How to Enable Image Preview to Display Pictures in a Folder (Windows 10)

Enabling Image Previews

1. Open File Explorer

   . Click the folder-shaped File Explorer icon at the bottom of the screen, or press ⊞ Win+E.

   1. If File Explorer isn't at the bottom of the screen, you can also click Start
      , type in file explorer, and click File Explorer at the top of the menu.

2. Open your folder. Using the File Explorer's left-hand column of folders, navigate to the folder in which you want to enable image previews.

3. Click the View tab. It's in the upper-left side of the File Explorer window. A toolbar will drop down from the top of the window.

4. Click the Options icon. This icon is in the upper-right corner of the window and resembles a white box with checkmarks on it. Clicking it prompts a pop-up window to appear.

5. Click the View tab. It's at the top of the pop-up window.

6. Uncheck the "Always show icons, never thumbnails" box. You'll find this in the "Files and Folders" section near the bottom of the window.

   1. If you don't see this box, first double-click the "Files and Folders" heading to cause it to appear.
   2. If this box is already unchecked, you may have to fix a corrupted thumbnail cache first.

7. Click Apply, then click OK. Both options are at the bottom of the window. Doing so will apply your settings and close the window.

8. Make sure your folder is displaying the proper viewing option. In order to see thumbnail previews, your folder must display files and folders using a supported viewing option (e.g., Extra large icons). To change the current view setting, do the following:

   1. Click the View tab.
   2. Click one of the following "Layout" options: Extra large icons, Large icons, Medium icons, Tiles, or Content.