PDF Thumbnail and Preview Not Working in Windows 11

Windows 11 has a built-in preview feature that allows users to quickly preview the content of files, including images, videos, and PDF documents, through the thumbnail or preview pane in File Explorer without having to open them. This feature can be helpful for locating the files you need.

However, sometimes the thumbnail preview and preview pane feature may not work for PDF files, even when the “View > Show > Preview pane” option in File Explorer is enabled, and the “Always show icons, never thumbnails” folder option is disabled. In this article, we will explore the possible causes and solutions to this issue.

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Causes of PDF preview not working in Windows 11

Several factors can contribute to the PDF preview not working issue in Windows 11, including:

Required options not enabled or disabled: If the “Show preview pane” and the “Always show icons, never thumbnails” options are not enabled, PDF thumbnail and preview will stop showing in File Explorer.
You are not using a PDF reader that support thumbnail preview: Not all PDF readers support thumbnail previews in Windows 11, and as a result, the PDF preview feature may not work. Some popular PDF readers like Adobe Reader DC and SumatraPDF support thumbnail previews, but other readers may not.
Outdated PDF reader: If you are using an outdated PDF reader, it may not support thumbnail previews in Windows 11, causing the issue. Ensure that you have the latest version of your PDF reader installed.
Damaged PDF files: If a PDF file is damaged or corrupted, it may not display the thumbnail preview in File Explorer. You can try opening the file in a different PDF reader to see if it can be displayed properly.
File association issue: If the file association for PDF files is incorrect, Windows 11 may not be able to display the thumbnail preview for PDF files. Make sure that the PDF reader you are using is set as the default PDF viewer in Windows 11 and that it supports thumbnail previews.

How to fix PDF thumbnail preview not working in File Explorer

Here are some solutions that you can try to fix the PDF thumbnail preview not working issue in Windows 11 File Explorer:

Check the thumbnail and preview pane options

First, make sure that the thumbnail and preview pane options are enabled in File Explorer. To enable thumbnail preview, follow these steps:

Open File Explorer and go to the “View” tab.
Click on “Options” on the far right side of the ribbon.
In the “Folder Options” window that appears, click on the “View” tab.
Under the “Advanced settings” section, scroll down to find the “Always show icons, never thumbnails” option and make sure it is unchecked.
Click “Apply” and then “OK” to save the changes.

To enable preview pane, follow these steps:

Open File Explorer.
Click on the “View” tab located at the top of the File Explorer window.
In the “Show” section, click on the “Preview pane” option.
The Preview pane will now appear on the right-hand side of the File Explorer window.
If you want to disable the Preview pane, simply click on the “Preview pane” option again.

Once you have enabled the thumbnail and preview pane options, try opening a folder that contains PDF files in File Explorer to see if the preview is displayed. If the PDF preview is still not working, try the other solutions listed below.

Related issue: Windows 11 File Explorer Not Refreshing Automatically

Use Adobe Reader DC

Adobe Reader DC is one of the most popular PDF readers available for Windows 11, and it supports thumbnail previews for PDF files. If you are using Adobe Reader DC and the PDF thumbnail preview is not working in Windows 11 File Explorer, you can try enabling this feature in the program’s settings. Here’s how:

Open Adobe Reader DC.
Click on “Edit” on the top menu bar.
Select “Preferences” from the dropdown menu.
In the “Preferences” window, select “General” from the left-hand menu.
Under the “Basic Tools” section, check the box for “Enable PDF thumbnail previews in Windows Explorer“.
Click on the “OK” button to save the changes.

Once you have enabled the PDF thumbnail previews option, open a folder in Windows 11 that contains PDF files. The thumbnail preview should now appear in the File Explorer.

Use SumatraPDF

Alternatively, you can use SumatraPDF as your default PDF reader in Windows 11 File Explorer, which supports thumbnail previews for PDF files. During the installation of SumatraPDF, you will need to select the “Let Windows show previews of PDF documents” option in order for thumbnail previews to work properly in Windows 11 File Explorer.

