See thumbnails and previews of photos when you open a folder

When you open a folder containing photos it’s handy to be able to see each one instantly as a large thumbnail (or icon as Microsoft calls them). You can even see a full-size preview of any image you click on the right without having to open it fully.

In Windows 10, click the View tab at the top, then the ‘Preview pane’ button in the Panes section and ‘Large icons’ in the Layout section. In Windows 7 and 8, click the Preview Pane button at the top right, the dropdown menu beside it and select ‘Large icons’.

If you’ve done this and still don’t see large thumbnails or a preview pane, you need to tweak a setting. In Windows 10, click the File tab, then Options (in Windows 7 and 8, click the Organize dropdown menu at the top left, then ‘Folder and search options’). In the Folder Options window that opens, click the View tab, untick ‘Always show icons, never thumbnails’ (see screenshot left), click Apply, then OK.