Windows 10: Enable Old Windows Photo viewer

Windows 10: Enable Old Windows Photo viewer to provide an excellent experience to users. The new Windows Photo viewer application as the default for the viewer, but still also included the old Windows Photo Viewer. However, Microsoft has hidden the classic Photo Viewer in the new Windows 10 system, so that it becomes difficult to use it.

If you upgrade from Windows 7 or 8.1 to Windows 10, you’ll have the Windows Photo Viewer available as an option. However, if you install the new Windows 10 from scratch, Windows Photo Viewer not available for you to use. For whatever reason, Microsoft chose not to include the registry keys that allow access to the Photo Viewer in Windows 10. It keeps if you upgrade from a previous version of Windows, but is not available in the current version. Microsoft wants to open all the image files in the new Photos application, not the old Photo Viewer.

Windows 10: Enable Old Windows Photo Viewer

The new Photos app in Windows 10 is better than the classic Windows Photo Viewer when it comes to the total number of features. The Photos app not only allows you crop, rotate, enhance and remove red-eye from your pictures, but also offers a number of filters and effects to enhance your pictures.

windows registry editor caution
windows registry editor caution

The Windows registry (Regedit) is a file in hexadecimal instruction is composed of a series of instructions, services, applications and necessary for the proper functioning of the operating system configurations. When we make a change in this record we risk this stop functioning properly and thus, our operating system will no longer do so and also without backup, it is very difficult to restore proper operation. Therefore, you must “take backup of Windows registry“.

To apply this Windows Features you should open Windows Registry Tool and browse the following Regedit path step by step or you can jump to target Windows Registry Tool with a single click.

Copy the below code and save it as Windows Features.reg, double click the saved file and accept all messages.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

;created by mr.neeo www.neeosearch.com

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.jpg]
@="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.jpeg]
@="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.gif]
@="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.png]
@="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.bmp]
@="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.tiff]
@="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.ico]
@="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"

Note:- If you don’t know how to use Windows Registry script, you should read how to Save the file in Windows Registry Tool

After applying anyone method from above you will see the following User Account ControlUAC“. This UAC will confirm “Do you want to allow this app to make a change to your device?“. So if you want to open Windows Registry Editor tool you should click on “Yes”

create backup windows registry

After Applying Method: 1 or Method: 2 to add some necessary Windows Registry entries now we need to change the default program of the new Windows Photo viewer to the new old Windows Photo Viewer.

Set default Old Windows Photo viewer

Access control panel from the context menu by large icons

Windows 10: Enable Old Windows Photo viewer
Windows 10: Enable Old Windows Photo viewer

From “Control Panel by large icon view“, click on “Default Programs

Windows 10: Enable Old Windows Photo viewer
Windows 10: Enable Old Windows Photo viewer

From “Default Programs” click on “Set your default programs

Windows 10: Enable Old Windows Photo viewer
Windows 10: Enable Old Windows Photo viewer

From “Set your default programs” scroll down, and click on “Windows Photo Viewer“, after it clicks on “Set this program as default

Windows 10: Enable Old Windows Photo viewer
Windows 10: Enable Old Windows Photo viewer

Closing words about Old Windows Photo viewer

The Windows Photo Viewer was a popular photo viewing application that was present in Windows 7 and earlier versions of Windows. However, with the release of Windows 10, Microsoft replaced the Photo Viewer with the Photos app, which is a Universal Windows Platform (UWP) app. While the Photos app has many new features, some users prefer the simplicity and ease of use of the old Windows Photo Viewer

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