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PDF Thumbnails are Not Showing on Windows 10 & 11 [FIX]
If the Preview pane is not working for PDF files, here are the fixes!
8 min. read
Updated onOctober 4, 2023
updated onOctober 4, 2023
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Many users have documents in PDF format on their PC, and sometimes it’s easier to recognize different PDF files by theirthumbnail.
Others reported that PDF thumbnails aren’t showing on Windows 11. This can be a bothersome issue, especially if the PDF preview is not working either. However, there are several solutions for this matter.
So, Windows 11 PDF thumbnails are essential since they allow us to find the needed files quickly without opening them.
However, many users reported problems with PDF thumbnails, so today we’re going to cover the following topics:
Why are the thumbnails not showing on Windows?
The main reason why this issue occurs is that images become corrupt, you will need to either install the latest Windows updates or follow 3rd party software to recover the files.
How to show PDF thumbnails on Windows?
1. Use Adobe Acrobat Reader
By following the steps above, you’ll set Adobe Reader as the default application for PDF files.
Many users reported that the Preview pane is not working for PDF files in Windows 10, but that can be fixed by changing a few settings.
After doing that your PDF thumbnails should return automatically and solve the PDF preview not working on Windows 10 situation.
If you can’t fix it using this workaround, there are other considerable methods to solvethumbnail preview is not showing upproblems.
Make sure that you have the latest version of Adobe Reader installed
Some users claim that a recent Adobe Reader update fixed this issue, so be sure that you have the latest version of Adobe Reader installed. To ensure that you have the latest updates installed do the following:
If you have the latest version of Adobe Reader installed be sure to enable thumbnail previews by going toPreferences > Generaland selecting theEnable PDF thumbnail previews in FileExploreroption.
⇒Get Adobe Reader
2. Install the latest updates
If PDF thumbnails are not showing on yourWindows 10PC, the problem might be the missing updates. Certain glitches with Windows can occur once in a while, and in order to keep your Windows working properly, it’s important to keep your Windows up to date.
By default,Windows 10installs the missing updates automatically, but sometimes you might miss an important update due to certain bugs or errors.
To prevent these types of problems from appearing, be sure to keep Windows 10 up to date at all times.
If your PDF thumbnails are missing, the problem might be Adobe Reader X. Many users reported that this application was the cause for this issue, and after removing it, the problem with thumbnails was resolved.
To completely remove this application from your PC, it’s advised to use uninstaller software.
If you’re not familiar, these types of applications are specially designed for removing applications and they will remove all files and registry entries associated with a specific application.
By doing so, you’ll completely remove the desired application from your PC and ensure that the problem doesn’t appear anymore.
If you’re looking for good uninstaller software, you should check out our list ofbest uninstaller tools for Windows.
3. Install the fix for Adobe Acrobat
According to users, Adobe Acrobat isn’t showing thumbnails for PDF files onWindows 10, and in order to fix this issue, many users are suggesting installing a fix for it.
Supposedlythis third-party fixfixes the problem on 64-bit versions ofWindows 10with Adobe Acrobat X, so be sure that you have a try.
Note:This fix comes from a third-party source, and we’re not responsible for any damage that it might cause.
4. Use PDF Preview
By default,Windows 10can’t showthumbnailsfor PDF files, but you can easily fix that by using third-party solutions such asPDF Preview. This is a freeware tool available for both personal and commercial use.
This tool will generatethumbnailsfor all PDF files regardless of their version, therefore this application can be perfect if you work with PDF files on a frequent basis.
5. Use third-party tools
If PDFthumbnailsaren’t showing on your PC, the problem might be Adobe Reader. While Adobe Reader is a great application, there are many other greatPDF viewer apps.
All these applications have similar features to Adobe Reader, so they are a perfect alternative if you need a new PDF viewer.
Speaking of PDF viewers, many users reported that they fixed the problem withthumbnailssimply by usingSoda PDF.
According to users, after installing this application, the issue with PDFthumbnailswas resolved, so be sure to try this application.
6. Use a preview pane
This is just a workaround, but it might be useful until you find a permanent solution. If the PDF preview is not working in File Explorer, you could use the preview pane to see your PDF files.
You should be able to see the preview of your documents in the preview pane simply by selecting them. If needed, you can also show or hide the Preview pane by usingAlt + Pkeyboard shortcut.
Keep in mind that this is just a workaround and not the best long-term solution, but until you manage to solve the problem, you might want to keep using this workaround.
If you want to easily restorethumbnailsin Windows 10, take a look at thisdedicated guideand learn how you can do it in just a few steps.
7. Preview files using Adobe Reader
If Preview pane is not working for PDF files in Windows 10, be sure to try this quick and simple workaround.
8. Use Disk Cleanup
In case the PDF thumbnails are not showing on Windows 10, the problem might be your temporary files. Sometimes temporary files can get corrupted and that can cause this and many other problems to appear.
Yourthumbnailcache is a temporary file, and if yourthumbnailsaren’t showing, it’s rather likely that your temporary files are corrupted.
However, you might be able to fix this issue simply by using Disk Cleanup to remove temporary files. Once yourthumbnailcache is removed, your PC will regenerate yourthumbnailsagain.
To learn more about Disk Cleanup and see how to remove your temporary files, feel free to check our guide onhow to use Disk Cleanupfor detailed information.
Although Disk Cleanup can fix this problem for you, some users prefer third-party solutions.
If you likewise need stronger tools to clean your system thoroughly from temporary files, then consider moreefficient deep clean hard drive software.
Not being able to seethumbnailsfor PDF files inWindows 10can be inconvenient, but you can easily fix that problem by using one of our solutions.
If you have any other suggestions or questions, don’t hesitate to leave them in the comments section below and we’ll be sure to check them out.
More about the topics:Adobe Acrobat Reader,PDF
Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Milan has been enthusiastic about technology ever since his childhood days, and this led him to take interest in all PC-related technologies. He’s a PC enthusiast and he spends most of his time learning about computers and technology.
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s one of the Troubleshooting experts in our worldwide team, specializing in Windows errors & software issues.
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Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s specialized in Windows errors & software issues.
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