Fix ‘Preview Pane Not Working’ Issue on windows 11/10

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If user can facing the ‘Preview Pane Not Working’ Issue on windows 11/10, it could be because system files are broken or Explorer settings are wrong. When you choose a file, this post will show you how to fix that. It’s possible that it works with all or only a few media file types, not just certain ones. One user said that images work, but media files like audio and video do not.

On Windows 11, the Preview pane of the File Explorer can show you what a file looks like without having to open it. You can look at images, videos, documents, and more in the Preview pane. It’s very helpful to see a preview of the file type before you open it. Some rare file types may not be picked up by the Preview pane.

Worst of all, the Preview pane might not seem to show all of your files’ thumbnails. We mentioned below are the ways to fix Fix ‘Preview Pane Not Working’ Issue on windows 11/10. You can also go to the official Microsoft support site for more information about this error.

Ways To Fix ‘Preview Pane Not Working’ Issue

Rule Out the File Specific Issues

When the preview pane shows a preview of some files but not others, that means that those formats aren’t supported. So, you can’t see a preview of them.

Also, if the file is too big and has a lot of text and graphics, the preview pane may take a while to load, so don’t rush and give it time to do so. If the preview pane doesn’t show any files, the problem is likely with the OS and needs to be looked into further.

Tweak Folder Options Settings

Before you can move on to other OS fixes, you must make three changes to the folder options in File Explorer. You can change the settings for Folder Options by going to File > Explore > View and clicking Options at the right end of the ribbon.

In Windows 11, open File Explorer, click on the three horizontal dots at the right end of the ribbon, and then click on Options. This will bring up the Folder Options dialogue. In the Folder Options window, you need to check the following:

• Verify that the Show preview handlers in preview pane checkbox is checked.
• Make sure the checkbox Always show icons, never thumbnails is unchecked.
• In the Open File Explorer to dropdown under the General tab, choose This PC instead of Quick Access.
• When you’re done making changes to the settings above, click Apply and OK. After changing the folder options settings, you might want to start File Explorer again. If making these changes doesn’t fix the problem, it’s time to look for other problems with the operating system.

Update Graphics Driver

If you are having trouble previewing images with a lot of graphics or documents with a lot of graphics, the problem may be with your graphics driver. Update your graphics driver to rule this out. Here are the steps you need to take to update the graphics driver:

1. Go to the Device Manager by right-clicking on the Start button.
2. Expand the category for Display adapters.
3. Right-click the relevant display driver and select Update driver.

Restart Windows Explorer

Windows Explorer gives Windows tools a graphical user interface. So, if this feature has a small problem, the preview pane might not work right. To get rid of this possibility, you should use Task Manager to restart the process. To do that, follow these steps:

1. Open Task Manager by right-clicking the Start button.
2. Navigate to the Processes tab and look for the Windows Explorer process.
3. Click on the Windows Explorer process and hit Restart.

Ensure the Preview Pane Isn’t Disabled

If the preview option isn’t there in File Explorer, it means that the feature has been turned off. The first thing you should do is turn it on. To do this, do the following:

1. Right-click on the Windows Start button in the bottom-left corner.
2. Open File Explorer.
3. Go to the View tab.
4. Select the Preview pane option in the ribbon.

In the right pane, you’ll see a button that says “Select a file to preview.” If you turned this off before, turning it back on will fix the problem right away.

Here are the steps you need to take if you are running Windows 11 on your device:

1. From the taskbar, open File Explorer.
2. Click the View tab.
3. Go to the Show menu.

If there is a small checkmark next to the Preview Pane, this means that the feature is turned on. If there is no check mark next to the Preview Pane option, click it to turn it back on.

Tweak Advanced System Properties

Users can control how Windows handles graphics. You can choose to show them in the best way or to make them run as well as possible. So, if you’ve already chosen the best performance, it’s best to change the settings to the best appearance to help the operating system load graphics quickly. To do that, do the following:

1. Right-click on the Start button and go to the Settings app.
2. Navigate to the System Settings.
3. Scroll down to the About section.
4. Click on the Advanced system settings.
5. Click on the Settings button in the Performance option under the Advanced tab in the System Properties window.
6. Change the Performance Options window settings to Adjust for best appearance.
7. Hit OK after clicking Apply.

Check Hard Disk Response Issues

If you use an HDD instead of an SSD, the hard drive may take longer to respond, which could make previewing files take longer or not work at all. Even though hard disc problems are rare, it is important to run a CHKDSK scan to rule them out. Follow the steps below to do that:

• In the Windows Search box, type “Command Prompt.”
• Right-click on the Command Prompt app and select Run as administrator.
• Enter the following command

Chkdsk

• Press Enter.

FAQ

How do I enable image preview in Windows 11?

Open the Start menu, type “Advanced System Settings,” and press the Enter key. Under Performance, click Settings and make sure that both Save taskbar thumbnail previews and Show thumbnails instead of icons are checked. To save the changes you’ve made, click Apply and then OK.

How do I get Windows 11 Preview on my PC?

Once you’ve checked your data settings, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and click the Check for updates button to get the latest Insider Preview build based on the settings you chose. Your device will update the same way it would normally when Windows updates.

Why won’t Preview open a PDF?

1) Go to Settings > Application Settings to start. De-select the box next to PDF Viewing.

2) If that doesn’t work, go to Edit > Preferences > Internet in Adobe and make sure that “Allow Web Viewing” is selected under Web Browser Options.