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How To Restore Windows Photo Viewer in Windows 10 and 11 Winhelponline

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WINHELPONLINE


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How to Restore Windows Photo Viewer in Windows


10 and 11

Windows Photo Viewer is one of the things that gets removed or hidden from
access after upgrading to Windows 10. The new Photos app takes charge as the
default handler for image files in Windows 10 and Windows 11.

The good news is Windows Photo Viewer application still exists in the same
location in Windows 10 and Windows 11. But what is removed is only its
registration.

Windows Photo Viewer is a lightweight app similar to the Office Picture Manager
and Windows Live Photo Gallery, both of which are discontinued by Microsoft. But,
Windows Photo Viewer remains an integral part of Windows 10/11.

Windows Photo Viewer is powered by a single DLL file named photoviewer.dll


located in the C:\Program Files\Windows Photo Viewer directory in Windows 11
and earlier OS. 
Windows Photo Viewer – photoviewer.dll in Windows 10 version 21H1.

For example, this command-line will open a file named D:\sample.png using
Windows Photo Viewer:

rundll32.exe "%ProgramFiles%\Windows Photo Viewer\PhotoViewer.dll", ImageVie

Now, all we need to do is add Windows Photo Viewer file association settings to
the registry. If you’re not a fan of the new Photos app, you can restore the missing
Windows Photo Viewer registration in Windows 10 and 11.

RELATED: [Fix] Error “Windows Photo Viewer can’t display this picture because there
might not be enough memory available”

Restore Windows Photo Viewer in Windows 10 and 11

To preview images using Windows Photo Viewer in Windows 10, you need to add
the necessary file associations registry keys. After applying the registry file listed in
this article, the Windows Photo Viewer is displayed as an option in the Default
Apps page and the Open With dialog.

Follow these steps to restore Windows Photo Viewer in Windows 10 and Windows
11:
Step 1) Add Windows Photo Viewer to Default Programs

1. Log in to a user account that has administrator rights.

2. Download restore_photo_viewer_windows_10.zip

3. Extract the enclosed file restore_photo_viewer_windows_10.reg to a folder.

4. Double-click restore_photo_viewer_windows_10.reg to run it.

5. Click Yes when asked for confirmation. Windows Photo Viewer option will now
show up in Default Programs or Default Apps. The registry file adds the
association settings for the following image file types:

BMP, DIB, JFIF, JPE, JPEG, JPG, PNG, TIF, TIFF, WDP

Note that you may need to re-apply the above registry file after installing every
Windows 10/11 Feature Update — e.g., 20H1, whether it’s a clean install or in-
place upgrade/repair install.

RELATED: Windows Photo Viewer Previous & Next Buttons and Arrow Keys do not work


Step 2) Set Windows Photo Viewer as the default

6. Click Start → Settings → Apps → Default apps.


7. Under “Photo viewer”, select Windows Photo Viewer from the list.

This associates the above image file types with Windows Photo Viewer.

To set it as the default viewer for chosen image file types only, click Choose
default apps by file type and configure it accordingly. You can also use the Open
with dialog to set Windows Photo Viewer on a per-filetype basis.


RELATED: [Fix] Error “Windows Photo Viewer can’t display this picture”

(Optional) To create the registry file manually

1. Open Notepad and copy the following contents into it.

1 Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00


2
3 ;Restore Windows Photo Viewer to Default Apps in Windows 10

4 ;Includes complete association settings for file types handled by Windows Photo Viewer
5 ;http://www.winhelponline.com/blog

6 ;Works in all versions of Windows 10 -- Tested till version 21H1.

