How to disable File Explorer thumbnails on Windows 11

Windows 11 introduces a modern File Explorer that enhances user experience by displaying thumbnails for quick previews of files, folders, documents, images, and videos. While this feature can significantly expedite the process of locating files without needing to open them or check their names, it may also lead to slower browsing speeds. This slowdown occurs because the system must scan and render image previews for each content piece. Below is a guide on how to enable or disable thumbnail previews in File Explorer.

<h2 class="article-bodysection” id=”section-how-to-turn-thumbnail-previews-on-or-off-through-file-explorer”>How to turn thumbnail previews on or off through File Explorer

To manage thumbnail previews through File Explorer on Windows 11, follow these steps:

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Click the “See more” menu and choose Options.
3. Click the View tab.
4. (Option 1) Check the “Always show icons, never thumbnails” option to disable the feature.
5. (Option 2) Clear the “Always show icons, never thumbnails” option to enable the feature.
6. Click the Apply button.
7. Click the OK button.

Once these steps are completed, the File Explorer settings will be updated to reflect your preference for thumbnail previews.

<h2 class="article-bodysection” id=”section-how-to-turn-thumbnail-previews-on-or-off-through-settings”>How to turn thumbnail previews on or off through Settings

To enable or disable thumbnail previews from the Settings menu, use the following steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on System.
3. Click the About page on the right side.
4. Click the Advanced system settings option.
5. Click the Advanced tab.
6. Click the Settings button under the “Performance” section.
7. Click the Visual Effects tab.
8. (Option 1) Clear the “Show thumbnails instead of icons” option to disable the feature.
9. (Option 2) Check the “Show thumbnails instead of icons” option to enable the feature.
10. Click the Apply button.
11. Click the OK button.

After completing these steps, File Explorer will adjust its settings regarding thumbnail previews accordingly.

<h2 class="article-bodysection” id=”section-how-to-turn-thumbnail-previews-on-or-off-through-group-policy”>How to turn thumbnail previews on or off through Group Policy

To control thumbnail previews via Group Policy, follow these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for gpedit and click the top result to open the Group Policy Editor.
3. Navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > File Explorer.
4. Right-click the “Turn off the display of thumbnails and only display icons” policy and select Edit.
5. (Option 1) Choose the Enabled option to disable the feature.
6. (Option 2) Choose the Not configured option to enable the feature.
7. Click the Apply button.
8. Click the OK button.

Upon completing these steps, the policy will apply the settings to your computer, determining whether thumbnail previews are displayed.

<h2 class="article-bodysection” id=”section-how-to-turn-thumbnail-previews-on-or-off-through-registry”>How to turn thumbnail previews on or off through Registry

To use the Registry to disable or re-enable thumbnail previews on Windows 11, follow these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for regedit and click the top result to open the Registry Editor.
3. Navigate to HKEYCURRENTUSERSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPoliciesExplorer.
4. Right-click the Explorer key, select New, and choose DWORD (32-bit) Value (if applicable).
5. Confirm the name DisableThumbnails for the DWORD and press Enter.
6. Right-click the newly created DWORD and select Modify.
7. Change the value from 0 to 1.
8. Click the OK button.
9. Navigate to HKEYLOCALMACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPoliciesExplorer.
10. Right-click the Explorer key, select New, and choose DWORD (32-bit) Value (if applicable).
11. Confirm the name DisableThumbnails for the DWORD and press Enter.
12. Right-click the newly created DWORD and select Modify.
13. Change the value from 0 to 1.
14. Click the OK button.

After completing these steps, you may need to restart your computer for the changes to take effect. Should you wish to revert your decision, simply follow the same steps but change the DisableThumbnails DWORD value back to 0.

More resources

For additional helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, consider exploring various resources available online.