Windows Photo Viewer is still available on many Windows 10 and Windows 11 installations, but it is hidden behind Microsoft Photos and its file-association entries may no longer be active. It is not a normal executable you download or launch: the viewer is the legacy PhotoViewer.dll component, started through rundll32.exe.
This guide shows how to check whether the component exists, restore its registration, set it as the default for image formats, and troubleshoot common errors. Registry changes cannot restore the viewer if the DLL has been removed from your installation.
Check whether Windows Photo Viewer is installed
Before changing the registry, verify that the required Windows component exists. Open PowerShell and run:
Test-Path "$env:ProgramFilesWindows Photo ViewerPhotoViewer.dll"If PowerShell returns True, the DLL is present at the standard location. If it returns False, the registration procedure below will not help: registry entries can advertise the viewer, but they cannot recreate a missing Windows component.
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Windows Photo Viewer normally has no PhotoViewer.exe. Windows invokes the DLL through rundll32.exe.
First try: select Windows Photo Viewer from Open with
You may not need a registry change if the viewer is already registered.
- Open File Explorer.
- Right-click a JPG or another image.
- Select Open with, then Choose another app.
- Select Windows Photo Viewer.
- Select Always, or enable Always use this app if that is the wording shown on your Windows build.
If Windows Photo Viewer is not listed, restore its application registration using the registry file below.
Restore Windows Photo Viewer with a registry file
1. Confirm the DLL is present
Run the PowerShell test above. Continue only if it returns True.
2. Create the registry file
Open Notepad and paste the following text:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows Photo ViewerCapabilities]
"ApplicationDescription"="@%ProgramFiles%\Windows Photo Viewer\photoviewer.dll,-3069"
"ApplicationName"="@%ProgramFiles%\Windows Photo Viewer\photoviewer.dll,-3009"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows Photo ViewerCapabilitiesFileAssociations]
".bmp"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"
".dib"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"
".gif"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"
".ico"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"
".jfif"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"
".jpe"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"
".jpeg"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"
".jpg"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"
".jxr"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"
".png"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"
".tif"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"
".tiff"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"
".wdp"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTApplicationsphotoviewer.dllshellopen]
"MuiVerb"="@photoviewer.dll,-3043"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTApplicationsphotoviewer.dllshellopencommand]
@=""%SystemRoot%\System32\rundll32.exe" "%ProgramFiles%\Windows Photo Viewer\PhotoViewer.dll", ImageView_Fullscreen %1"Save the file as Enable-Windows-Photo-Viewer.reg. In Notepad’s Save As window, set Save as type to All files (*.*). Check that the filename ends in .reg, not .reg.txt. The first line must be exactly:
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Windows Registry Editor Version 5.003. Import the registration
Double-click the saved .reg file and approve the Registry Editor prompts. The file writes to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, so Windows may request administrator approval.
You can also import it from an elevated Command Prompt. For example, if the file is on your desktop, run:
reg import "%USERPROFILE%DesktopEnable-Windows-Photo-Viewer.reg"Change the path if you saved the file elsewhere. A restart is normally unnecessary, but close and reopen File Explorer before checking Open with again.
Set Windows Photo Viewer as the default
Registering the viewer makes it available; it does not necessarily replace the default selected for your user account. Windows stores associations separately for each file extension.
Windows 11
- Open Settings.
- Go to Apps > Default apps.
- Search for an extension, such as
.jpg,.jpeg, or.png. - Select the matching result.
- Select the current default application.
- Choose Windows Photo Viewer.
- Select Set default, or confirm the choice.
Repeat these steps for every format you want to open with the legacy viewer. Changing the default for .jpg does not automatically change .jpeg, .png, or .gif.
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Windows 10
- Open Settings.
- Select Apps > Default apps.
- Select Choose default apps by file type.
- Find the required extension in the list.
- Select its current application.
- Choose Windows Photo Viewer.
Use File Explorer instead
- Right-click an image file.
- Select Open with > Choose another app.
- Select Windows Photo Viewer.
- Enable Always use this app to open [file type] files, if shown.
- Select OK or Always.
