Why Windows Photo Viewer Won’t Open Images?

Windows Photo Viewer not opening Why Windows Photo Viewer Won’t Open Images?

 “The Windows Photos Viewer won’t open the images saved on my Windows PC. Why can’t I view the photos? Can someone tell me what to do?”

Many Windows users have reported that the Windows Photo Viewer app can’t open the photos saved on their system. This error usually occurs due to an outdated Windows Photo Viewer app or an image format not supported by the app. The error may also appear if there is some problem with the application or antivirus interference.

Read this guide to learn various methods to fix ‘Windows Photo Viewer won’t open images.’

Why won’t Windows Photo Viewer open images?

From file corruption to software glitches, there could be various reasons why Windows Photo Viewer won’t open JPG or other format images, such as…

  • Corrupt or damaged image file
  • Outdated Windows Photo Viewer app
  • The file format is incompatible with the Windows 
  • The image file is encrypted.
  • The file size of the image is too large.
  • Software conflict on your system
  • Virus or malware infection
  • Windows doesn’t have enough space to open the image

The error is also caused by JPG header or image data corruption, prohibiting you from opening the photo files in the Windows Photo Viewer app. 

Methods to fix Windows Photo Viewer won’t images.

You can try basic or advanced workarounds, such as reopening the image in another image viewer app, re-downloading the image, or using a photo repair tool to fix the ‘Windows Photo Viewer won’t open images’ issue. Here’s a detailed list of everything you can do to resolve this error.  

  1. Restart the Photo Viewer App and Windows

If the images are not opening on a Windows Photo Viewer app, restart it to see if it works. If not, close all the apps running in the background and restart your Windows. Restarting Windows frees up system resources and provides your Windows Photo Viewer app with the resources it needs to open the images without any glitches.

  1. Change the File Format of the image.

Windows Photo Viewer app supports image formats like PNG, BMP, JPEG, GIF, DIB TIFF, and WDP. If the image you are opening is not supported by the app, convert it to another format, like JPEG , BMP or PNG, to fix the problem. You can use professional Photo Editor or online image converter tool to change the file format of the photos. Some of the best photo editing tools are Adobe Photoshop, PaintShop Pro,  and Lightroom, and the best online image converter tools are CloudConvert, iLoveIMG, etc.

  1. Open the image in another image viewer app.

If your Windows Photo Viewer app does not open the images, try to open it on another image viewer app. You can use Adobe Photoshop, Picasa, Microsoft Photos, and other image viewer apps to open the image files on your Windows.

  1. Check your Antivirus Software

Occasionally, the antivirus software installed on your Windows can hinder the smooth functioning of other applications. To ensure that the antivirus software does not conflict with your Windows Photo Viewer app, check the antivirus settings to see if it’s blocking the app.

Moreover, if nothing is wrong with the antivirus software settings, temporarily disable the software and recheck if you can open the image using the Windows Photo Viewer app.

  1. Run Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter

Windows Photo Viewer won’t open images. The error can also be related to hardware, so run the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter to resolve it. Here’s how to do it:

  • Type cmd in the Windows Search bar, and select Run as Administrator to open the Command Prompt.
  • Next, type msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic to open Hardware and Devices troubleshooter.
image Why Windows Photo Viewer Won’t Open Images?
  • Click the Next button to start the troubleshooting process.
image 1 Why Windows Photo Viewer Won’t Open Images?
  • Click Apply this fix when the troubleshooter finds a fix for you.
image 2 Why Windows Photo Viewer Won’t Open Images?
  • You have to restart your Windows PC for the changes to take effect.
  1. Turn off Encryption in the image.

Windows Photo Viewer app cannot open or view encrypted images. Turn off the Encryption in the images to view them. Here’s how to turn off the Encryption

  • Right-click on the image, scroll down and select Properties.
  • Select the General tab, and click Advanced.
image 3 Why Windows Photo Viewer Won’t Open Images?
  • Uncheck Encrypt Contents to Secure Data box.
image 4 Why Windows Photo Viewer Won’t Open Images?
  • Click OK.
  1. Update Windows Photo Viewer App

Software Updates can fix bugs and other app-related issues. Try updating your Windows to the latest version, that will automatically update the default photo viewer app.

  • Go to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
  • Click the Check for updates button on the right panel. 
image 5 Why Windows Photo Viewer Won’t Open Images?
  • Click Install Updates and wait for the update process to complete. Then, make sure to Restart your Windows for the updates to apply.
  1. Repair Image with Photo Repair Software

If you cannot open the image in the Windows Photo Viewer or any other image viewer app, the image might be corrupted or damaged even after converting the file format.

If your image is corrupted, it’s best to use a professional photo repair software to fix image corruption. Stellar Repair for Photo is the best tool for repairing corrupt images. This photo repair tool fixes issues such as ‘images won’t open’ due to corrupt files, incomplete file transfers/ downloads, malware attacks, etc. Stellar Repair for Photo can repair multiple images of the same or different formats, like BMP, PNG, JPG, HEIC, etc.

Steps to Repair Corrupt Images in Windows

  • Download, install, and launch Stellar Repair for Photo on your Windows PC.
  • In the home screen, click Add File to upload the corrupt images.
image 6 Why Windows Photo Viewer Won’t Open Images?
  • Once you finish adding corrupted images, click the ‘Repair’ button to start the repair process.
image 7 Why Windows Photo Viewer Won’t Open Images?
  • Once repair process completes, click OK, when Repair complete prompt appears.
image 10 Why Windows Photo Viewer Won’t Open Images?
  • Next, select the images you want to Preview to see how the repaired images look.
image 9 Why Windows Photo Viewer Won’t Open Images?
  • Once you are satisfied with the repair result, click Save Repaired Files to save them to your desired destination. 

Conclusion

‘Windows Photo Viewer won’t open images’ error occurs due to app glitches, incompatible file format, or image file corruption. Try to update the Windows Photo Viewer app on your Windows, change the image’s file format, or open the image in another photo viewer to see if you can view your image.

If you still can’t open your image, your file is corrupted. We recommend using robust photo repair software like Stellar Repair for Photo to fix image corruption issue.

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