Sometimes you have to sift through a ton of files to find what you need, and opening each one with its intended app can waste a lot of time, especially with different file types. The good news is that Windows File Explorer has a built-in tool that lets you preview files without the hassle of launching full applications. Plus, there are a few other neat tricks in Windows to make viewing files super easy. Here are four ways to view files in Windows without using their applications.
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4 Use the Preview pane in File Explorer
It comes handy when viewing images
File Explorer includes a Preview pane that allows you to view the contents of a file in a panel on the right side of the screen. It is especially useful for quickly checking images and documents when you're unsure of the file name. However, the Preview pane isn't enabled by default. In Windows 10 and 11, you can enable it by opening File Explorer, clicking the View menu, and selecting Preview pane.
Once enabled, you can click a file to see its contents displayed in the pane. During our testing, the Preview pane successfully rendered Office files, PDFs, and images in formats like JPG, PNG, JPEG, and TIF. It also worked for audio files such as WAV, MP3, and M4A, as well as videos in the MP4 format.
3 Try PowerToys peek
When you want to quickly sift through many files
Microsoft PowerToys has a bunch of handy tools to make your Windows experience better, and Peek is one of its standout features. Peek allows you to preview files quickly with a simple shortcut, eliminating the need to open full applications. It supports various file types, including images, PDFs, text files, Microsoft Office documents, and developer files. This tool is especially useful for those who frequently sift through numerous files and find it disruptive to open them just for a quick glance.
The PowerToys app is not preinstalled on Windows, but you can download it from the Microsoft Store. Once installed, launch the PowerToys app, scroll down the left pane, click Peek, and toggle on Enable Peek. To use the tool, select a file and press Ctrl + Space to see a quick preview. You can also use the arrow keys to preview other files in the same directory. For previewing multiple selected files, highlight the desired files, press Ctrl + Space, and navigate using the arrow keys.
2 Install QuickLook
Mac's Quick Look for Windows, but better
Source: QuickLook
If you've ever used a Mac, you're probably familiar with the Quick Look feature that lets you preview any file with just a tap of the spacebar. It works for images, documents, and even videos, and honestly, I love it. It's super fast -- much quicker than opening the file -- and you can easily jump between files using the arrow keys.
However, this feature isn't built into Windows. While the PowerToys Peek feature I mentioned earlier offers something similar, if you're looking for functionality that's closer to Mac's Quick Look, you can download a third-party app called QuickLook from the Microsoft Store.
After installing QuickLook, you'll see it running in the system tray. To use it, go to your favorite folder, click any file, and hit the spacebar. Instantly, you'll get a preview of the file. Use the arrow keys to jump between files and the preview will update immediately.
QuickLook supports tons of file types, including PNG, APNG, JPG, BMP, GIF, and PSD, as well as RAW images. It also works with media files like MP4, MKV, M2TS, OGG, MP3, and M4A. You can even preview compressed files like ZIP, RAR, TAR.GZ, and 7z -- something you can't do on a Mac. It's also great for text documents of all kinds, with support for Markdown rendering too.
1 Use WinQuickLook
A solid QuickLook alternative
WinQuickLook is another app that brings Mac's Quick Look feature to Windows. It works much like the QuickLook app mentioned earlier, but with one key difference -- it costs $2.49. Once it's running in the system tray, open File Explorer, select a text file, and hit the spacebar. A new window will pop up, displaying the file's contents. That's the WinQuickLook file previewer.
The title bar of the preview window shows the file's name, type, and size. You can even select text in the preview and copy it to your clipboard, but editing isn't an option. If you want to make changes, you can open the file in its dedicated app by clicking the option in the upper-left corner of the preview window.
Access files with ease on Windows
The apps and features we discussed above make it easy to access files without opening their dedicated apps. To better manage your files on Windows, take a look at some useful File Explorer features you've probably been missing out on. While you're at it, check out our ultimate guide to File Explorer on Windows 11.
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