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 and Windows 11.
You may have to restore Windows Photo Viewer again after every quality or feature update from Windows Update.
There isn't an executable file for Windows Photo Viewer. Instead, Windows Photo Viewer uses the "%ProgramFiles%\Windows Photo Viewer\PhotoViewer.dll" file.
If you wanted to create a shortcut or run a command to directly open a specific image file with Windows Photo Viewer, you could use the command below to do so:
rundll32 "%ProgramFiles%\Windows Photo Viewer\PhotoViewer.dll", ImageView_Fullscreen <full path of image file with file extension>
For example:rundll32 "%ProgramFiles%\Windows Photo Viewer\PhotoViewer.dll", ImageView_Fullscreen E:\Pictures\alien avatar 2.jpg
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
This option will only affect the account that you are currently signed in to.
You do not need to be an administrator to do this option.
1 Do step 2 (restore) or step 3 (undo) below for what you would like to do.
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
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)
If you do not see the restored Windows Photo Viewer in Default apps, then close and reopen the Default apps settings page to refresh it.
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.
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
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
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)
If you do not see the restored Windows Photo Viewer in Default apps, then close and reopen the Default apps settings page to refresh it.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
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