How To Fix Thumbnails Not Showing on Windows 11

You get to see a preview of the images or videos on your PC in the form of thumbnails before you open them. This makes it easier for the user to know what is in the file even without opening it. For various reasons, users have reported that image and video thumbnails are not showing in Windows 11.

In this article, we will be discussing how you can fix the image and video thumbnails not showing in Windows 11. There are numerous causes of this issue, including corrupted system files, minor bugs, malware, etc. If you encounter this issue on your Windows 11 PC, here is the guide to help you out.

Also Read- How to Enable Windows Mobility Center on Windows 11

Fix Image and Video Thumbnails Not Showing on Windows 11

If the thumbnails do not show up, you may not be able to preview the file’s content. You can follow the steps below to fix the image and video thumbnails not showing on Windows 11. 

1. Enable Thumbnails

If the thumbnails are disabled in Windows 11, you may face this issue. Enable the Thumbnails and then see if you still encounter it or not. To do so, follow the steps given below-

1. Press the Windows key on your keyboard, search for File Explorer Options, and open it.
2. Head to the View tab and uncheck the checkbox for Allow show icons, never thumbnails.
3. Once done, click on Apply and then OK to save the changes.

2. Restart Windows Explorer Process

If the thumbnails are not disabled but still encounter this issue, you should restart the Windows Explorer Process. To do so, follow the steps given below-

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc key combo to open the Task Manager on your PC. 
2. Click on More Details to expand the Task Manager. 
3. Head to the Processes tab and select Windows Explorer. 
4. Click on Restart to restart the process, and you will be good to go.

3. Modify Advanced System Settings

If the image and video thumbnails are not showing on Windows 11, then you can try modifying the advanced system settings. Given below are the steps to make changes to the advanced system settings-

1. Press the Windows key, search for View Advanced System Settings, and open it.
2. Head to the Advanced tab here, and click on the Settings button.
3. Under the Visual Effects tab, check the checkboxes for Save taskbar thumbnail preview, and show thumbnails instead of icons.
4. Once done, click on Apply and then on OK to save the changes. 

4. Run SFC Scan

Another troubleshooting step to follow is running the SFC scan to fix the issue caused due to corrupted system files-

1. Press the Windows key and search for CMD. Run the Command Prompt as administrator. 
2. Now, type the command sfc /scannow and press Enter to run the command.
3. Once done, restart your PC and the issue should be fixed. 

5. Rebuild Thumbnail Cache

The Thumbnail cache holds all data for the thumbnails, and when it gets corrupted, you may face similar issues. In that case, you should try rebuilding the thumbnail cache. To do so, follow the steps given below-

1. Open Windows 11 Settings app by pressing the Windows + I key combo. 
2. Here, click on the System >  Storage option on the right side.
3. Next, click on Temporary Files and then check the checkbox for Thumbnails.
4. Click on Remove Files to delete the thumbnail cache.

6. Restore File Explorer Options To Default

If you still face this issue, you should try restoring the file explorer options to default. Restoring the file explorer should most probably fix the issue you have been facing. To do so, follow the steps given below-

1. In the Start Menu, search for File Explorer Options and open it.
2. Here, head to the View tab and then click on Restore Defaults.
3. Once done, you should be able to see the image and video thumbnails. 

Final Words

These were some possible troubleshooting steps to help you fix Image and video thumbnails not showing in Windows 11. If you have been facing such an issue, then you can follow the steps given in this article to fix this issue.