7
8 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\RegisteredApplications]

9 "Windows Photo Viewer"="Software\\Microsoft\\Windows Photo Viewer\\Capabilities"


10

11 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Photo Viewer\Capabilities]

12 "ApplicationDescription"="@%ProgramFiles%\\Windows Photo Viewer\\photoviewer.dll,-3069


13 "ApplicationName"="@%ProgramFiles%\\Windows Photo Viewer\\photoviewer.dll,-3009"
14
15 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Photo Viewer\Capabilities\FileAssociatio
16 ".tif"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"
17 ".tiff"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"
18 ".jpg"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Jpeg"

19 ".wdp"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Wdp"

20 ".jfif"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.JFIF"
21 ".dib"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Bitmap"
22 ".png"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Png"

23 ".bmp"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Bitmap"
24 ".jpe"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Jpeg"
25 ".jpeg"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Jpeg"
26 ".gif"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"

27
28 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Bitmap]
29 "ImageOptionFlags"=dword:00000001

30 "FriendlyTypeName"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,\

31 00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,\
32 77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,\

33 00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\

34 65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,33,00,30,00,35,00,36,00,00,\
35 00

36
37 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Bitmap\DefaultIcon]
38 @="%SystemRoot%\\System32\\imageres.dll,-70"

39
40 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Bitmap\shell\open\command]
41 @=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\

42 00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,72,00,75,00,\
43 6e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,\

44 00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,\

45 25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,\
46 00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,\

47 6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,\

48 00,22,00,2c,00,20,00,49,00,6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\
49 5f,00,46,00,75,00,6c,00,6c,00,73,00,63,00,72,00,65,00,65,00,6e,00,20,00,25,\

50 00,31,00,00,00

51
52 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Bitmap\shell\open\DropTarget

53 "Clsid"="{FFE2A43C-56B9-4bf5-9A79-CC6D4285608A}"
54
55 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.JFIF]

56 "EditFlags"=dword:00010000 
57 "ImageOptionFlags"=dword:00000001

58 "FriendlyTypeName"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,\

59 00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,\

60 77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,\
61 00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\
62 65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,33,00,30,00,35,00,35,00,00,\
63 00

64
65 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.JFIF\DefaultIcon]
66 @="%SystemRoot%\\System32\\imageres.dll,-72"

67
68 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.JFIF\shell\open]
69 "MuiVerb"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,\

70 69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,\

71 00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,\

72 72,00,5c,00,70,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,76,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,\

73 00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,33,00,30,00,34,00,33,00,00,00

74
75 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.JFIF\shell\open\command]

76 @=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\

77 00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,72,00,75,00,\

78 6e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,\

79 00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,\

80 25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,\

81 00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,\
82 6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,\

83 00,22,00,2c,00,20,00,49,00,6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\

84 5f,00,46,00,75,00,6c,00,6c,00,73,00,63,00,72,00,65,00,65,00,6e,00,20,00,25,\
85 00,31,00,00,00

86
87 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.JFIF\shell\open\DropTarget]
88 "Clsid"="{FFE2A43C-56B9-4bf5-9A79-CC6D4285608A}"

89
90 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Jpeg]

91 "EditFlags"=dword:00010000

92 "ImageOptionFlags"=dword:00000001

93 "FriendlyTypeName"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,\

94 00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,\

95 77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,\

96 00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\

97 65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,33,00,30,00,35,00,35,00,00,\

98 00

99
100 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Jpeg\DefaultIcon]
101 @="%SystemRoot%\\System32\\imageres.dll,-72" 
102
103 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Jpeg\shell\open]
104 "MuiVerb"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,\

105 69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,\
106 00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,\
107 72,00,5c,00,70,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,76,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,\

108 00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,33,00,30,00,34,00,33,00,00,00

109
110 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Jpeg\shell\open\command]

111 @=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\

112 00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,72,00,75,00,\

113 6e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,\

114 00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,\

115 25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,\
116 00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,\

117 6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,\

118 00,22,00,2c,00,20,00,49,00,6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\
119 5f,00,46,00,75,00,6c,00,6c,00,73,00,63,00,72,00,65,00,65,00,6e,00,20,00,25,\

120 00,31,00,00,00

121
122 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Jpeg\shell\open\DropTarget]

