In your Windows computer, File Explorer may not display PDF thumbnails, and instead show only the default icon assigned for PDF files. This might happen even if youve the optionAlways show icons, never thumbnails unchecked in the View tab ofFolder Options dialog.
This article tells you how to enable PDF thumbnails as well as the PDF preview capability [for the Preview pane] in File Explorer, assuming that youre using Adobe PDF Reader.
Editors note:On the other hand if youre using Foxit PDF Reader, check out their documentationPDF previews are shown as icons instead of thumbnails in Explorerand then seePDF previews are not shown as thumbnails in File Explorer.
In the earlier link, youre provided a link to download the Foxit thumbnail handler shell extensionFoxitThumbnailHndlr_x64.dll and the second link tells you how to register it. Please note that youll always need to use the administrator Command Prompt to register DLL files.
[Fix] PDF Thumbnail and Preview Not Showing Up in File Explorer
Adobe Acrobat Reader includes the thumbnail extractor as well as a preview handler shell extension which generates PDF thumbnails as well as file preview in the Preview pane in File Explorer. PDF thumbnails can be enabled or disabled via Adobe Readers Preferences dialog.
Enable or Disable PDF Thumbnails in File Explorer via Adobe Preferences
Open Adobe Reader, click Edit, Preferences. Under General, enable the option Enable PDF thumbnail previews in Windows Explorer.
Note: If youve chosen to disable PDF thumbnails, existing PDF files may still show thumbnail preview from the cache. The thumbnail cache needs to cleared using Disk Cleanup.
PDF Thumbnails and Previews after installing Adobe Reader DC.
Enable or Disable PDF Preview in File Explorer Preview pane
When you install [or reinstall] Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, thumbnail extractor as well as the Preview handler are registered automatically.
To disable PDF file preview in File Explorer preview pane, use these steps:
- Launch Regedit.exe and navigate to the following branch:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\PreviewHandlers
- From the File menu, choose Export and backup the branch to a REG file.
- Right-click the GUID for Adobe PDF Preview Handler which is usually {DC6EFB56-9CFA-464D-8880-44885D7DC193} and choose Delete.
- Click Yes when prompted for confirmation.
- Exit the Registry Editor.
- Logoff and login back for the change to take effect.
To enable PDF Preview handler, add the value{DC6EFB56-9CFA-464D-8880-44885D7DC193} back or merge the REG file you backed up in Step 4 above.
Automate Using REG Files
To automate enabling or disabling PDF previews as well as PDF thumbnails in File Explorer, you can use these .REG files.Download pdf-thumb-preview.zip, unzip and extract the files to desktop. Run the appropriate REG file to enable or disable PDF thumbnails, enable or disable PDF preview in File Explorer Preview pane.
Thats it! This should fix the File Explorer PDF thumbnail problem in Windows.
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