Launch the viewer from Command Prompt or PowerShell
Because the viewer is a DLL, the command must include both the DLL and its ImageView_Fullscreen entry point:
rundll32.exe "%ProgramFiles%Windows Photo ViewerPhotoViewer.dll",ImageView_Fullscreen "C:PathToimage.jpg"For example:
rundll32.exe "%ProgramFiles%Windows Photo ViewerPhotoViewer.dll",ImageView_Fullscreen "C:UsersPublicPicturessample.jpg"The comma and ImageView_Fullscreen text are required. The image path must be quoted when it contains spaces. These incomplete commands will not work correctly:
rundll32.exe "%ProgramFiles%Windows Photo ViewerPhotoViewer.dll"rundll32.exe "%ProgramFiles%Windows Photo ViewerPhotoViewer.dll" "C:image.jpg"Image formats supported by the standard registration
The usual Windows Photo Viewer registration advertises these extensions:
| Extension | Notes |
|---|---|
.bmp, .dib |
Bitmap formats |
.gif |
Displays the first frame of an animated GIF; it does not play the animation |
.ico |
Icon files |
.jfif, .jpe, .jpeg, .jpg |
JPEG variants |
.jxr, .wdp |
Windows image formats |
.png |
Portable Network Graphics |
.tif, .tiff |
TIFF images |
RAW camera files require a compatible Windows Imaging Component codec or another decoder. WEBP and HEIC are not included in the standard association list, so they may require a codec or a different image application.
Renaming an unsupported file, such as changing photo.webp to photo.jpg, does not convert its contents. Use an actual image converter if conversion is required.
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Troubleshooting
Windows Photo Viewer is missing from Open with
Check the following:
- The DLL exists at
C:Program FilesWindows Photo ViewerPhotoViewer.dll. - The registry file was saved with a
.regextension rather than.reg.txt. - The import completed without an error.
- File Explorer was closed and reopened after the import.
A user-specific association can also override the newly registered application. Set the default explicitly from Windows 11’s Settings > Apps > Default apps or Windows 10’s Choose default apps by file type page.
The registry import reports “Access is denied”
Import the file from an elevated Command Prompt, or approve the administrator prompt when double-clicking the file. The registry entries include HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, which requires elevated permission.
The command opens nothing
Verify all of these details:
- The DLL path is correct.
- The path is enclosed in quotation marks.
- The comma before
ImageView_Fullscreenis present. - The image path is enclosed in quotation marks.
- The DLL exists.
Use this known-good pattern:
rundll32.exe "%ProgramFiles%Windows Photo ViewerPhotoViewer.dll",ImageView_Fullscreen "C:Path With Spacesimage.jpg"Only TIFF files already use Windows Photo Viewer
That can be normal. Some older Windows configurations retained Photo Viewer as the handler for .tif and .tiff while Microsoft Photos handled JPEG and PNG files. Existing TIFF registration does not mean the viewer is registered for every image extension.
Windows 11 displays “App Not Supported”
Some Windows 11 installations, including systems updated through certain 24H2 builds, have reported this error with legacy Photo Viewer registrations. Confirm that the DLL exists, re-import the registry file, and test the exact rundll32.exe command.
If the DLL is present but the viewer still fails, use Microsoft Photos or another supported image viewer. The registry procedure restores a legacy component’s registration; it does not make that component a modern Store application or guarantee compatibility with every future Windows 11 release.
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What this procedure does not do
- It does not download Windows Photo Viewer from the Microsoft Store.
- It does not install a new
PhotoViewer.exe. - It does not add decoders for RAW, WEBP, HEIC, or other unsupported formats.
- It does not change every image association automatically.
- It does not guarantee that the legacy viewer will remain compatible with future Windows updates.
Windows 10 version 22H2 was its final feature version, and standard Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025, apart from separately supported LTSC releases. On a supported Windows installation, Microsoft Photos remains the maintained choice; Windows Photo Viewer is best treated as a legacy compatibility option.
FAQ
Is Windows Photo Viewer still available in Windows 10 and Windows 11?
It is still present on many installations as PhotoViewer.dll, but Windows may no longer list it as an available application. Check C:Program FilesWindows Photo ViewerPhotoViewer.dll before changing the registry.
Can I download Windows Photo Viewer as a separate app?
No. The classic viewer is a legacy Windows component rather than a current Microsoft Store application. The registry procedure restores the registration of the component already on the system.
Why does Windows Photo Viewer not appear after I import the registry file?
The file may have been saved as .reg.txt, the import may have failed, File Explorer may need to be reopened, or the DLL may be missing. Run the PowerShell Test-Path check and verify the import completed successfully.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesWill setting Windows Photo Viewer for JPG also affect PNG and JPEG files?
No. Windows assigns defaults by extension. Set .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .gif, .bmp, and other required extensions separately.
Why will Windows Photo Viewer not open a WEBP or HEIC image?
WEBP and HEIC are not included in the standard Photo Viewer registration. You need a compatible codec or an image application that supports those formats.
Does Windows Photo Viewer play animated GIFs?
No. It displays the first frame of an animated GIF rather than playing the animation.
The Bottom Line
Check for PhotoViewer.dll first. If it exists, import the registration file, reopen File Explorer, and assign Windows Photo Viewer separately to each extension from Default apps. If the DLL is missing or the viewer produces “App Not Supported,” use Microsoft Photos or another maintained image viewer instead.
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