123 "Clsid"="{FFE2A43C-56B9-4bf5-9A79-CC6D4285608A}"

124
125 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Png]

126 "ImageOptionFlags"=dword:00000001

127 "FriendlyTypeName"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,\

128 00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,\

129 77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,\

130 00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\

131 65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,33,00,30,00,35,00,37,00,00,\

132 00

133
134 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Png\DefaultIcon]

135 @="%SystemRoot%\\System32\\imageres.dll,-71"

136
137 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Png\shell\open\command]

138 @=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\

139 00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,72,00,75,00,\

140 6e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,\

141 00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,\

142 25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,\

143 00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,\

144 6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,\

145 00,22,00,2c,00,20,00,49,00,6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\
146 5f,00,46,00,75,00,6c,00,6c,00,73,00,63,00,72,00,65,00,65,00,6e,00,20,00,25,\ 
147 00,31,00,00,00

148
149 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Png\shell\open\DropTarget]

150 "Clsid"="{FFE2A43C-56B9-4bf5-9A79-CC6D4285608A}"
151
152 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Wdp]

153 "EditFlags"=dword:00010000

154 "ImageOptionFlags"=dword:00000001

155
156 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Wdp\DefaultIcon]

157 @="%SystemRoot%\\System32\\wmphoto.dll,-400"

158
159 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Wdp\shell\open]

160 "MuiVerb"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,\

161 69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,\

162 00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,\

163 72,00,5c,00,70,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,76,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,\

164 00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,33,00,30,00,34,00,33,00,00,00

165
166 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Wdp\shell\open\command]

167 @=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\

168 00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,72,00,75,00,\

169 6e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,\

170 00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,\

171 25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,\

172 00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,\

173 6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,\

174 00,22,00,2c,00,20,00,49,00,6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\

175 5f,00,46,00,75,00,6c,00,6c,00,73,00,63,00,72,00,65,00,65,00,6e,00,20,00,25,\

176 00,31,00,00,00

177
178 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Wdp\shell\open\DropTarget]

179 "Clsid"="{FFE2A43C-56B9-4bf5-9A79-CC6D4285608A}"
180
181 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Applications\photoviewer.dll\shell\open]

182 "MuiVerb"="@photoviewer.dll,-3043"
183
184 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Applications\photoviewer.dll\shell\open\command]

185 @=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\
186 00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,72,00,75,00,\

187 6e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,\

188 00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,\

189 25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,\

190 00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,\

191 6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,\ 
192 00,22,00,2c,00,20,00,49,00,6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\

193 5f,00,46,00,75,00,6c,00,6c,00,73,00,63,00,72,00,65,00,65,00,6e,00,20,00,25,\

194 00,31,00,00,00

195
196 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Applications\photoviewer.dll\shell\open\DropTarget
197 "Clsid"="{FFE2A43C-56B9-4bf5-9A79-CC6D4285608A}"

198
199 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Applications\photoviewer.dll\shell\print\command]

200 @=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\

201 00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,72,00,75,00,\

202 6e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,\

203 00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,\

204 25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,\

205 00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,\

206 6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,\

207 00,22,00,2c,00,20,00,49,00,6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\

208 5f,00,46,00,75,00,6c,00,6c,00,73,00,63,00,72,00,65,00,65,00,6e,00,20,00,25,\

209 00,31,00,00,00

210
211 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Applications\photoviewer.dll\shell\print\DropTarg

212 "Clsid"="{60fd46de-f830-4894-a628-6fa81bc0190d}"

restore_windows_photo_viewer_windows_10.reg
hosted with ❤ by GitHub view raw

2. Save the file as “restore_photo_viewer_w10.reg“

3. Double-click the .reg file to apply the settings.

SEE ALSO: [Fix] WebP Images Appear Very Dark in Windows Photo Viewer

Microsoft is looking to transform most of the built-in Windows 10 tools and


programs into modern or UWP apps. That’s probably why they decided to keep
Windows Photo Viewer hidden in Windows 10/11.

