Windows Thumbnails Not Showing for Pictures and Videos: Causes and Complete Fix

Image and Video Thumbnails Not Showing in Windows: What It Looks Like

Normally, File Explorer displays small preview images for photos, screenshots, videos, and some folders. When thumbnail generation breaks, Windows may show only generic file icons, blank white icons, media player icons, or folder icons without preview content.

This issue can affect only one folder, only videos, only images, files stored in OneDrive, files on an external drive, or the entire system. The good news is that the problem is usually caused by a disabled setting, a corrupted thumbnail cache, missing video codecs, or a temporary File Explorer malfunction.

Why Windows 10 or Windows 11 Does Not Show Thumbnails

The most common reasons are configuration-related, not file damage. Before reinstalling apps or changing the Registry, check the simple options below.

• File Explorer is set to show icons instead of thumbnails.
• The current folder uses List, Details, or Small icons view, where thumbnails are not visible or are too small to be useful.
• Thumbnail cache is corrupted after updates, cleanup tools, app crashes, or storage problems.
• Visual effects are disabled in Windows performance settings.
• Video codecs are missing, especially for HEVC, MOV, MKV, or camera-specific formats.
• Cloud files are not downloaded locally, so Windows cannot generate previews immediately.
• System files are damaged, which can break File Explorer preview handlers.

Change File Explorer View Mode to Show Thumbnails

Thumbnails are easiest to see in Medium icons, Large icons, or Extra large icons mode. If the folder is using Details or List view, previews may not appear as expected.

How to Change the Folder View

1. Open the folder that contains your pictures or videos.
2. Right-click an empty area inside the folder.
3. Point to View.
4. Select Large icons or Extra large icons.

In Windows 11, you can also use the View button on the File Explorer command bar.

Turn Off “Always Show Icons, Never Thumbnails” in File Explorer Options

This is the most important setting to check. If it is enabled, Windows will intentionally display file icons instead of thumbnails.

Steps for Windows 10 and Windows 11

1. Press Win + E to open File Explorer.
2. Open the View menu and select Options. In Windows 11, click the three-dot menu and choose Options.
3. Go to the View tab.
4. Find Always show icons, never thumbnails.
5. Make sure this option is unchecked.
6. Click Apply, then OK.

Enable Thumbnail Previews in Windows Performance Options

Windows has a separate visual effects setting called Show thumbnails instead of icons. It can be disabled when the system is configured for best performance.

Enable the Visual Effect

1. Press Win + R.
2. Type SystemPropertiesPerformance.exe and press Enter.
3. On the Visual Effects tab, select Custom.
4. Enable Show thumbnails instead of icons.
5. Click Apply and OK.

You can also choose Let Windows choose what is best for my computer if you do not want to manage individual visual effects manually.

Clear and Rebuild the Windows Thumbnail Cache

Windows stores generated previews in a thumbnail cache. If this cache becomes corrupted, thumbnails can disappear, appear blank, or show outdated previews. Rebuilding the cache is safe: Windows will recreate it automatically.

Method A: Clear Thumbnail Cache with Disk Cleanup

1. Press Win + R.
2. Type cleanmgr and press Enter.
3. Select the system drive, usually C:.
4. Check Thumbnails.
5. Click OK, then confirm deletion.
6. Restart File Explorer or reboot the PC.

Method B: Clear Thumbnail Cache from Settings

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to System → Storage.
3. Open Temporary files.
4. Select Thumbnails.
5. Click Remove files.

Method C: Rebuild Thumbnail Cache with Command Prompt

If the graphical tools do not help, delete the thumbnail database files manually.

taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
del /f /s /q /a %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer	humbcache_*.db
start explorer.exe

Fix Video Thumbnails Not Showing in Windows Explorer

If image thumbnails work but video thumbnails do not, the problem is often related to codecs, file associations, or unsupported video formats.

What to Check

• Install or update the media app you use for video playback.
• Try opening the video in the built-in Media Player app.
• For HEVC/H.265 videos, install the required HEVC extension if Windows does not support the format on your system.
• For camera files such as MOV or high-efficiency formats, copy the file locally and test a standard MP4 file in the same folder.
• If only MKV or AVI thumbnails are missing, the format may need an additional codec or shell thumbnail handler.

For best compatibility, test with a common MP4 H.264 file. If that file shows a thumbnail but other videos do not, Windows itself is likely fine and the issue is format support.

Check OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, and Cloud-Only Files

Cloud storage clients can display files that are not fully downloaded to your PC. If a file is online-only, Windows may show a generic icon until the file is available locally.

Make Files Available Offline

1. Right-click the folder or file stored in OneDrive or another cloud folder.
2. Select Always keep on this device or the equivalent offline option.
3. Wait until synchronization is complete.
4. Reopen the folder and switch to Large icons view.

This is especially useful for large photo libraries, external drives synchronized with cloud apps, and folders that were recently restored from backup.

Restart File Explorer When Thumbnails Stop Loading

Sometimes File Explorer stops generating thumbnails because its background process is stuck. Restarting it can restore previews without rebooting the computer.

Restart Explorer from Task Manager

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Find Windows Explorer in the process list.
3. Right-click it and select Restart.
4. Open the folder again and wait while thumbnails regenerate.

If the problem returns frequently, combine this step with clearing the thumbnail cache and checking system files.

Repair Windows System Files If Thumbnail Preview Still Does Not Work

If none of the settings above help, Windows components used by File Explorer may be damaged. Use DISM and SFC to check and repair the system image.

Run DISM and SFC

1. Right-click Start and open Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin).
2. Run this command:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

After it finishes, run:

sfc /scannow

Restart the computer and check whether thumbnails appear again.

Additional Fixes for Missing Thumbnails in Windows

If thumbnails are still not visible, try these targeted checks:

• Test another folder. If thumbnails work elsewhere, the issue may be folder-specific.
• Copy files to the local drive. Network shares and slow external drives can delay thumbnail generation.
• Check file extensions. Wrong or missing extensions can prevent Windows from recognizing the file type.
• Update graphics drivers. This can help if previews, icons, and File Explorer rendering behave incorrectly.
• Create a new user profile. If thumbnails work in a new account, the original profile may have corrupted Explorer settings.
• Remove aggressive cleanup tools. Some optimizers delete the thumbnail cache too often, forcing Windows to rebuild it repeatedly.

FAQ: Windows Thumbnails Not Showing

Why are my JPG and PNG thumbnails not showing?

The most likely causes are the Always show icons, never thumbnails setting, the disabled Show thumbnails instead of icons visual effect, or a corrupted thumbnail cache.

Why do video thumbnails not show, but image thumbnails work?

This usually means Windows cannot generate previews for that video format. Check codecs, try a standard MP4 file, and make sure the file is stored locally rather than cloud-only.

Is it safe to delete the thumbnail cache?

Yes. The thumbnail cache contains temporary preview files only. Windows recreates it automatically when you open folders with images or videos.

Why are thumbnails slow to appear?

Large folders, slow external drives, network locations, cloud-only files, and high-resolution media can delay thumbnail generation. Switching to a smaller folder or copying files locally can confirm the cause.

Can malware cause missing thumbnails?

It is uncommon, but malware or damaged system settings can affect File Explorer. If icons, previews, and file associations behave strangely across the system, run a full antivirus scan and then repair Windows system files.

Final Checklist: How to Restore Thumbnails in Windows

Start with the simplest fixes: switch the folder to Large icons view, disable Always show icons, never thumbnails, enable thumbnail previews in Performance Options, and clear the thumbnail cache. If only videos are affected, focus on codec support and cloud file availability.