Are your folder thumbnails not displaying properly on Windows 10? You open a folder full of images or videos, but instead of previews, you just see plain yellow folder icons. It’s frustrating—especially when you’re trying to visually organize your media files.
The good news is that this is a very common issue, and the fix is quite simple. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the exact steps to manually set a thumbnail preview for any folder on Windows 10 using the built-in customization settings.
Let’s get started.
📂 What Is a Folder Thumbnail?
A folder thumbnail is a small preview image that represents the contents of a folder—usually generated automatically by Windows when the folder contains images, videos, or documents.
But sometimes, Windows fails to generate the thumbnail. Reasons could include:
- Incorrect folder view settings
- Missing thumbnail cache
- Custom settings not applied properly
🛠️ How to Fix Folder Thumbnails Not Showing on Windows 10
✅ Step 1: Open the Folder That Isn’t Showing a Thumbnail
Navigate to the folder where the thumbnail is missing. Make sure it contains image or video files, as thumbnails only appear for folders with visual content.
✅ Step 2: Customize the Folder Properties
- Right-click on the folder with the missing thumbnail.
- Select Properties from the context menu.
- In the folder properties window, go to the Customize tab.
✅ Step 3: Choose a Specific File for the Thumbnail
- Under the Customize tab, look for the section that says “Folder pictures”.
- Click on the Choose File button.
- A file explorer window will pop up. Browse to the image inside the folder that you’d like to use as a thumbnail.
- Select the image and click Open.
✅ Step 4: Apply the Thumbnail Setting
- Once the image is selected, click Apply.
- Then click OK to close the Properties window.
You should now see that the folder thumbnail has updated to the chosen image. ✅
🖼️ Optional Tip: Set Folder View to “Large Icons”
Sometimes thumbnails don’t appear because the folder view is set to “List” or “Details.”
To fix this:
- Open the folder.
- Click on the View tab at the top of File Explorer.
- Select Large icons or Extra large icons to ensure thumbnails are visible.
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- 👉 How to Fix Camera Not Working on Windows 10 & Windows 11
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: Why are thumbnails not showing for all folders?
Answer: Windows may have disabled thumbnail previews in performance settings, or the thumbnail cache could be corrupted. Try clearing thumbnail cache via Disk Cleanup or enable thumbnails via File Explorer Options > View > Uncheck “Always show icons, never thumbnails.”
Q2: Can I restore thumbnails for all folders automatically?
Answer: Yes. If the issue is system-wide, go to:
Control Panel > File Explorer Options > View
Make sure “Always show icons, never thumbnails” is unchecked.
Q3: Will this method work for video folders too?
Answer: It depends. For video thumbnails, Windows generates previews based on codecs. You might need additional tools like Icaros if thumbnails still don’t show for videos.
📝 Final Thoughts
Fixing missing folder thumbnails in Windows 10 is easy when you know where to look. Whether it’s one folder or multiple, you can manually assign thumbnail images or tweak settings to restore previews system-wide.
For media-heavy users like photographers or video editors, thumbnails are essential. This quick fix ensures your workflow stays visual and intuitive.
🔗 Useful Links
🏷️ Tags
Windows 10, folder thumbnail fix, customize folder icon, thumbnails not showing, Windows 10 folder preview, file explorer tips, Windows media folders, folder pictures, large icons view
🔖 Hashtags
#Windows10 #FolderThumbnails #FixWindows #TechTips #FileExplorer #ThumbnailsNotShowing #WindowsGuide #CustomizeFolders #MediaManagement #ThumbnailPreview
If this helped you fix the issue, share it with friends or colleagues who are also struggling with folder thumbnails in Windows 10. Stay organized and visual!
