If you used Windows 7 32-bit for a significant amount of time before upgrading to Windows 10/11, you would know that Windows Explorer in Windows 7 (only 32-bit) supported thumbnail preview for PDF files.
For some reason, Windows 10/11 doesn’t support thumbnail previews for PDF files in File Explorer (Windows Explorer). Windows 10 and 11 support PDF viewing in its Edge browser and also allow users to save any text file as a PDF file using the Microsoft Print to PDF feature, but it doesn’t show preview and thumbnail preview for PDF files in File Explorer.
On your Windows 10/11 PC, if you would like to get a preview and thumbnail preview for PDF files, you can do so with the help of third-party utilities.
The following are the two free utilities for Windows 10 to enable thumbnail preview support for PDF files in Windows 10 File Explorer.
NOTE: If you have issues with thumbnail preview, please refer to our how-to clear and reset thumbnail cache in Windows 10 and fix to thumbnail previews not showing in Windows 10 guide.
Method 1 of 3
Adobe Acrobat Reader DC to enable thumbnail preview for PDF files
Many users likely have been using Adobe Acrobat Reader DC to open and read PDF files in Windows 10. However, what many users are not aware of is the fact that the Acrobat Reader DC can be used to enable preview and thumbnail preview for PDF files in Windows 10 File Explorer.
The Adobe Acrobat Reader DC generates superior-quality thumbnails compared to other programs.
Enable thumbnail preview for PDF files using Acrobat Reader DC:
Step 1: Head over to this page, download and install Acrobat Reader DC on your Windows 10 PC.
Step 2: Once installed, set Acrobat DC as the default PDF reader. For directions, please refer to our step-by-step guide on how to change the default PDF reader in Windows 10 guide.
Step 3: Launch Acrobat Reader DC, and navigate to Edit > Preferences > General.
Step 4: Check the option labeled Enable PDF thumbnail previews in Windows Explorer. Click the OK button to save the change. That’s it!
Open a folder containing PDF files to see thumbnail preview for PDF files. Please make sure that the thumbnail preview is turned on in File Explorer settings.
If you have any issues with previews, please refer to our fix for thumbnail preview not working in the Windows 10 File Explorer guide. To get a preview (not thumbnail preview), select a PDF file and then simultaneously press Alt+P.
Method 2 of 3
Use Nitro Reader (free) to generate previews for PDF files in Windows Explorer
Nitro Reader is another free tool that you can use to enable thumbnail preview for PDF files in Windows 10 File Explorer. After downloading and installing Nitro Reader on Windows 10, set it as the default PDF reader using the Settings app or Control Panel to see preview and thumbnail preview for PDF files in Windows 10 Explorer.
Download Nitro Reader from this official page.
Method 3 of 3
PDF Preview for Windows 10 to enable PDF thumbnail preview
PDF Preview for Windows 10 is a free add-in for File Explorer to generate and show thumbnail previews for PDF files.
In addition to thumbnail preview, PDF Preview for Windows 10 utility also enables preview for PDF files in File Explorer of Windows 10. That is, you can simply select a PDF file and then click Alt + P hotkey to preview the file.
If you are wondering about password-protected PDF files, this utility can’t generate a preview for protected PDF files.
Of course, PDF Preview for Windows 10/11 is compatible with both 32-bit and 64-bit systems. However, PDF Preview for Windows 10 doesn’t support earlier versions of Windows, such as Windows 7 and Windows 8. For Windows 7 or Windows 8, you need to download PDF Preview for Windows 7/8 software from the same developer.
Overall, PDF Preview for Windows 10 is a must-have utility if you often deal with PDF files.
How to install and use PDF Preview in Windows 10/11:
Step 1: Visit this official page of PDF Preview for Windows 10 and download the latest version.
Step 2: Run the setup file to get it installed. The setup automatically tries to set itself as the default PDF reader. Note that the PDF Preview must be the default PDF reader to generate thumbnails.
That’s it! Thumbnail preview and Explorer preview should now work in Windows 10/11 File Explorer as well as on the desktop.
