The only previews I can see are of image files (JPG). I used to be able to view .DOC. PDF, TXT, etc. files. But no longer. I have tried ever remedy available on the Web, to no avail. I am running Windows 10.0.19045.2251. All prescribed settings are confirmed to be okay. TIA.
Laptop#1: Windows 10 22H2 (19045.2311)
Laptop#2: Windows 11 22H2 (22621.819)
I checked the following file types .docx, .xlsx, .jpg, and .pdf, and.txt on my two laptops. I could preview all the file types on Windows 11. However, on Windows 10 I could preview all the file types except .txt.
I did a little searching and found a tool called PreviewConfig that was originally developed for Windows Vista. I tried it on Windows 10 and found it fixed the preview problem for .txt files.
Note I don't know about any other file types since I could already preview them. In any event use at your own risk.
PreviewConfig tool registers file types for the Preview Pane in Windows 7/Vista
PreviewConfig tool registers file types for the Preview Pane in Windows 7/Vista >> Winhelponline
Whether you can do that for a particular file type non-native to Windows depends on whether you have a program installed that provides an appropriate prevew handler.I used to be able to view .DOC. PDF, TXT, etc. files.
.doc and as .docx and more are non-native. .txt and .rtf are native, for example.
This small utility shows that Sumatra (free) provides one for pdf in my case, and Edge should allow pdf previews anyway...
but there's none for docx, doc for example, even though I have Libre Office and Atlantis Word installed.
MS Office does provide those.
Whilst..
NirSoft’s ShellExView (ShellExView - Shell Extension Manager For Windows) can tell you which preview handlers are installed for which file types on your system.
Download ShellExView for x64.
In ShellExView make sure to tick Options / Show 32-bit Shell Extensions.
Filter the list by selecting "Preview Handler" in Options / Filter By Extension Type.
... this view seems much more limited than that of the utility above
Considering Office types- what sort of Office program do you have installed?
PreviewConfig allows you to allocate an existing preview handler to a file type.
For example I've used it to allocate the .txt handler to .log, .ini and .ahk (Autohotkey) files.
If you don't have a preview handler for .doc, .docx, it won't help you of course.
For interest only - someone without MS OFFICE implemented a means of previewing docx etc using something called 'winforms'. I have no idea how this code is used in practice, but this indicates the lack of any suitable solution lacking MS Office.
Preview Word / Excel Files in Files Explorer without MS Office - Super User
Last edited by dalchina; 27 Nov 2022 at 01:37.
Laptop#1: Windows 10 22H2 (19045.2311)
Laptop#2: Windows 11 22H2 (22621.819)
I checked the following file types .docx, .xlsx, .jpg, and .pdf, and.txt on my two laptops. I could preview all the file types on Windows 11. However, on Windows 10 I could preview all the file types except .txt.
I did a little searching and found a tool called PreviewConfig that was originally developed for Windows Vista. I tried it on Windows 10 and found it fixed the preview problem for .txt files.
Note I don't know about any other file types since I could already preview them. In any event use at your own risk.
PreviewConfig tool registers file types for the Preview Pane in Windows 7/Vista
PreviewConfig tool registers file types for the Preview Pane in Windows 7/Vista >> Winhelponline
Thanks very much. I already tried that before posting, to no avail. I will try one more time.
- - - Updated - - -
Mister Ed (love the name and the TV show - may he rest in peace)
Thanks very much. I had already tried PreviewConfig before posting, to no avail. I will try one more time.
I forgot to say in my last post that I have Microsoft Office 2021 installed so that is probably why I get previews for .docx and .xlsx files. I just ran PreviewConfig and can confirm that Word and Excel are used to preview these file types.
I don't know what is used to preview .pdf and .jpg files. All I know something is and it just works.
UPDATE
I have NO idea what exactly was wrong, but when I restored my PC from a previous disk image, every file type resumed previewing! Especially, PDF, Word, and Excel files. So, the jury is still out on what exactly the problem was or how to fix it, but I am glad I can now operate now without relying on a third-party software. Thanks for all your help.
Music-collector, one high possibility for something for this to happen is that you installed a 3rd party app which reads "documents" files.
"...I used to be able to view .DOC. PDF, TXT..."
And in that application, it tried to take over Windows Preview handler. If you want:
You can try re-installing that 3rd party app, and then notice that the previews mess up again. Go into that 3rd party app's settings, and disallow it from taking over the Preview Handler from Windows.
That's if you want to try that out, if applies.
...wait. Who's Tia?
Okay that's good. Glad you have an old image to refer to when things mess up.
I put up my post because I actually experienced something really similar where only documents didn't have previews anymore, just like what you experienced. And from what I figured out, it was some application that tried taking over Windows' Preview Handler for documents only. I had to figure out what new apps I installed, and figured it was a document app which caused the conflict. I went into its options and disabled it from showing previews in File Explorer, and everything went back to normal.
So if something similar to this happens to you in the future, keep this little side-note in mind; It could help out the stress of trying to figure out what's going on.
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