How to use Windows Photo Viewer in Windows 10
With Windows 10, Microsoft has changed a great deal about the popular operating system compared to Windows 7 and 8. Not only are various classic adjustment options found in a different place, but many programs and services have also been replaced by new solutions. This includes the perennial standard app for opening and presenting images and photos, ‘Windows Photo Viewer’. Replaced with ‘Photos’ in the current edition of Windows, it can only be reactivated using workarounds. In the following sections, you can find out why reactivation of the old viewer might be useful and what steps are necessary to get back the old photo viewer in Windows 10.
$1 Domain Names
Register great TLDs for less than $1 for the first year.
Why wait? Grab your favorite domain name today!
Windows 10 Photo Viewer: advantages compared to the ‘Photos’ app
In comparison to Windows Photo Viewer, the new ‘Photos’ app is much more than a simple photo viewing program. Unlike the classic Windows photo tool, the application actually offers lots of additional functions and editing possibilities for your graphics, images and photos. In principle, then, ‘Photos’ is suitable for a wide range of purposes but it is also more cumbersome and more of a drain on computing performance than the Windows Photo Viewer. Opening an image file takes significantly longer as a consequence.
Another disadvantage of the new Windows image viewer is that ‘Photos’ does not provide complete support for color management. The mapping of input color spaces on the monitor, which is fundamental for an accurate representation of images, graphics and photos on the monitor, is, therefore, limited. The old photo viewer doesn’t have this problem.
Windows 10: Reactivating the old photo viewer – step by step
In Windows 10, the Photo Viewer has been officially replaced by the ‘Photos’ app and is not available as a standard option to open image files. With a few small changes in the Registry, though, the program for viewing images can also be activated in Microsoft’s latest operating system. All you require to do so are the editor regedit and administrator privileges.
Incorrect settings in the Windows Registry can have a negative effect on the operating system’s performance. Beyond the steps set out in the following manual, you should only attempt to interfere with it if you have the necessary expertise.
The process to activate the old Photo Viewer in Windows 10 works as follows:
Step 1: Open the Windows search function via the start menu (Windows icon), type the term ‘regedit’ or ‘registry editor’, and select the option ‘Run as administrator’. In some cases, it may be necessary to right-click on the editor icon.
Step 2: Enter the administrator credentials if you are prompted to provide them and confirm your entry with ‘OK’. Regedit will open and you will see the current structure of your Windows installation's registry database. The next step is to navigate to the path ‘HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE’ → ‘SOFTWARE’ → ‘Microsoft’ → ‘Windows Photo Viewer’ → ‘Capabilities’ → ‘FileAssociations’:
Step 3: Open the final entry, ‘FileAssociations’ by left-clicking on it. In the menu window on the right, you will now see a list of registry keys assigned to this entry. In the case of the image viewing program, these will be the file formats for Windows Photo Viewer, which should be selectable as a reproducible option. For all formats that are to be supported, you now need to create a new entry by right-clicking on the empty space and selecting ‘String Value’ under ‘New’:
Step 4: You now need to give the new string the name of the respective format – for example .jpg, .svg, .png or .bmp. Then, right-click on the respective entry and select 'Modify’:
Step 5: Now enter the following line into the entry field 'Value’ in each case:
PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.TiffTo finish, confirm this value by clicking ‘OK’.
Step 6: Close the Registry and right-click on any image (in this case a .jpg file) that you would like to open with Windows Photo Viewer. In the menu that pops up, choose ‘Open with’ and then ‘Choose another app’. Now search in the list for the entry 'Windows Photo Viewer’ and select it. Tick the option ‘Always use this app to open .jpg files’ so that Windows 10 uses the old photo viewer as the standard application for viewing images:
Microsoft 365 for Business with IONOS!
Powerful Exchange email and the latest versions of your favorite Office apps on any device - get started with our free setup assistance.
Related articles
lucadpShutterstock How to change startup programs in Windows 10
Like all modern Microsoft operating systems, Windows 10 has a built-in feature that allows you to automatically run system programs, user-defined programs, service applications and processes. In this tutorial, you’ll learn how the startup folder works in Windows 10 and how to add or remove specific applications.
How to format USB drives on Windows
File systems like NTFS or FAT don’t just play a key role in computers. Portable storage media like USB sticks also depend on these technologies for organizing data, in order to store and process files. If a system is missing or damaged, it can be added or repaired at any time by formatting the USB drive. But how exactly does this work?
REDPIXEL.PLShutterstock Deleting Windows.old - How to
Windows offers a variety of features to ensure that the system functions over the long term. For example, the operating system generates a backup folder called Windows.old during new installations, upgrades or major updates which can be used to restore the system to its previous state. In our article, you will learn about the circumstances in which you can remove Windows.old and how to do so.
REDPIXEL.PLShutterstock How to reset Windows 10
If your system is causing you problems, it could make sense to reset Windows 10. As of Windows 7, it has been possible to reset or refresh a system without having to start from scratch – you can keep your files and documents despite resetting to Windows 10 factory settings. Luckily, you always have the option to reset your Microsoft operating system with or without losing your files. We reveal how…
Changing your keyboard language in Windows 10: switching between languages step by step
Text in foreign languages sometimes requires special characters. The letters assigned to the different keys also differ between some languages. Therefore, many users who wish to write in a foreign language find it more convenient to change the keyboard language. Windows 10 keyboard shortcuts enable you to switch quickly between languages. We will show you how to change the keyboard language in…