The above procedure works in all builds of Windows 10 and 11.

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About the author


Ramesh Srinivasan is passionate about Microsoft technologies and he has been a
consecutive ten-time recipient of the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional award in
the Windows Shell/Desktop Experience category, from 2003 to 2012. He loves to
troubleshoot and write about Windows.
Ramesh founded Winhelponline.com in
2005.

...

82 thoughts on “How to Restore Windows Photo Viewer in


Windows 10 and 11”

joop

ik mis in windows 10 de store en dat is zeer hinderlijk

Reply

zac
Whoever you are (that wrote this article), long live! Thanks.

Reply

aggie gemm

why isnt there a one click fix it? this is giving me a headache

Reply

phred

there is a one click fix it, very top, zip file. download it and run it. download w10
blahblahblah.zip

Ron

Perfect. Very easy to follow. Easy fix. Thanks again!!!!!

Reply

inphoenix

Perfect… thanks so much. Saved a lot of manual reg editing….


Reply

Mike

Thank you, thank you, thank you! Live long and prosper! This was a great and
instructive article!

Reply

Ramesh Srinivasan

Glad you liked the post, Mike.

Gabriel

Amazing work! Life saver! Great job! Perfect fix!

Reply

tanoman


Thank you so much. It helps a lot.

Reply
Brad

Incredible! Worked fantastically! Thank you so much

Reply

mode

tnx a lot. it works 🙂

Reply

Bill

Thanks. This worked just fine.

Reply

Mikee


bloody exellent works just great Thankssssssss

Reply
niel

it works for me.. thanks dude

Reply

Ella

Thank you so much! this is really helpful!

Reply

Ramesh Srinivasan

@Ella: Glad to hear that. Thanks for writing.

Andrei

Thank you! You are so damn good!

Reply

Gadhe ka Land
Thanx a Ton!

Reply

Brian

I got same problem…

But my friend suggest me to use KrojamSoft PhotoViewerPro and I really like that
Photo viewer than default image viewer

Reply

Gerry A

Brilliant Just Brilliant!!!!!!

Thanks dude..

Reply

Freeheart

Ah-mazing! Thank you! 

Reply
Ahmed

I’ve got a problem.

when i Click “Choose defaults for this program”, I only find TIF and TIFF formats !

Reply

Chris

I would suggest going to the Default Apps and clicking Photo Viewer; the option
for Windows Photo Viewer should be there, that will allow you to apply it to the
other picture formats. Alternatively, you could find an example of each file type
(bmp, dip, jfif, jpe, jpeg, jpg, png, tif, tiff), right click each one, select Open With,
select Search for another app, checkmark always use this app to open, and select
Windows Photo Viewer.

MOrii

awesome man … thx

Reply

Paul

Genius. Nicely done my friend 🙂


Reply

Ryan

Thank you! Why does this have to be so hard?!

Reply

Ramesh Srinivasan

@Ryan: Because MS is promoting its UWP apps, and classic apps will vanish one
by one in future. Fortunately, WPV is not one among the earliest ones to go.

Jitendra Sharma

Hi!

Sir,

When double click on this registry file. I found “Cannot import the REG file” and
this press “OK” button.

After that, I go to the “Set your default Programme”, i click on Windows Photo
Viewer and than “Choose defaults for this program”.

But i have not found other extensions of Images otherwise “TIF/TIFF”.

Help me about this error.



Reply
Chris

I would suggest going to the Default Apps and clicking Photo Viewer; the option
for Windows Photo Viewer should be there, that will allow you to apply it to the
other picture formats. Alternatively, you could find an example of each file type
(bmp, dip, jfif, jpe, jpeg, jpg, png, tif, tiff), right click each one, select Open With,
select Search for another app, checkmark always use this app to open, and select
Windows Photo Viewer.

Rath

Saved me! So much thanks!

