In Windows 10, by default, it opens images using the Photos app. However, you can also continue to use the old photo viewer, which has not disappeared under Windows 10, but is only used for special image files.
Activating the old photo viewer
Note. Currently, not all functions of the old photo viewer are available. You can view your photos as you are used to, but printing directly from the viewer is no longer possible.
To activate the old viewer, you will need to make some changes to the Windows registry. To do this, you need to open the Registry Editor: press the key combination to open the “Run” command.
Enter the command "regedit" and confirm with "OK". Confirm the UAC request. The Registry Editor will open. On the left, navigate to the path:
"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Photo Viewer\Capabilities\FileAssociations."
Right-click the empty area on the right side, and under New, select String Parameter.
Name the string ".jpg" and double-click it to open it.
Then set the “Value” field to the name of the parameter “PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff” without quotes and confirm with “OK”.
Repeat for all other desired image formats such as PNG, JPEG, GIF or BMP. The value always remains the same.
Set the old viewer as default in Windows 10
Close Registry Editor and open any image file.
Now you have a choice between several viewing programs. Click on any image, for example, with a JPG extension, and select “Windows Photo Viewer” as the viewer.
Then enable the "Always use this app to open files" option.
Windows 10: Use the old image viewer If the dialog box does not appear, right-click the image and select "Select another application" under "Open With."
The "OK" button saves your settings. You must do these steps once for each file type, such as PNG and JPG.
In the new system from Microsoft you can do much more with your images. In the next article, we will show you how to login using image code in Windows 10.
Now let's see what to use to view images on a computer, and choose the best photo viewers for Windows. The best photo viewer is a subjective concept, so in this article I will offer several applications that can be used to open popular graphic formats for viewing and processing images.
Any user, when working on a computer, inevitably encounters pictures, images, photographs. In any case, graphic format files will end up on your computer, so you will need a program to open and view them. Therefore, you need a photo viewer on your computer to easily view digital images.
Windows 10 has a built-in Photos application, with which you can open a graphic file, create an album, make the necessary changes to a photo, etc. In previous versions of Windows, the Windows Image Viewer application was used. The user can install Windows Picture Viewer in Windows 10, in addition to the Photos program.
There is a free Photo Gallery application included with the core components of Windows Live. The photo album supports opening and editing photos. The program must be installed on your computer (it is not included in the OS).
In addition to Microsoft applications, a large number of third-party programs have been created for viewing and editing images. In this article we will look at the best free image viewer programs that have many additional built-in tools for working with graphic file formats.
Third-party photo viewers (viewers) can be used on your computer as an alternative to standard Windows tools. As the best free image viewer programs, I recommend paying attention to the following programs: FastStone Image Viewer, XnView, IrfanView, Ashampoo Photo Commander Free, Honeyview. These programs run in Russian on the Windows operating system.
These applications, in addition to basic functions, have tools for image editing. For more serious picture editing, you will need another program - an image editor (photo).
The best photo viewers, in addition to the viewing function, have additional features necessary for working with images on a computer. The programs have built-in tools to perform various operations with digital photographs or any other images: rotate, resize, remove red-eye, swatch, color correction, convert to other formats, send for printing, etc.
The free Picasa program (which would have been included in this review) was left out of the scope of this review due to the fact that Google stopped developing and supporting the application in 2016.
FastStone Image Viewer
FastStone Image Viewer is a powerful free program for viewing and processing images with a simple, intuitive interface. Built-in tools will help the user solve certain problems with photography: remove red-eye, change image size, apply color correction, convert files, etc.
A regular version of FastStone Image Viewer or a portable version of the program that does not require installation on a computer is available for download.
Key features of FastStone Image Viewer:
- Opening graphic files of major formats
- Editing digital photos and graphics files
- A large number of built-in tools for working with images
- Batch file processing
- Batch conversion to another format
- Creating a slide show with transitions and effects
- Preview function
XnView
XnView is a free program (for non-commercial use) for viewing images, multimedia files, and converting files to other formats. This is a high-quality program for managing photos on your computer. Thanks to the support of a large number of formats, in XnView, in addition to working with graphic files, for example, you can watch movies or listen to music.
The program has a simple interface, a large number of built-in tools, XnView will do an excellent job of processing and editing photos on a computer.
The user can download the regular or portable version of the application to the computer from the official XnView website.
Features of the XnView program:
- Supports more than 500 formats
- Photo editing
- Applying filters and effects
- Screen capture
- Batch conversion
- Editing metadata
- Convert files to 70 file formats
- Supports viewing video and audio files, archives, documents
- Creating a Slideshow
- Plugins are supported to expand the program's capabilities
IrfanView
IrfanView is a fast, free image viewer that consumes minimal computer resources. The program is one of the leaders in the number of downloads in the world for programs of this class. This indirect information tells us about the quality of the application, which is rated by users.
Honeyview is a free image viewer with a simple and intuitive interface. The program quickly opens graphic files, the application has tools for photo editing.
You can download it from the official website of the developer, as an installation file or as a portable version.
Honeyview program features:
- Supports a large number of graphic formats
- RAW format support
- Viewing images in archives
- View photos in slideshow mode
- Bookmark for favorite photos
- Support GPS data on photos
Conclusion
The user can choose the best photo viewer running on Windows for their computer. Free programs: FastStone Image Viewer, XnView, IrfanView, Ashampoo Photo Commander Free, Honeyview are among the best image viewers in this class of programs.