Danny Staple says
The 2024 answer for Windows 11 – use windows PowerToys from Microsoft. May need a reboot for thumbnails, but the preview pane starts working immediately.
Nick says
Spoke too soon, the ‘PDF Preview for Windows 10’ download page shows an image that falsely implies it will also preview pdfs in the explorer preview pane, as Adobe & Nitro allow, but doesn’t, it merely adds a thumbnail preview.
On the plus side you can still choose a separate pdf viewer as default and retain the thumbnail previews.
Nick says
Thanks, installed PDF Preview for Windows 10 as the best of the three option.
I used to use Nitro just for it’s preview function, showing slightly more image than icon than Adobe iirc, but installing a new instance today learned one of Nitro’s sponsors is Pfizer, so uninstalled it in protest, ymmv.
Also when installing PDF Preview for Windows 10, tick the box asking to make it default when installing, then choose a different pdf viewer as default in Explorer, keeping both preferred default viewer and the previews added.
Arthur Morin says
This worked perfectly. Thank you very much.
I have wanted this functionality for years!
I will visit your site for more Windows advice.
Cheers!
Arturo
Joseph Haggerty says
Yo,
here I am several years later with fully updated windows 10 and fully updated ACROBAT (NOT Reader; I have Adobe ACROBAT), and “Enable Thumbnail Preview…” is STILL not even an option. Why WHY would this be?
The solutions that seem to work would require me to select a different software for my pdf viewing other than Acrobat. Why would I do that? My company PAYS for Acrobat so I can modify and comment in PDFs.
Stephen W. says
It’s several days now since I went to Adobe Acrobat and checked show thumbnails in preferences. The only changes I see are on the desktop where every Adobe Acrobat thumbnail is solid black with a tiny red Acrobat logo in the lower right corner.
I finally unchecked the box today and so far the thumbnails are still solid black. When I open File Explorer and look at the desktop that way, I still see the original thumbnail with Adobe Acrobat logo and color.
Is there any solution for this?
Josie O. says
The BEST Option was Acrobat Reader DC. Had to make it default viewer for it to show thumbnails in File Manager. You need to REFRESH files and it will take a while for thumbnails to fill in so be prepared.
I couldn’t find a NITRO Reader version so perhaps its no longer available. The PDF Preview for Win10 was not as good as the Reader DC. I found it duplicitous and not as good. It seemed much slower too. You do have to set as default to make it work AND refresh browser just like Reader DC. Thank you for your page. Yes! It truly helped…
Donald says
Adobe Reader doesn’t have Enable PDF thumbnail previews check box??? Updated still no Check box???
Bhavan Desai says
Boss I have installed Nitro PDF Pro 8.0.9.8 in my Windows 10 64 Bit Operating System PC
However in my file explorer I am not been able to view file preview in right hand side preview pane (It is giving an error as “This file can’t be previewed because of an error in the Nitro Pro 8”
Try to fix this by googlling,, but FAIL..
Plz.. help be get out of this crap as soon as possible because daily i have to review 100s of PDF files and without preview pane not working i have to open each and every pdf file manually and taking up my much much of time.
Thanks all in advance
PAul says
Great article, why does Windows make the obvious so obscure
teresa says
hours of searching how to do this! I’m glad I found this—VERY helpful! Thank you!
Larry says
Bless you! I already had Adobe Reader DC installed, just needed to check enable thumbnails box, but who knew it was there???? YOU DID!
I edit all my wife’s photos and save in pdf so we can create large posters for her art work. You’ve saved me HOURS of confusing record-keeping and printing out photos!!!!! WOW, you ROCK! Thanks again for this huge amount of help!!!
Jenny Latto says
I have enabled thumbnail preview but then it slows my computer right down and the pdf hangs without opening and freezes everything else, maybe since the latest update? Any solutions – windows 10
admin says
Friedrich, please refer to the following guide to learn how to turn on or off thumbnails:
intowindows.com/thumbnail-previews-not-showing-in-windows-10-file-explorer/
Friedrich says
dear Sir/Madam,
how to turn on thumbnail preview in windows 10 File Explorer settings?
Cheers,
Friedrich