How to Turn On the Preview Pane in Windows 10 File Explorer

To turn on the Preview pane in Windows 10 File Explorer, open a folder and press Alt+P. The pane opens on the right. You can also select View > Preview pane on the ribbon. Then select a file to see its contents without opening it in another app.

The Preview pane is useful when you need to identify a document or image quickly. It is separate from large-icon thumbnails: changing icon size is not required, and the pane will not preview every file format.

Enable the Preview pane from the View tab

1. Open File Explorer and browse to a folder containing the file you want to inspect. If Explorer is closed, press the Windows logo key + E or select its folder icon on the taskbar.
2. Select the View tab at the top of the Explorer window. In the Panes group, choose Preview pane. A vertical pane appears along the right side of the window. The folder's file list may become narrower to make room for it.
3. Select one file with a single click. If Windows has a preview handler for that format, its contents appear in the right-hand pane. Do not double-click unless you intend to open the file.

The View ribbon also contains a Details pane control. Choose Preview pane when you want to see file contents. The Details pane shows properties and other information about the selected item; it does not serve the same purpose.

Use the keyboard shortcut

With File Explorer active, press Alt+P to show or hide the Preview pane. Press the same shortcut again to close it. This is the fastest way to toggle the pane without opening the ribbon. Microsoft lists Alt+P as the Windows shortcut for showing or hiding the Preview pane in its Windows keyboard shortcuts reference.

What appears in the Preview pane?

The pane displays content for file types Windows can preview. For example, a plain-text file can show readable text, and an image can appear as a larger view. Documents may preview when a compatible preview handler is available. The exact formats depend on Windows components and installed software, so support is not universal.

A thumbnail and a Preview pane are different. A thumbnail is a small image or icon shown in the folder's layout; the Preview pane uses the larger area on the right to show more of the selected file. You can keep Details view or another layout while using the pane.

If a file does not preview

A blank pane does not necessarily mean the Preview pane is turned off. Check the following:

• Confirm the pane is open. Press Alt+P or choose View > Preview pane. Make sure you selected a file, rather than only opening its folder.
• Try a format Windows can preview. Not every extension has a preview handler. If one file type stays blank, select a familiar text file or image as a quick comparison. Open unsupported files in their normal app instead.
• Check whether the file came from the internet. Windows 10 security updates released on or after October 14, 2025, block previews for downloaded files marked as coming from the internet. This safeguard can apply even while the pane itself is enabled. Microsoft describes the change in its Windows 10 October 2025 update notes.

If you trust both a downloaded file and its source, right-click the file in File Explorer, select Properties, and choose Unblock if that option appears. Select Apply and OK, then sign out and back in if the preview remains blocked. Microsoft notes that the change may not take effect until the next login. Do not unblock a file you do not trust; the restriction is a security measure, not a general Preview pane failure. Read Microsoft's instructions for internet-downloaded files before changing the block.

Turn the pane off

To reclaim the folder's width, press Alt+P again or return to View > Preview pane and select the command to toggle it off. The change only hides the viewing area; it does not alter or delete the selected file.