Windows 8 introduced two applications for viewing photos. One was used on touch devices, the other, familiar to Windows 7 users, could be used on traditional PCs and was called Photo Viewer. The application is fast, convenient and belongs to the category of “why fix something that isn’t broken.” But in Windows 10, Microsoft has greatly complicated the process of restoring this application and not everyone likes the new application, and it does not work in the best way. Enough tolerating this! Here are the instructions for your attention: How to get photo viewer back in Windows 10.
Windows Photo Viewer in Windows 10.
This procedure can be done in two ways:
- Using a third-party application WinAero Tweaker.
- By editing the registry manually.
How to Bring Back Windows 10 Photo Viewer Using WinAero Tweaker
This is an easy method that will require literally 3 minutes of your time.
WinAero Tweaker window
- Download the app.
- Agree to the terms of use and scroll down the list of tweaks.
- Open "Activate Windows Photo Viewer" and click the button with the same inscription.
- The system will now open a window for setting up default applications.
- On the left side of the screen, find "Windows Photo Viewer" and select "Set this program as default."
- All photos will now open in the default Windows photo viewer.
Windows 10 Photo Viewer via Registry Editor
More complex and more suitable for experienced users.
- Open Registry Editor (press Win+R and type regedit).
- Go to the next thread: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Photo Viewer\Capabilities\FileAssociations. If this thread doesn't exist, just create it.
- Create the following values:
".bmp"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"
".dib"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"
".gif"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"
".jfif"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"
".jpe"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"
".jpeg"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"
".jpg"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"
".jxr"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"
".png"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff" - Now go to Computer Settings - System - Default applications - Set defaults by application.
- Find Windows Photo Viewer and enable it as default.
Do you like the new app or will you go back to the old photo viewer in Windows? Share with us in the comments below.
With the release of the Windows 10 operating system, users were faced with not only a new interface. The developers have made sure that all images are opened through the Photos utility. Although it is more functional, many people want to return the old photo viewing in Windows 10. To solve this issue, you do not have to download and install anything, since the program we need has not been removed. It simply cannot open popular image formats, working exclusively with .tif and .tiff.
Now let's figure out how to enable photo viewing in Windows 10, add the corresponding item to "To open with" and allow the program to open images in common formats.
Adding Registry Settings
Right-click on the “Start” button and click in the context menu. Or you can use the combination Win + R on the keyboard.
The window we need will open "Registry Editor". Here you need to open:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Photo Viewer\
Capabilities\FileAssociation
In the main window, you will only see the 2 formats mentioned above, which can be opened using the photo viewer. Let's expand this list.
To do this, right-click on an empty space in the window and select “Create” - "String parameter".
In the field that appears, erase its name and indicate the desired format as the name. For example, I’ll write .jpeg. Then press "Enter".
Then open the created parameter by double-clicking on its name. A window for changes will appear. In the “Value” field, write PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff and click “OK”.
Similarly, make the required number of parameters, the names of which will correspond to the extensions of the images you want to view. For example, .gif, .jpg, .bmp. Don't forget to fill out the "Value" field for each.
When you're done, just close this window.
Now let's make the Photo Viewer by default open the formats specified in the registry.
Right-click on “Start” again and go to .
At the top right, make sure that “View” is selected – "Large Icons". Continue clicking "Default Programs".
In the next window you need to click on the line “Setting programs...”.
Check the box “Select all”, or check the boxes only next to the required formats, and click on “Save” at the bottom right.
In the updated "ten" everything is done through the Settings window. You can read about this in the article:.
Now find the photo you want, right-click on it and select "To open with". In the next menu I immediately have "View photos", so I click on it. If this is not the case for you, then click "Select another application".
I have the required item at the top of the window. If you don't see it, expand "More applications" and find it in the list that opens. Place the bird opposite "Always use this app to open... files" and click "OK".
All – the selected picture is open in the desired application.
Using Winaero Tweaker
The first method is quite simple and fast, but if you yourself do not want to touch anything in the registry, then you can use the Winaero Tweaker program, which can also solve the problem.
You can download it from the official website at the link: https://winaero.com/download.php?view.1796. It's absolutely free. Take a look at the screenshot below. To download, you need to click not on the green button with the inscription “FOR FREE”, but on the line with the word “Download” and the name of the utility itself.
Go to the Downloads folder, unpack the archive and run the only executable file (in fact, there is only one there).
The Application Installation Wizard will open. Everything is quite simple here. Click "Next".
Then mark the item “Portable mode” with a marker so as not to install Winaero Tweaker, but simply extract the necessary files, and click “Next” again.
We agree with the license terms - “I accept...” and continue.
The top field will indicate the folder where all files will be extracted: C:\WinaeroTweaker. If you want to choose a different path, click "Browse". After that, select “Extract files”.
When all the files are extracted, open in Explorer the folder that you selected at the last installation step (I left it this way: C:\WinaeroTweaker). Here you need to run the file opposite which in the “Type” column is written “Application”.
Again we agree to the license: “I AGREE”.
The main program window will open. In the list on the left we need the group “Get Classic Apps”, item "Activate Windows Photo Viewer". Further on the right, click on the line with the same name.
In the already familiar window on the left, select "Photo Viewer", further "Select default values".
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