Reply

ADG

Regarding one click fix, just download Winaero tweaker and it adds photoviewer
with one click fix . Also you can tweak many things on windows withit .Sadly to say,
the old tweaks used to add Control Userpasswords2 to the Control Panel, but hey,
just download the registry Tweak. Remember these are tweaks, not Hacks. One
doesn’t hack his registry, by tuning/tweaking/changing settings or values.

Reply

Ray Wells
Just a quick annoyance rant. This is the third time I’ve needed to fix the
Windows Photo Viewer by running the registry editing “Activate-Windows-
Photo-Viewer-on-Windows-10” script. It works very well, thank you. One of the few
points of control we have in the never-ending stream of software quicksand being
dumped on us daily.

Reply

rosenm

Thank you!

Reply

Thomas Moila

Perfect. Thank you

Reply

Ben

Thanks! , I was really looking for it. 

Reply
Simon

This is the only solution I’ve found that actually works. Thank you!

Reply

Sylvia

Thank you, Ramesh !

Reply

tazmo8448

Didn’t work for me….grrr.

Reply

John

I followed the instructions and it worked. I am very pleased.


I can’t stand the Windows 10 Photos app.

Reply
Tom Balne

I used the procedure I found on CNET (and other places) that said to copy the code
from a “post by Edwin over at TenForums”. It is similar to yours but different. It did
not give me Windows Photo Viewer option for default apps for all photo viewing
or under individual file types. I can go to a bmp or jpg and select it and check to
use on all files of this type. Will your code give me the option under defaults? Can I
use this over what I’ve already done? I did a regedit computer export before I
updated the registry. Do I need to go back and import this before I use your code?

Reply

Ramesh

@Tom: The registry file adds Windows Photo Viewer to the Default Apps. The
previous registry file (from Edwin) can be removed, but the presence of those key
won’t cause any problem.

Michelle Madworld

Read quite a few posts and yours actually worked with great directions and brilliant
outcome. Cheers Super Star !!!!

Reply

Ramesh
@Michelle: Thanks for the compliment! Very glad you found the post useful!

Penny

Thank you, thank you, thank you!! I cannot say it enough times!

I print A LOT of photos, and I just got a new computer with Win10.

First time I go to print and it wasn’t giving me the option of selecting size and print
to frame I almost cried.

You have saved my sanity!

Reply

lou

Thank you very very much so easy and it worked in 5 seconds.

Reply

Tracy E Candish

many thanks!!!

Reply

Raina
Thanks a ton!!!! it worked beautifully… Finally, I’m able to toggle between pics…

Reply

mukut

truly….THANKS 🙂

Reply

Wen

Thanks soo much, been trying to get this sorted for months!! Bless ya!

Reply

norman

many thankss…i finally fix the problem

Reply

Jesse Ortega
Worked like a charm. Now I don’t have to wait and waste a lot of time waiting
for the photo editing app to start. Like yea,,,, we have to edit every photo we
view. Whose bright idea was that? I guess windows is getting too good and we
need some app to slow us down. Okay I’m getting tired of been sarcastic. What a
relief. Thank you, thank you very much.

Reply

Lawrence Camodeca

Wow, what a difference. I had forgotten how easy photo viewing was before.

Thanks for the easy to follow info.

Reply

phoebe

Thank you for this article. I’ve tried numerous times to fix my Windows Photos –
Windows 10 so I gave up. And now I have Windows Photo Editor.

Reply

Kenny


I work on data with light graphics using Windows Photo Viewer. Microsoft didn’t
notice that some people out there still depend on WPV. I don’t need all the
complications of Photos, MS Paint, Paint 3D, Snip & Sketches, etc. It was sad not to
find WPV in Windows 10, V1909. Looked everywhere, until I found this blog. When
I ran the .reg file it worked perfectly as expected. My work will be more productive.
Thanks, dude!

Reply

Siebe

The normal app in Windows 10, Photos, did not work properly with my Wacom
mousepen. I am happy Windows Photo Viewer works again. Thanks!!

