Windows Photo Viewer is amongst the least complicated photo viewer designed for Windows PC. It is out there since Windows XP and all the later versions have this too. But, surprisingly, Microsoft omitted this basic photo viewer from Windows 11/10. To replace that, a completely new Photos app has been included in the new OS.
The Photos app is preferable to the old Windows Photo Viewer as it features a basic editing interface that allows users to add many effects and do more. But if you have upgraded from Windows 7/8/8.1, you may miss the old Windows Photo Viewer, which can open almost all regular still images.
The Photos app can meet all your requirements, and it can edit the images to make them professional and different, yet some people may not be very pleased with this new tool. Compared with the Windows Photo Viewer, the new Photos app appears to be a little slow to open, and the UI is much different. Consequently, if you do not want to be acquainted with the Photos app and instead want to get Windows Photo Viewer in Windows 11/10, just follow this tutorial.
Restore Windows Photo Viewer in Windows 11/10
You can enable Windows Photo Viewer with a click using our popular freeware Ultimate Windows Tweaker. But, if you do not want to use any tool and instead use a manual method to enable Windows Photo Viewer in Windows 11/10, here you go.
You can use Registry Editor to get that back. Before using Registry Editor, you should back up your registry files and create a system restore point.
After that, open your Notepad and paste the following lines,
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\photoviewer.dll\shell\open]
"MuiVerb"="@photoviewer.dll,-3043"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\photoviewer.dll\shell\open\command]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\
00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,72,00,75,00,\
6e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,\
00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,\
25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,\
00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,\
6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,\
00,22,00,2c,00,20,00,49,00,6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\
5f,00,46,00,75,00,6c,00,6c,00,73,00,63,00,72,00,65,00,65,00,6e,00,20,00,25,\
00,31,00,00,00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\photoviewer.dll\shell\open\DropTarget]
"Clsid"="{FFE2A43C-56B9-4bf5-9A79-CC6D4285608A}"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Bitmap]
"ImageOptionFlags"=dword:00000001
"FriendlyTypeName"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,\
00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,\
77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,\
00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\
65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,33,00,30,00,35,00,36,00,00,\
00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Bitmap\DefaultIcon]
@="%SystemRoot%\\System32\\imageres.dll,-70"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Bitmap\shell\open\command]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\
00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,72,00,75,00,\
6e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,\
00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,\
25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,\
00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,\
6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,\
00,22,00,2c,00,20,00,49,00,6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\
5f,00,46,00,75,00,6c,00,6c,00,73,00,63,00,72,00,65,00,65,00,6e,00,20,00,25,\
00,31,00,00,00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Bitmap\shell\open\DropTarget]
"Clsid"="{FFE2A43C-56B9-4bf5-9A79-CC6D4285608A}"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.JFIF]
"EditFlags"=dword:00010000
"ImageOptionFlags"=dword:00000001
"FriendlyTypeName"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,\
00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,\
77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,\
00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\
65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,33,00,30,00,35,00,35,00,00,\
00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.JFIF\DefaultIcon]
@="%SystemRoot%\\System32\\imageres.dll,-72"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.JFIF\shell\open]
"MuiVerb"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,\
69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,\
00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,\
72,00,5c,00,70,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,76,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,\
00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,33,00,30,00,34,00,33,00,00,00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.JFIF\shell\open\command]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\
00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,72,00,75,00,\
6e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,\
00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,\
25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,\
00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,\
6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,\
00,22,00,2c,00,20,00,49,00,6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\
5f,00,46,00,75,00,6c,00,6c,00,73,00,63,00,72,00,65,00,65,00,6e,00,20,00,25,\
00,31,00,00,00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.JFIF\shell\open\DropTarget]
"Clsid"="{FFE2A43C-56B9-4bf5-9A79-CC6D4285608A}"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Jpeg]
"EditFlags"=dword:00010000
"ImageOptionFlags"=dword:00000001
"FriendlyTypeName"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,\
00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,\
77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,\
00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\
65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,33,00,30,00,35,00,35,00,00,\
00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Jpeg\DefaultIcon]
@="%SystemRoot%\\System32\\imageres.dll,-72"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Jpeg\shell\open]
"MuiVerb"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,\
69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,\
00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,\
72,00,5c,00,70,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,76,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,\
00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,33,00,30,00,34,00,33,00,00,00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Jpeg\shell\open\command]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\
00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,72,00,75,00,\
