Windows 11 image thumbnails not showing up instead of the default file icons is a common problem among desktop, laptop, and tablet users. This guide will explain why your image thumbnails aren’t showing up correctly and walk you through the steps to enable thumbnails in Windows 11 if you’ve disabled them.
Fix thumbnails not showing issue in Windows 11
If image thumbnails are not showing in Windows 11, it is usually due to incorrect settings being selected, missing or corrupted system files, or insufficient free space. Fortunately, you don’t have to worry about the causes of this common Windows 11 bug, as the issue can usually be resolved by applying one or two of the solutions below.
There are several solutions to fix Windows 11 thumbnail and file icon issues. All thumbnail solutions below are listed from easiest and quickest to more advanced and time-consuming, so work through them in the order presented.
Refresh your Windows 11 desktop. Right-click anywhere on your desktop and select Refresh.
