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ArkansasQuapaw's avatar
ArkansasQuapaw
Iron Contributor
Apr 16, 2026

Windows 11 File Thumbnails Not Showing—Only Icons

All my pictures and videos show generic icons instead of thumbnails in Windows 11 File Explorer. I’ve checked settings—still broken.  
Cainy's avatar
Cainy
Brass Contributor
Apr 22, 2026

The issue where generic icons are displayed instead of thumbnails for pictures and videos in Windows 11 File Explorer is often caused by a problem with the Windows Imaging Component (WIC) or the thumbnail preview handlers.