6e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,\
00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,\
25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,\
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6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,\
00,22,00,2c,00,20,00,49,00,6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\
5f,00,46,00,75,00,6c,00,6c,00,73,00,63,00,72,00,65,00,65,00,6e,00,20,00,25,\
00,31,00,00,00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Jpeg\shell\open\DropTarget]
"Clsid"="{FFE2A43C-56B9-4bf5-9A79-CC6D4285608A}"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Gif]
"ImageOptionFlags"=dword:00000001
"FriendlyTypeName"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,\
00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,\
77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,\
00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\
65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,33,00,30,00,35,00,37,00,00,\
00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Gif\DefaultIcon]
@="%SystemRoot%\\System32\\imageres.dll,-83"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Gif\shell\open\command]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\
00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,72,00,75,00,\
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00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,\
25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,\
00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,\
6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,\
00,22,00,2c,00,20,00,49,00,6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\
5f,00,46,00,75,00,6c,00,6c,00,73,00,63,00,72,00,65,00,65,00,6e,00,20,00,25,\
00,31,00,00,00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Gif\shell\open\DropTarget]
"Clsid"="{FFE2A43C-56B9-4bf5-9A79-CC6D4285608A}"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Png]
"ImageOptionFlags"=dword:00000001
"FriendlyTypeName"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,\
00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,\
77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,\
00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\
65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,33,00,30,00,35,00,37,00,00,\
00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Png\DefaultIcon]
@="%SystemRoot%\\System32\\imageres.dll,-71"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Png\shell\open\command]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\
00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,72,00,75,00,\
6e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,\
00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,\
25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,\
00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,\
6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,\
00,22,00,2c,00,20,00,49,00,6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\
5f,00,46,00,75,00,6c,00,6c,00,73,00,63,00,72,00,65,00,65,00,6e,00,20,00,25,\
00,31,00,00,00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Png\shell\open\DropTarget]
"Clsid"="{FFE2A43C-56B9-4bf5-9A79-CC6D4285608A}"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Wdp]
"EditFlags"=dword:00010000
"ImageOptionFlags"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Wdp\DefaultIcon]
@="%SystemRoot%\\System32\\wmphoto.dll,-400"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Wdp\shell\open]
"MuiVerb"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,\
69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,\
00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,\
72,00,5c,00,70,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,76,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,\
00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,33,00,30,00,34,00,33,00,00,00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Wdp\shell\open\command]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\
00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,72,00,75,00,\
6e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,\
00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,\
25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,\
00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,\
6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,\
00,22,00,2c,00,20,00,49,00,6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\
5f,00,46,00,75,00,6c,00,6c,00,73,00,63,00,72,00,65,00,65,00,6e,00,20,00,25,\
00,31,00,00,00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Wdp\shell\open\DropTarget]
"Clsid"="{FFE2A43C-56B9-4bf5-9A79-CC6D4285608A}"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Photo Viewer\Capabilities]
"ApplicationDescription"="@%ProgramFiles%\\Windows Photo Viewer\\photoviewer.dll,-3069"
"ApplicationName"="@%ProgramFiles%\\Windows Photo Viewer\\photoviewer.dll,-3009"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Photo Viewer\Capabilities\FileAssociations]
".jpg"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Jpeg"
".wdp"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Wdp"
".jfif"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.JFIF"
".dib"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Bitmap"
".png"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Png"
".jxr"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Wdp"
".bmp"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Bitmap"
".jpe"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Jpeg"
".jpeg"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Jpeg"
".gif"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Gif"
".tif"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"
".tiff"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"
Now click on File and Save button respectively. Select All Files for Save As Type. Then, add a name and save it with .reg extension. That means, if your file name is windows_photo, it should be windows_photo.reg.
Now, double-click the .reg file and hit the YES button twice. You should be able to find Windows Photo Viewer on your Windows 11/10 machine.
TIP: You can use our Ultimate Windows Tweaker to enable Windows Photo Viewer with a click. You will see the tweak in the Additional section.
Set Windows Photo Viewer as default photo viewer in Windows 11/10
If you have got Windows Photo Viewer in your Windows 10 PC and want to set it as default photo opener, you need to follow these steps,
Right-click on any photo and go to Properties. Then, click on the Change button that comes after the “Opens with” text.
Here you can find Windows Photo Viewer in the list. Just select that and click on OK button.
That’s it! Your default photo viewer will be changed immediately.
Do you know that you can share images and videos through the Windows Photos app?
