How to Show File Preview in Folders in Windows 11

When you need to check up on multiple files for a value or a single piece of info, it can get tedious to open each file separately. Luckily, you can preview file in folder through File Explorer without ever opening it.

Here are just some of the ways how to show file preview in folders in both Windows 10 and 11.

Method 1. How to Show File Preview in Folders via the Preview Pane in Windows 11

Windows 11 integrated a preview pane, which allows you to preview files in folder without opening it. However, the Preview Pane also hides the details pane, which can hold other notable information, so you win some you lose some.

Step 1. Open a folder in File Explorer.

Step 2. Check the top-right corner of File Explorer, under the search bar. If it says “Preview,” you can click on it to display the preview. If it says “Details,” you can change it.

Step 3. Click on the “View” option in the middle of the folder’s options bar.

Step 4. Check “Preview Pane” from the list of options. It might be hidden under “Show,” depending on which Windows 11 update you’re running.

Step 5. This should automatically open the Preview Pane on the right side of the folder, and clicking on a file will preview it. If it doesn’t, click on the “Preview” button on the top-right.

You can drag the border between the file explorer and the preview pane to make it bigger or smaller as needed.

Enabling the Preview Pane in Windows 10 is just slightly different.

Step 1. Open a folder in File Explorer.

Step 2. Click on the “View” tab on the top bar, next to “File” and “Share.”

Step 3. Select “Preview Pane.”

Step 4. Resize the Preview Pane if needed.

Method 2. Preview File in Folder by Making Icons Larger

If you want to get a glance of every file in a folder at once, the only real option to do so natively is to use larger icons.

Step 1. Open File Explorer.

Step 2. In the “View” tab on the options bar, select “Extra large icons.” (In Windows 10, the “View” menu is in the top bar).

However, you might be seeing generic icons for file types rather than their contents. You can fix this with more settings.

Step 3. Click on the three-dot “Settings” icon next to the “View” tab and select “Options.” (In Windows 10, you need to select “Options” in the View tab).

Step 4. In the “Folder Options” dialog, go to the “View” tab and uncheck “Always show icons, never thumbnails” from the list of options.

Step 5. Click on “Apply,” then on “OK.”

This should make every image, PDF, or Word document load as a thumbnail (albeit in a very limited form). Some files, like Excel tables, won’t get a thumbnail despite being available for preview in the Preview Pane.

Method 3. Using PowerToys Peek to Preview File in Folder

Microsoft has developed an app to expand the basic File Explorer functionalities called PowerToys. It comes with a powerful “Peek” feature that provides an expanded preview by pressing a shortcut.

Step 1. Go to the Microsoft Store (you can search for it via the search bar if you’ve removed it from the toolbar).

Step 2. Search for “powertoys” and select “Microsoft PowerToys” from the list of results.

Step 3. Click on “Install” and wait for the process to finish. The download requires around 400 MB of hard disk space.

Step 4. PowerToys should automatically open. Go to the left-side bar, scroll down, and select “Peek.” The screen will show you the current shortcut for the feature (“Ctrl + Space” by default).

Step 5. If needed, you might need to enable the feature. Click on “Open Settings” in PowerToys to directly go to that setting.

Step 6. In the Settings, you can toggle the Peek feature on or off or change the keyboard shortcut. You can also choose for Peek to close itself when you click away by selecting the second advanced behavior option.

Once Peek is enabled, clicking on a file and pressing the shortcut will bring up a separate “Peek” window for an in-depth preview. You can cycle through the folder with the arrow keys.