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How to restore and utilize Windows Photo Viewer in Windows 10

Reclaim an old favorite app

How to restore and use Windows Photo Viewer in Windows 10

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Y'all might be wondering why y'all would restore and apply Windows Photograph Viewer in Windows 10. Information technology may seem like an app of the past, but it's not going away whatsoever time soon.

Though Windows Photo Viewer was the default photo app on Windows 7 and eight, Microsoft replaced it with its Universal Windows Platform app simply called Microsoft Photos. And, yes, Photos' cross-platform abilities are very forwards-looking as well as convenient for anyone too using a Windows tablet, but the app uses upwardly a lot more memory than its predecessor, and in many ways is merely not every bit easy to use as the older app. Not to mention, Photos is not the most reliable of apps, either.

Luckily, if you're not happy with the new Microsoft Photos, y'all don't have to turn to tertiary-party developers to notice an experience similar to the onetime Photograph Viewer. That app is still there, hiding in the shadows of the OS. Information technology'south as piece of cake as knowing how to play DVDs in Windows 10, and you don't even need to know how to get-go Windows ten in Safe Mode. It only takes just a handful of steps to bring it dorsum into your stable of get-to apps. And so, if you're wondering how to restore and use Windows Photo Viewer in Windows 10, you can balance easy every bit we're here to help.

Simply purchased your copy of the Bone and are trying to figure out how to install it? Hither'due south how to detect your Windows 10 product key and how to activate Windows 10 to get you started.

How to restore Windows Photo Viewer after upgrading from Windows 7 or 8

Windows 7 logo

(Image credit: Microsoft)

If you lot have a calculator that's been upgraded to Windows ten from either Windows 7 or viii, getting Windows Photo Viewer back is incredibly easy.

That'south because the app never went anywhere. Instead, what'southward changed with the installation of Windows 10 (and Microsoft Photos with information technology), is which app is gear up as the default selection for opening any photos. Fortunately, it doesn't accept very many steps to change the default app back to the Windows Photo Viewer.

ane. Open the Settings app.

You lot can hands find information technology on the Start Menu – it'due south the icon but to a higher place the Power push button – or by typing "Settings" into the search located on the taskbar.

With the Settings app open up, click on the category labeled Apps.

two. Click on Default Apps

You lot'll notice the Default Apps selection listed among the options over to the left of the window.

When that opens, a list of app categories and the apps that each category of file defaults to volition announced.

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3. Select Windows Photo Viewer

In the dialog box that appears, find and double click Windows Photo Viewer to set it every bit your default photo app.

You should now take Windows Photograph Viewer set as your default photo app. If you don't see the Photo Viewer listed, and so y'all demand to follow the steps below.

How to restore Windows Photo Viewer from scratch in Windows 10

It gets a bit more complicated for those using a clean install of Windows ten. While the Windows Photograph Viewer app is still lurking in the code, information technology's inaccessible without a Registry hack.

While it does take a few more steps than those with an upgraded version of Windows 10, it won't be long before you're working in your favorite photo app.

1. Get the Registry file.

Starting time, download the Registry file hosted past BleepingComputer. Microsoft essentially hid the app by removing it from Windows' registry.

This file will accommodate the registry to let Windows ten see that Windows Photo Viewer is all the same there. Just brand sure to salvage the file to an easily accessible identify similar the Desktop or downloads folder.

2. Double click the registry file to run

You'll run through a couple dissimilar prompts, asking if you want to continue. First, you'll be prompted with a dialog box that asks if yous want to brand changes to the device, press "Aye."

Then, a dialog box for the Registry Editor volition pop asking if you desire to continue. Printing "Yep" again. You lot'll then get a message maxim it was successfully added to the registry. Click "Ok."

At this point, the Bone' registry has been updated and Windows Photograph Viewer has essentially been unlocked. All that is left to exercise is adjust some settings to be able to use the app. Unfortunately, you can't simply set the default app to Windows Photo Viewer the way users that upgraded can.

iii. Tweak settings

To adapt settings for a photograph, correct-click on a picture that you desire to open up and hover over "Open up With."

Y'all'll see a menu expand to the side showing other apps that can open the file. At the bottom, you'll encounter the selection, "Choose another app," which you'll click on.

4. Select Windows Photograph Viewer app

When the new dialog box opens, scroll to the bottom where it will say "More Apps" and click to expand the bachelor selections.

Hither, y'all'll find the Windows Photo Viewer app.

v. Set file type to default to Windows Photos Viewer

If you desire all photos of that file blazon to be opened by Windows Photo Viewer, check the box next to "Always use this app to open up [extension] files." If you lot're trying to open a JPEG, for example, the text will read "Always use this app to open .jpeg files."

half-dozen. Confirm

Press "OK" to finalize your option.

Yous'll have to repeat Steps 3 through 5 for each file blazon for which yous want to use the Photo Viewer equally the default photograph app.

Why choose Windows Photo Viewer over Microsoft Photos?

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Microsoft's new Photos app has come quite a long way since it first launched with Windows 10, incorporating some of the features it initially didn't accept only Windows Photo Viewer had, like a right-click menu.

But it's still a resource hog in comparison to its predecessor. If you want to be able to quickly load and roll through a agglomeration of photos without taxing your computer, Windows Photo Viewer is the meliorate option.

Photo Viewer's UI is also a bit more than straightforward since it'southward mostly centered on the bottom. The Photos app, in comparison, places about of its menus and buttons across the superlative, with its "Next" and "Previous" buttons pushed to the edge of the screen.

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Michelle Rae Uy is a Los Angeles-based editor, writer and lensman with a bad instance of wanderlust. She is a regular contributor for Thrillist, TravelAge West, HuffPo Travel, Paste Mag, and Travel Pulse. She has written for publications similar Nylon, Fodor'due south and SmarterTravel, and is also the contributing editor for MiniTime.com.