Reply

Shabbir

Done it. But still not showing in Default Apps

Reply

Steve

Brilliant. Thanks.

Reply

Greg Katz

Worked as advertised.

I’ll keep the file in my Tools folder so when there’s another Windows 10 Update, I
can restore the viewer. The new W10 Photo App gives me this error when printing
photos to my HP ENVY Photo 7855 All-In-One printer.

Before the latest Win 10 update, there wasn’t a problem.

Seems MSFT and HP developers are not talking to each other again.

Reply

Ilene

Worked easily and perfectly. Thank you!

Reply

Ze Barreto

Windows 10 opens .tiff or .tif files in the good old Windows Photo Viewer. If you
want to open .jpg or .png files in that app too, the simplest and quickest thing you
can do is just put one .tif file together with the .jpg or .png files in the same folder.
When you first open that lonely .tif file, then Windows Photo Viewer will open all
the .jpg and .png files of the same folder simply using the arrows forth and back…

Reply
Tunde

Perfect solution, thank you Ramesh for you energy and time. Remember people, to
run this file as Local Admin, should work first time without errors.

Reply

Espers

Worked perfectly. Thanks so much.

Reply

Reter

Does this work with Win10 version 1909?

I’d like to note that you can verify that WPV is installed by looking at the “default
programs” for .TIFF.

Reply

Ramesh


Yes, it does work in all versions of Windows 10, including 2004.
Biggs

THANK YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reply

JoeB

Thank You! Simple and easy fix!

Reply

Icepax

Doesn’t work on Windows 10 2004 build – Previous and Next buttons are disabled
despite all of my JPEG files do not have hidden or read-only attribute set.

Reply

Ramesh

@Icepax: If you can upload your .jpg association report (made using FileTypeDiag
), I’ll work on this issue. Let’s know. 
Shatishraj Jothee

Thank you so much. This was my solution as the Photos app has a bug that
prevents me from clicking next on some pictures. Now i get to keep Photos app for
importing pictures and photos viewer for viewing

Reply

TK

Thank you for taking the time to share this valuable information that Microsoft
didn’t. I find it hard to believe that with updates to a person’s own computer that
apps and whatever Microsoft feels they want to remove are removed without
notification. It’s like we have no control over our own computers anymore. It’s
experts like you that deserve recognition for what you do and at no cost. Microsoft
or any of these companies wouldn’t do that, give people options and freedom to
choose what they want to keep on their own computer. Thank you again. Your help
is not only greatly appreciated, but I hope well documented as it should be.

Reply

Ramesh

Thank you very much for your appreciation, TK.

Nahro
Many thanks, I appreciate your efforts.

Reply

Pipps

Brilliant, thank you

Reply

Hemant

Many Thanks

Easy and quick

Reply

Steven

Has the latest upgrade broken this fix or is it just my machine?

Reply

Ramesh
@Steven: Thre registry fix needs to be applied after installing every feature
update. this is normal.

Clinton

Thank you so much. it really helped me.

Reply

Krista

I looked all over and yours was the first site that got me the solution I wanted.
Many thanks!

Reply

Chris

I have found that it does not automatically associate the file types with WPV.
However, it does make WPV a selectable option in the Default Apps for Photo
viewer.

How can I make this applicable to all users on the computer? When I run it as an
Admin, it only applies for the admin account. When the User logs in, WPV is not
available in the Default Apps for Photo viewer. The standard user does not have 
the ability to install registry keys.

Any assistance will be much appreciated.

Reply
dennis

Ramesh….

Thank you so much!!! I was pulling my hair out for two days trying to figure out
how to make photo viewer my default instead of paint! your directions tool less
then 10 seconds. tank you!!!

Reply

Andy

Absolutely brilliant, the zip file worked perfectly. It’s something that has been
bugging me for ages. Why MS think the photos app is any good is beyond me.

Reply

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