Thumbnail previews for multimedia folder icons are no longer included by default in Windows 11. Instead, a little white stripe on the folder icons indicates that the folder has content. Windows 11, which was introduced in 2021, has gotten both acclaim and criticism. Initially, the most recent edition was riddled with flaws and was full of bugs which made the user experience unforgettable. And one of the most contentious Microsoft changes was the removal of thumbnails for multimedia folder icons. Instead, a little white stripe on the folder icon indicates that the folder is full.
Thumbnail previews are useful for quickly determining content inside video and image files. The Thumbnail Preview function not only speeds up viewing of the full collection but also aids in distinguishing between images. Except for SVG and PDF files, it supports the majority of image and media formats. However, for a number of reasons, Windows 11 and Windows 10 may stop showing them. The problem has also existed in previous versions of the operating system. Sometimes, you might encounter blank thumbnails, which are most often the result of wrongly configured File Explorer settings which was formerly known as Windows Explorer, or a faulty thumbnail cache. In this article, we will look at how to enable Thumbnail Previews in File Explorer in Windows 11?
Enabling the Preview Pane in File Explorer:
Additionally, you can activate the preview window in File Explorer by following the steps below:
Step1: Open the File Explorer.
Step2: On the command bar, select View.
Step3: Select Show and check the Preview pane from the drop-down menu
Restarting the File Explorer:
Sometimes, File Explorer can also become sluggish for no apparent reason. The simplest approach to repair this is to use the Task Manager to restart it.
Step1: To launch the Task Manager, press Shift + Ctrl + Esc.
Step2: Expand the default Task Manager view by selecting “More Details.
Step3: Locate and choose Windows Explorer under the Processes tab.
Step4: To restart File Explorer, click the Restart icon.
Step5: Close the Task Manager window and if picture or video files still remain blank, restart the operating system.
Clearing and Resetting the Thumbnail Cache:
If thumbnail previews are turned on and enabled in the Photos app, but you still don’t see them, try deleting and resetting the thumbnail cache.
Step1: Open the Disk Cleanup program.
Step2: Click OK after selecting the Windows C: drive.
Step3: Tap on OK after checking the Thumbnails box.
Step4: Select Delete Files and finish the process.
Downgrading to Windows 10:
The best option that you can do if you wish to have the thumbnail preview is to downgrade to Windows 10. Many people returned to Windows 10 only for that feature, and it is the best possible step.
As a reminder, after installing Windows 11, the downgrade option is accessible for up to 10 days. If more than ten days have gone by since you installed Windows 11, you’ll need to remove Windows 11 and reinstall Windows 10 manually.
