Windows 10: Restore Windows Photo Viewer in Windows 10

How to: Restore Windows Photo Viewer in Windows 10

How to Restore Windows Photo Viewer in Windows 10


Usually you could use Windows Photo Viewer to view your image files in a variety of ways. You can also print, order prints, attach pictures to an e‑mail message, burn, or open photos in another app on your PC.

Windows 10 uses the Photos app as the default app to open image files with instead now. By default, Windows Photo Viewer is no longer listed in Open with, and only has .tiff files associated with it in Default Programs.

This tutorial will show you how to restore Windows Photo Viewer to be able to select to open image files in Default apps, Default Programs, and Open with for only your account or all users in Windows 10.

You may have to restore Windows Photo Viewer again after every quality or feature update from Windows Update.



CONTENTS:

• Option One: To Only Restore Windows Photo Viewer for Current Account
• Option Two: (recommended) To Restore Windows Photo Viewer for All Accounts

EXAMPLE: Default and Restored Windows Photo Viewer

















OPTION ONE [/i] To Only Restore Windows Photo Viewer for Current Account
This option will only affect the account that you are currently signed in to.


1 Do step 2 (restore) or step 3 (undo) below for what you would like to do.


2. To Restore Windows Photo Viewer for Only Your Account
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Restore_Windows_Photo_Viewer_CURRENT_USER.reg

Download

3. To "Undo" Restore Windows Photo Viewer for Only Your Account
This is the default setting.

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Undo_Restore_Windows_Photo_Viewer_CURRENT_USER.reg

Download
4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

7 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.

8 If you selected to undo restore Windows Photo Viewer, then select a different app (ex: Photos) as the default app under Photo viewer in Settings. (see screenshot below step 9)

9 If you selected to restore Windows Photo Viewer, then select "Windows Photo Viewer" as the default app under Photo viewer in Settings. (see screenshots below)










OPTION TWO [/i] To Restore Windows Photo Viewer for All Accounts
You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to restore Windows Photo Viewer using this option.

This option will override Option One above, and also adds the Image Preview context menu for Windows Photo Viewer.


1 Do step 2, step 3, or step 4 below for what you would like to do.


2. To Restore Windows Photo Viewer for All Users
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.

Restore_Windows_Photo_Viewer_ALL_USERS.reg

Download

3. To Restore Windows Photo Viewer for All Users with Sort Order Fix
This option does the same as step 2 above, but allows you to view files in the same order as they are arranged in the folder.

This option does cause Windows Photo Viewer to be listed twice in Open with -> Choose an app.

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.

Restore_Windows_Photo_Viewer_ALL_USERS_with_Sort_order_fix.reg

Download

4. To "Undo" Restore Windows Photo Viewer for All Users
This is the default setting.

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 5 below.

Undo_Restore_Windows_Photo_Viewer_ALL_USERS.reg

Download
5 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

6 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

7 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

8 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.

9 If you restored Windows Photo Viewer, then select "Windows Photo Viewer" as the default app under Photo viewer in Settings. Other users on the PC will also need to do this step if they want Windows Photo Viewer set as the default program in their account. (see screenshots below)






That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to Change Windows Photo Viewer Background Color in Windows
• How to Reset Default Open Position and Size of Windows Photo Viewer in Windows 10
• How to Choose Default Apps to Open Files with in Windows 10
• How to Restore Default Apps for File Extension Type Associations in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove Edit with Photos context menu in Windows 10

:)

 

Right-Click Preview Window

Fortunately, the old Windows Photo Viewer is still there in Windows 10, but remains hidden. See How to Restore Missing Windows Photo Viewer
in Windows 10

 

where can i download windows photo viewer

Windows Photo Viewer - Restore in Windows 10

 

You're most welcome J. *Smile

 

Thank you very much, Brink, for enabling Windows Photo Viewer for all of us, again! *Smile
I've checked it and it works fine.

It's sad that we have to go through so many tweaks, manual settings and Registry changes to make Windows 10 function the way we knew, expected and desire. For example, last night I have enabled the Shuffle (of my desktop background images) in the Slideshow mode by going into the Registry (again) and modifying a value... For how long will I have to do this?

I'd like to ask something else now: is there a tutorial on how to reset the Reliability History on Windows 10?
I have used this tutorial but it does not clear it completely.

Thank you!

 

Hello Joanne,

I'm glad the tutorials have been able to help. *Smile

I don't have a Windows 10 version for Reliability History yet.

Be sure to send feedback to Microsoft about wanted features. The more they get, the better chance it may have of being added.

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/7...dows-10-a.html

 

Thank You very much for sharing your knowledge here Brink. I have found your solution to be straight forward and correct.
Thanks again!

 

I'm glad the tutorial could help Rob, and welcome to Ten Forums. *Smile

 

Thanks for this Brink!

 

Thank you, Brink!

I am really (really) looking forward to your new tutorial on how to reset Windows 10 Reliability History - and eventually on how to clean the Event Viewer, even though I had success on that one.

Thank you *Smile

 

Thank you brink you’re a life saver.

 

I'm glad it could help Cerveny. *Smile

 

It will restore preview options too like windows 7/8?

 

Hello Mart, *Smile

Yes, the "Preview" option in the context menu will be there as well. It's basically just the same as opening the image though.

 

Thanks Brink..............