Enable or Disable Thumbnail Previews in File Explorer in Windows 11 (2025)

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable thumbnail previews on files and folders in File Explorer for your account, all users, or specific users in Windows 11 and Windows 10.

File Explorer can display thumbnail previews (image) or icons on files and folders in Windows.

If you select to show icons instead of thumbnail previews, File Explorer will show the icon of the default app on the file instead of an image.

Starting with Windows 11 build 22557, File Explorer will now show previews of items (files) within folders. File Explorer displays a thumbnail preview image on a folder of the last file added to the folder by default.

EXAMPLE: Thumbnail Enabled and Disabled in File Explorer

1 Open Folder Options.

2 Click/tap on the View tab. (see screenshot below)

3 Check (off) or uncheck (on - default) Always show icons, never thumbnails for what you want, and click/tap on OK.

1 Open Visual Effects settings (SystemPropertiesPerformance.exe).

2 Check (on - default) or uncheck (off) Show thumbnails instead of icons for what you want, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

This option will not work when Administrator protection is turned on.

1 Do step 2 (on) or step 3 (off) below for what you want.

2Turn On Thumbnail Previews for Current User

This is the default setting.

A) Click/tap on the download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4.​

Turn_on_thumbnail_previews_in_explorer.zip​

(Content of BAT file for reference)

@echo offREG ADD "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /V IconsOnly /T REG_DWORD /D 0 /Ftaskkill /f /im explorer.exestart explorer.exe

3Turn Off Thumbnail Previews for Current User

A) Click/tap on the download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4.​

Turn_off_thumbnail_previews_in_explorer.zip​

(Content of BAT file for reference)

@echo offREG ADD "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /V IconsOnly /T REG_DWORD /D 1 /Ftaskkill /f /im explorer.exestart explorer.exe

4 Save the ZIP file to your desktop.

5 Unblock the ZIP file.

6 Extract the BAT file from the ZIP file.

7 Run the BAT file.

8 You will now notice your screen flicker and a command prompt quickly opens and closes as the explorer process is restarted to apply the registry changes.

9 You can now delete the downloaded BAT file if you like.

1 Open the all users, specific users or groups, or all users except administrators Local Group Policy Editor for how you want this policy applied.

2 Navigate to the policy location below in the left pane of the Local Group Policy Editor. (see screenshot below)

User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > File Explorer​

3 In the right pane of the File Explorer policy, double click/tap on Turn off the display of thumbnails and only display icons to edit it. (see screenshot above)

4 Do step 5 (enable) or step 6 (disable) below for what you want.

5Enable Thumbnail Previews in File Explorer for All or Specific Users

This is the default setting.

A) Select (dot) Not Configured, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7. (see screenshot below)​

6Disable Thumbnail Previews in File Explorer for All or Specific Users

A) Select (dot) Enabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7. (see screenshot below)​

7 You can now close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.

1 Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.

2. To Enable Thumbnail Previews in File Explorer for All Users

This is the default setting

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.​

Enable_thumbnail_previews_in_File_Explorer_for_all_users.reg​

(Contents of REG file for reference)

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]"DisableThumbnails"=-[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]"DisableThumbnails"=-

3. To Disable Thumbnail Previews in File Explorer for All Users

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.​

Disable_thumbnail_previews_in_File_Explorer_for_all_users.reg​

(Contents of REG file for reference)

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]"DisableThumbnails"=dword:00000001[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]"DisableThumbnails"=dword:00000001

4 Save the REG file to your desktop.

5 Double click/tap on the downloaded REG file to merge it.

6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

7 Either Sign out and sign in or restart the computer to apply.

8 You can now delete the downloaded REG file if you like.

That's it,
Shawn Brink