 Pro, Explorer worked perfectly by previewing pdf files (a function that I really needed) but then I had a Windows update and the preview frustratingly no longer worked. Now I have had a further update and I do get a small represenation of the pdf page but it is not clear enough to read it (music in my case).

    I have tried all the mentioned suggestions for a fix to no avail.

    So I am certain that this is a Windows update problem. They stopped it working, now they have to get it working again.

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  5. Anonymous
    2023-06-18T10:14:49+00:00

    But not for word excel and other older Office (2007) versions. Anyone else have a solution for that?

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