Why is it impossible to display thumbnails in Windows 11?

To address the issue of thumbnails not displaying in Windows 11, there are several settings you can check:
1. File Explorer Options:
– Open File Explorer.
– Go to the ‘View’ tab and click on ‘Options.’
– In the Folder Options window, switch to the ‘View’ tab.
– Ensure that ‘Always show icons, never thumbnails’ is unchecked.
– Click ‘OK’ to save changes.
2. Performance Settings:
– Right-click on ‘This PC’ and select ‘Properties.’
– Click on ‘Advanced system settings.’
– Under the ‘Performance’ section, click on ‘Settings.’
– In the Performance Options window, ensure ‘Show thumbnails instead of icons’ is checked.
3. Disk Cleanup:
– Run Disk Cleanup by searching for it in the Start menu.
– Select the drive where Windows is installed.
– In the Disk Cleanup window, check ‘Thumbnails’ and then click ‘OK’ to remove and regenerate them.
4. Registry Settings:
– Open the Run dialog by pressing Windows + R, type ‘regedit,’ and press Enter.
– Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced.
– Check if DisableThumbnailCache is set to 0.
These steps should help you resolve the issue.

I faced a similar problem after upgrading to Windows 11. After a lot of trial and error, I found that corrupted system files were sometimes the culprit. Here’s what worked for me:

1. Check for System Corruptions:
2. Open Command Prompt as an administrator. You can do this by searching ‘cmd’ in the Start menu, right-clicking, and selecting ‘Run as administrator.’
3. Type sfc /scannow and press Enter. This command scans and attempts to fix any corrupted system files that might be interfering with thumbnail previews.
4. Restart Windows Explorer:
5. Sometimes a simple restart of Windows Explorer can resolve display issues. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
6. Under the Processes tab, find ‘Windows Explorer,’ right-click, and select ‘Restart.’
7. Adjust Visual Effects Settings:
8. Right-click on the Start button and select ‘System.’
9. Click ‘Advanced system settings’ on the left side.
10. In the System Properties window, click ‘Settings’ under Performance.
11. Ensure the option ‘Show thumbnails instead of icons’ is checked.
12. Check for Windows Updates:
13. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
14. Click ‘Check for updates’ to ensure you have the latest updates installed. Sometimes updates contain fixes for such issues.
    Following these steps, I restored thumbnail display functionality on my system without further issues.

Here’s how I managed to get my thumbnails to display correctly on Windows 11. This involves checking Group Policy settings and re-generating the thumbnail cache:

1. Group Policy Settings:
2. Run gpedit.msc to open the Group Policy Editor.
3. Navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > File Explorer.
4. Ensure the policy ‘Turn off the display of thumbnails and only display icons’ is set to ‘Not Configured’ or ‘Disabled.’
5. Thumbnail Cache:
6. Thumbnails are stored in a cache, and if this becomes corrupt, it can cause display issues. To clear your thumbnail cache:
   • Open the Run dialog, type cleanmgr and press Enter.
   • Select your system drive (usually C:).
   • Check ‘Thumbnails’ in the Disk Cleanup window and click ‘OK.’
7. System Maintenance Troubleshooter:
8. Use the built-in troubleshooter to identify and fix problems. Open the Control Panel, select ‘Troubleshooting,’ then ‘View all’ on the left pane.
9. Run the ‘System Maintenance’ troubleshooter.
   These steps could help regain your thumbnails display.

In my experience with Windows 11, if thumbnails aren’t showing, it might be due to outdated drivers or software conflicts. Here are some detailed steps to consider:

1. Update Graphics Drivers:
2. Open Device Manager by right-clicking on the Start button and selecting it from the menu.
3. Expand ‘Display adapters,’ right-click your graphics card, and select ‘Update driver.’
4. Choose ‘Search automatically for updated driver software.’
5. Check for Malware:
6. Sometimes malware or unwanted programs can interfere with system functionality. Run a full system scan using Windows Defender or any preferred antivirus software to ensure your system is clean.
7. Rebuild Icon Cache:
8. When the icon cache is corrupt, thumbnails may not display properly. Here’s a way to rebuild it:
   • Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
   • Type the following commands individually, pressing Enter after each:
   • ie4uinit.exe -show
   • taskkill /IM explorer.exe /F
   • DEL /A %userprofile%\AppData\Local\IconCache.db
   • DEL /A %userprofile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\thumbcache_*.db
   • shutdown /r /f /t 00
     This should restore thumbnail functionality in Windows 11.