How to Customize Preview Details in Details Pane of File Explorer in Windows
The details pane shows you see the most common properties associated with the selected file. File properties provide more detailed info about a file, such as the author, the date you last changed the file, and any descriptive tags you might have added to the file.
If you like, you can customize what preview details you want to show for specific file types in the details pane of File Explorer (Windows 8/8.1/10) or Windows Explorer (Vista/Windows 7).
This tutorial will show you how to customize preview details of specific file types in the details pane of File Explorer for all users in Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.
You must be signed in as an administrator to customize preview details in the details pane.
EXAMPLE: Before and After custom preview details of ".exe" files in File Explorer details pane
Here's How:
1 Press the Win + R keys to open Run, type regedit into Run, and click/tap on OK to open Registry Editor.
2 Navigate to the key below in the left pane of Registry Editor. (see screenshot below)
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.file extension
Substitute file extension in the key path above with the actual file extension (ex: ".exe") you want to customize preview details for.
For example: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.exe
3 Do step 4 (customize) or step 5 (undo) below for what you would like to do.
A) Right click on an empty space in the right pane of the key (ex: "exe"), click/tap on New, click/tap on String Value, type PreviewDetails, and press Enter. (see screenshots below)
If you already have a PreviewDetails string value (REG_SZ) in the right pane of the key (ex: "exe"), then skip this step and go to step 4B below instead.
B) Double click/tap on the PreviewDetails string value in the right pane to modify it. (see second screenshot above)
C) Type the data value below for the preview details you want with each separated by a semicolon ; in the order you want them to show, click/tap on OK, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot below)
prop:detail 1;detail 2;etc....
Substitute detail # in the value above with the actual preview details you want.
The link below at Microsoft will give you a full list of System preview details that you can use. You can click on a detail (ex: "System.ItemNameDisplay") link at the link below to see more information about what it is for.
Windows Properties | Microsoft Docs
For example:
prop:System.ItemNameDisplay;System.ItemTypeText;System.FileVersion;System.ItemFolderPathDisplay;System.Size;System.DateCreated;System.DateModified;System.FileAttributesSystem.FileOwner;System.FileAttributes;System.OfflineAvailability
A) In the right pane of the key (ex: "exe"), right click or press and hold on the PreviewDetails string value (REG_SZ), and click/tap on Delete. (see screenshot below)
B) Click/tap on Yes to confirm, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot below)
6 If you have File Explorer open, then refresh (F5) the window to see your changes.
7 When finished, you can close Registry Editor if you like.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
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Customize Preview Details in Details Pane of File Explorer in Windows
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New #1
Shawn,
Thanks. I have always wanted to be able to change the Details shown for music files - I add comments to my music files but did not know how to add them to the Details pane so I have always had to go through the Properties, Details tab {which is slower and, since it is not shown in the Details pane, I can quite easily miss doing some of them}.
I thought the details of what I did might help somebody else so here goes.
The MSDN link you provided does not list all of the available properties. I found the correct syntax for what I needed by searching the Registry for genre because that is already in the default Details for mp3 files so I knew it would be found somewhere or other. I found it in the entries for audio files in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ContentDirectory.item.audioItem and used the syntax it showed me for the particular ones I wanted.
So I now have
key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\WMP11.AssocFile.MP3
Name PreviewDetails
Data prop:System.Music.AlbumTitle;System.Music.TrackNumber;System.Title;System.Music.AlbumArtist;System.M usic.Artist;System.Music.Genre;System.Music.Composer;System.Comment;System.Media.Year;System.Media.D uration;System.Audio.EncodingBitrate;System.DateModified
Details pane before changes
Details pane after changes
Thanks again. This will help me several times every single week.
Denis
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New #2
Thank you Denis. I'm glad it could help. :)
Here's some more properties: Windows Properties (Windows)
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New #3
I could use some help adding the description field for .jpg images to the details preview. I have followed your instructions step by step several times, but it doesn't work.
Does it matter that whether the file extension is .jpg .JPG or .jpeg ?
Any help is appreciated!
I'm trying to display and edit the IPTC and/or EXIF description data field of an image, in order to benefit from its SEO value online.
Here is how it looks on my PC:
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New #4
Hello Hagen, and welcome to Ten Forums. :)
You would indeed set the PreviewDetails string value for only "jpegfile" for the ".jpg" and ".jpeg" file types.
If you right click on the image, click on Properties, and click on the Details tab, are the details you want to see populated with info? If not, it won't show the detail in the Details Pane even if specified using this tutorial.
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New #5
Thanks Brink for the quick reply.
The description field isn't displayed in the properties -details as well.
I guess then I have to find a third party software to edit those information?
I have tried irfanview, but that seems not to be consistent somehow.
Any other suggestions?
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New #6
I'm not sure which program would be best for that, but you might create a new thread in the "Software and Apps" forum area to see if someone may know a good one for you.
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New #7
Is there a way to add Video codec information? I tried to find information about, but i guess thats not possible.
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New #8
MediaInfo is good solution. https://www.neowin.net/news/mediainfo-18031
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New #9
Customize Preview Details in Details Pane of File Explorer in Windows
How to Customize Preview Details in Details Pane of File Explorer in WindowsPublished by Shawn BrinkCategory: Customization
22 Jan 2022
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