If you did not select this option during the installation of SumatraPDF, you may need to uninstall and reinstall the software, making sure to select the option during the installation process. Without this option selected, SumatraPDF will not generate the necessary thumbnails for Windows 11 to display in File Explorer.

Use Microsoft PowerToys

Microsoft PowerToys is a set of utilities for power users that can help enhance the functionality of Windows 11. One of the utilities included in PowerToys is the File Explorer add-on, which can enable thumbnail previews for PDF files in Windows 11 File Explorer.

One of the benefits of using PowerToys is that it can enable thumbnail and preview for PDF files even if you don’t have a proper PDF viewer software that supports thumbnail preview. Here’s how to install and use PowerToys to enable PDF thumbnail previews:

Download and install PowerToys from the official Microsoft website.
Once installed, open PowerToys and select “File Explorer add-ons” from the left-hand pane.
Under “File Explorer“, toggle the “PDF preview handler” option to the “On” position.
Click “OK” to save the changes.
Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Use Microsoft Edge as default PDF viewer

Microsoft Edge is the default web browser in Windows 11 and also includes a built-in PDF viewer. If you are having issues with the PDF thumbnail preview not working in Windows 11 File Explorer, you can try setting Microsoft Edge as the default PDF viewer.

Suggested read: How to Add Text to PDF in Windows 11 using Edge

Open File Explorer and right-click on a PDF file.
Select “Open with” from the context menu, and then click “Choose another app.”
In the “How do you want to open this file?” window, select “Microsoft Edge” from the list of available apps.
Check the box next to “Always use this app to open .pdf files” and click “OK.”

After setting Microsoft Edge as the default PDF viewer, try opening the folder containing PDF files in Windows 11 File Explorer to see if the thumbnail previews are displayed. If not, you can try using a command line to manually register the PDF preview handler. Here’s how:

Open Command Prompt as an administrator.

Type the following command:

reg add HKCR\.pdf\shellex\{8895b1c6-b41f-4c1c-a562-0d564250836f} /ve /d "{3A84F9C2-6164-485C-A7D9-4B27F8AC009E}" /f

Press Enter to execute the command.

Update your PDF reader

If you haven’t updated your PDF reader for a long time, try updating it to see if the issue can be resolved. Make sure you have the latest version of your PDF reader installed, as older versions may not support thumbnail previews in Windows 11.

Check if the PDF is damaged

If only one PDF thumbnail and preview is not working, it’s possible that that particular PDF file is damaged or corrupted. Try opening the file in a different PDF reader to see if it can be displayed properly. If not, the file may need to be repaired or recreated.

It’s also worth checking that the PDF file has the correct file extension. Sometimes, the file extension can be incorrect, which can cause issues with thumbnail previews in Windows 11 File Explorer. If the file extension is incorrect, you can try changing the file extension of the file to .pdf.

Check if you are using the correct default PDF viewer that has thumbnail preview enabled

If you have multiple PDF viewers installed on your computer, it’s possible that the incorrect viewer is set as the default viewer, or that the viewer you’re using does not support thumbnail previews in Windows 11 File Explorer. Ensure that the PDF reader you want to use is set as the default PDF viewer in Windows 11 and that it supports thumbnail previews.

To check this, right-click on a PDF file and select “Properties“. Under the “General” tab, check the “Opens with” option and make sure the correct PDF reader is selected. If not, change the default app for viewing PDF files to a supported PDF reader that enables thumbnail previews in Windows 11.

Check default PDF preview app

Wrap-up

In conclusion, the PDF thumbnail and preview not working issue in Windows 11 File Explorer can be frustrating, but there are several solutions that you can try to fix it. Make sure that the required options are enabled, use a PDF reader that supports thumbnail previews, and check if the PDF file is damaged or corrupted.

It’s important to note that some PDF viewers may not support thumbnail previews in Windows 11 File Explorer, so it’s worth checking that the viewer you’re using is compatible with this feature. Additionally, keeping your software up-to-date can help to prevent issues with thumbnail previews and improve overall performance and security.