How to Turn Off Folder Thumbnails in Windows 10

To disable folder thumbnails in Windows 10, open File Explorer, choose View > Options > View, check Always show icons, never thumbnails, and select Apply and OK. This is the quickest option for most people. Windows will show file icons instead of image previews in File Explorer; it will not delete or change your photos and documents.

If you need a visual-effects setting or are managing a PC, you can make the change through Performance Options, Local Group Policy, or the corresponding Registry policy value. These settings control what File Explorer displays. They are different from deleting thumbnail-cache files or changing the Preview pane.

Disable thumbnails with File Explorer

1. Press Windows key + E to open File Explorer.
2. Select the View tab, then choose Options. If the ribbon is collapsed, expand it first.
3. In Folder Options, select the View tab. Under Advanced settings, check Always show icons, never thumbnails.
4. Select Apply, then OK. Close and reopen any folder that still shows the previous view.

Turn off thumbnails in Performance Options

This setting is part of Windows visual effects. Use it if you also manage appearance settings. Clear the thumbnail option and review the other checkboxes before applying so the visual effects match your preferences.

1. Open Start and search for View advanced system settings, then open the matching Control Panel result.
2. On the Advanced tab, select Settings in the Performance section.
3. On the Visual Effects tab, select Custom if needed, then clear Show thumbnails instead of icons.
4. Select Apply and OK to save the change.

Use Local Group Policy

Group Policy is useful for an administrator who wants to enforce the setting for a Windows user. The Local Group Policy Editor is not included with Windows Home. If gpedit.msc does not open, use File Explorer or Performance Options instead. Work or school computers may also receive a policy from an administrator.

1. Press Windows key + R, enter gpedit.msc, and press Enter.
2. Go to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > File Explorer.
3. Open Turn off the display of thumbnails and only display icons, select Enabled, then select Apply and OK.

The wording can be confusing: enabling this policy turns thumbnails off and leaves icons visible. Microsoft documents this as a user policy for File Explorer. A centrally managed policy can override a local preference.

Set the matching Registry value

Use Registry Editor only if you are comfortable changing Windows settings directly. Before editing, export the key you plan to change using File > Export. Microsoft’s policy documentation maps the Group Policy setting above to the DisableThumbnails value in the current user’s Explorer policy key.

1. Press Windows key + R, type regedit, and press Enter. Approve the prompt if Windows asks.
2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer. If Policies or Explorer is missing, create each missing key under its preceding key using New > Key.
3. In the right pane, open DisableThumbnails and set its value data to 1. If it is missing, create a DWORD (32-bit) Value with that name and set it to 1.
4. Close Registry Editor, then reopen File Explorer. If you do not see the change, sign out and back in.

Turn thumbnails back on

Reverse the method you used: uncheck Always show icons, never thumbnails in Folder Options; check Show thumbnails instead of icons in Performance Options; set the Group Policy item to Not Configured; or delete DisableThumbnails or change it to 0. If more than one setting was changed, reverse each one. A work or school policy may reapply the restriction.

After the change, File Explorer should show previews for supported file types again. A folder’s layout and file type still matter, and some formats may not have a thumbnail handler installed. If the folder shows icons after you reverse the setting, check both Folder Options and Performance Options before changing the Registry.

Official Microsoft references

• ADMX_Thumbnails policy documentation describes the display policy, its Registry mapping, and separate network-folder caching settings.
• System configuration tools in Windows explains how to open Advanced System Settings, Registry Editor, and Local Group Policy Editor, including its Windows Home limitation.
• Back up and restore the Registry explains how to export and restore a Registry key.
• File Explorer in Windows covers File Explorer basics for Windows 10 and Windows 11.