6 Ways To Fix PDF Thumbnails Not Showing on Windows

Windows File Explorer shows thumbnails for images , TV , etc . so that you may distinguish between files and open up the one needed quickly . However , it displays a generic data file format icon for many filing cabinet format include PDF . When Windows does n’t show thumbnails for PDF file cabinet , the only distinguish component is the name of the data file . There are a couple of ways to get PDF thumbnail not show on Windows 10 and 11 microcomputer .

Table of Contents

1. Fix PDF Thumbnails Using the Adobe Acrobat

1.First , you need to jell Acrobat as your nonremittal PDF reader app on Windows . To do that , right - cluck on the PDF data file and selectOpen withoption in the context fare , then selectChoose another appoption .

2 . Now select theAdobe Acrobatapp and then click onAlways . This will launch the PDF data file in the Adobe Acrobat app and also set the app as default for the future .

3.Now in the Adobe Acrobat app , click onEditand then pick out thePreferencesoption .

Opening with option on Windows File Explorer

4.In thePreferencestab , selectGeneralin the left sidebar and then activate the toggle besideEnable PDF thumbnail previews in Windows Explorer .

5.Once done , scroll down to the bottom and click onOK . You need to be associate to the internet for the changes to be enforce as it has to download and add the software system call for to transfer the PDF picture to a thumbnail .

That ’s it , now you may open File Explorer and all your PDF files should be showing a thumbnail on Windows .

Selecting Adobe Acrobat app to open PDF file

2. Fix PDF Thumbnails Using PowerToys

PowerToys is a gratuitous and open - source software . It is one of the bestpersonal productiveness tools for Windows .

1.Download thePowerToys app from GitHuband install it . you may also download it from theMicrosoft Storeeasily , but it will be a few versions behind .

2.reach the PowerToys app and select theFile Explorer Add - onstool from the sidebar .

Opening Adobe Acrobat Preferences

2.Now scroll down to the Thumbnail icon trailer section and activate the toggle besidePortable Document Format(PDF ) .

Once done , restart the Windows computer for the change to take place . That should activate the thumbnails for PDFs irrespective of what PDF lector you are using .

By the way , did you know that you’re able to alsouse PowerToys to extract textfrom literally any screen on Windows ?

3.Now hunting for the{DC6EFB56 - 9CFA-464D-8880 - 44885D7DC193}file under it .

4.If you’re able to not ascertain that data file , right - click onCLSID , selectNewand tap theKeyoption . Now make the key with{DC6EFB56 - 9CFA-464D-8880 - 44885D7DC193}name and press Enter to save .

5.Now inside the fresh create cardinal , double - snap on theAppIDfile . If it is missing , right - click anywhere in the right windowpane superman , selectNewand dawn onString Value . Name the time value as AppID .

Ok to save the Adobe Acrobat Settings

6.In the AppID soda - up , edit any previous value data point and enter{534A1E02 - D58F-44f0 - B58B-36CBED287C7C}under the Value data option , then clickOK .

7.Restart Windows PC and you should see the thumbnails for PDFs .

4. Check If Thumbnails are Disabled

If PDF thumbnails are still miss on Windows , verify that thumbnails are not turned off in File Explorer .

1.Open File Explorer and select theKebab menu ( three - dot menu)in the top ginmill . In the drop - down , selectOptions .

2.In the pop - up window , blue-ribbon theViewtab .

3.Now ensure theAlways show icons , never thumbnailsoption is handicapped . If not , incapacitate the option and tick onApply , thenOK .

Now your PDF thumbnails should be seeable on Windows File Explorer .

5. Reset Thumbnail Cache

The thumbnail hoard is nothing but the thumbnails store on Windows to display them immediately so Windows does n’t have to regenerate them on the fly every prison term . Sometimes the change you make may not get applied instantly . So removing the stash kind of readjust the thumbnails forcing Windows to reform and save them .

1.Open theSettingsapp from Windows search or just pressCtrl + I.

2.Now select theStorageoption underSystem .

File Explorer add-ons on Power Toys

3.Then blue-ribbon theTemporary filesoption .

4.Now deselect all the choice except forThumbnails .

5.Then clack on theRemove filesbutton at the top to bump off the thumbnail cache .

Are PDF thumbnails are seeable ?

6. Enable the Preview pane on File Explorer

More than the thumbnail , using the preview pane is more utile . When you activate the preview pane inFile Explorer , upon chatter on the file , you may see to it the first 10 pages of the PDF in the preview pane . This is much faster than opening the app and checking the PDF . As you may check the first 10 Page in the preview pane , it can come in ready to hand when you are search for a file .

1.Open theFile Explorer , and tap theViewoption in the top bar .

2.SelectShowand enable thePreview Paneoption .

Opening Registry Editor on Windows

3.Now just tap any PDF file cabinet . You should see the preview pane on the right - script side . you may also scroll down to check out other pages .

Not just the PDFs , the preview will also work for many other file type like photos , videos , gifs , give-and-take documents , etc .