Surprisingly, the Windows 10 Photos app isn't bad, although it can be a bit slow at times. It's not the most powerful app for managing your photos, but it handles basic albums and editing. But it's not the only option available—free and premium photo viewer alternatives for Windows 10 help transform the built-in experience while offering different features. In this article, we'll introduce you to the best Windows 10 Photo Viewer alternatives.
1. Irfan View
One of the most popular photo viewing apps, it will open IrfanView It can store pretty much any image file and gives you a stylish way to view it. There's a paid version, but the free version will likely have all the functionality you need for basic image viewing and editing. It also makes it very easy to convert between different file types.
IrfanView opens images extremely quickly and is popular with people with low-end computers due to its low processing footprint. Perhaps its most popular feature is batch processing, which allows you to apply the same changes to multiple images, complete with a renaming system.
The interface is something you might call “old-school,” keeping things simple while not looking too pretty. However, it’s very easy to browse your photo collection, allowing you to search for images by filter and even create slideshows based on your chosen folders.
2. Windows 7 Photo Viewer
If you're not having a great time with the Windows Photos app, and it's making you yearn for the classic Windows Photo Viewer from Windows 7, there's actually a secret way to get it back on Windows 10.
To do this, you'll need to go into the Registry Editor. Now, the process is a bit tricky and there are a few keys you need to change, but we've already covered how to do that. Here.
Once you are done with the above method, you just need to right click on Image -> Open with -> Choose an application Last then select Windows Photo Viewer which has recently appeared.
You can also check the box at the bottom of the window. “Always use this app to open [file type] files.”
So, you're all set!
3. FastStone Image Viewer
If you like a more classic Windows Explorer interface, you'll love FastStone Image ViewerIt's one of my favorite photo viewer alternatives for Windows 10. Plus, it's completely free.
What sets it apart is that you can view folders and groups of images while still displaying a specific image in another window. It supports most image file types as well. Additionally, you get a variety of editing features, such as cropping, adjusting lighting, drawing, and more.
There's support for pulling images from your scanner, if you have one. You can also compare up to four images at once and take screenshots as well. For free, it's hard to beat and actually offers more than just images and similar premium options.
4. Apowersoft Photo Viewer
Do you need support for a special image format in addition to the usual ones? Powersoft Photo Viewer A better alternative to images for you. In addition to the usual JPG, PNG, and BMP formats, you also get support for CorelDraw, PhotoShop, and your own camera formats. It also supports PDF files.
You can easily rename, change file formats, and make basic edits in batch format. Share your photos within the app and store them for free in the cloud.
The only thing I don't like is the lack of a folder view option. However, you'll see thumbnails of other images within the same folder, and uploading your image almost instantly makes up for that. Even better, it's free to use.
5. ImageGlass
Provides ImageGlass A modern, customizable interface for viewing your photos. It's one of the best photo viewer alternatives for Windows 10. This free, open-source viewer lets you quickly switch between images—certainly much faster than Photos.
The latest version supports over 70 image formats, making it one of the best options for the widest format support.
Folder view is not supported, but you will see all thumbnails of other images in the same folder. ImageGlass' thumbnails actually work better than Apowersoft's. The slideshow feature is ideal if you want to use this to show groups of photos to friends and family.
6.XnView
XnView It's one of the most powerful photo viewer alternatives for Windows 10. With support for over 500 file formats, there's very little you can't view with this application. Some aren't included by default, but free add-ons are available to view the formats you need.
It supports folder and tabbed image viewing, which is a favorite feature of mine. You can customize your view with thumbnails, a filmstrip view, comparison images, and more. There are also a variety of editing tools to adjust brightness, color, size, format, and more. You'll also find tons of filters.
It's completely free for personal use. Businesses must purchase a license based on the number of users.
7. Honeyview
Prepare honeyview One of the simplest photo viewer alternatives for Windows 10. This is actually one of its best features. Images load quickly, and most popular formats are supported. Easily create slideshows using any of the preset slideshow time options.
In terms of editing, it's not the most feature-rich app, but it handles the basics well. Crop, rotate, resize, and change image file types. You can also view compressed and archived image formats without extracting anything.
There's no built-in folder view, but there's a thumbnail navigation pop-up to view additional files in the same folder you're currently working in. Of course, it's completely free, so that's always a bonus.
If you need something faster and easier to use than Photos, try any of these Windows 10 photo viewer alternatives. To tinker more with your Windows 10 system, check out our list of Easy-to-use operating commands And well How to Fix the Infamous 100% CPU Usage Issue.
