Surprisingly, the Windows 10 Photos app is quite functional, although it can be frustratingly slow at times. While it may not be the most advanced tool for photo management, it does offer basic album creation and editing capabilities. However, it's not the only choice available – there are both free and premium alternatives for Windows 10 photo viewers that enhance the default experience with varied features.

Also read: Things to Do Before and After Installing Windows 11

1. IrfanView

IrfanView is one of the most widely used photo viewing applications, capable of opening virtually any image file with an elegant interface. While there is a paid version, the free version likely includes all the features you need for viewing and basic image editing. It also simplifies converting between different file formats.

IrfanView boasts rapid image opening, making it a favorite among users with less powerful computers due to its minimal resource use. Its most celebrated feature is batch processing, allowing you to apply uniform changes to multiple images, including renaming them.

The interface might be considered "old-school," prioritizing simplicity over aesthetics. Yet, it excels at swiftly navigating through your photo collection, enabling searches by filters, and setting up custom folder-based slideshows.

2. Windows 7 Photo Viewer

If the Windows Photos app isn't meeting your needs and you miss the classic Windows Photo Viewer from Windows 7, there's a hidden method to bring it back on Windows 10.

To achieve this, you'll need to access the Registry Editor. The process involves a few intricate steps and modifying several keys, but we've detailed the method right here.

After following the steps, simply right-click an image, select "Open with," then "Choose another app," and pick the newly available Windows Photo Viewer.

You can also check the box at the bottom of the window to "always use this app to open [filetype] files."

And that's it, you're all set!

3. FastStone Image Viewer

If you prefer a more traditional Windows Explorer-like interface, FastStone Image Viewer is an excellent choice. It's one of my top picks among Windows 10 photo viewer alternatives and is completely free.

I appreciate the ability to view folders and sets of images while simultaneously displaying a selected image in a separate frame. It supports most image file types and offers a range of editing tools, including cropping, lighting adjustments, and drawing.

There's also support for importing images from a scanner, if you have one. You can compare up to four images side by side and take screen captures. For a free app, it's hard to beat, often offering more than Photos and similar premium options.

4. Apowersoft Photo Viewer

If you need support for specialized image formats in addition to the standard ones, Apowersoft Photo Viewer might be the better choice over Photos. It supports typical formats like JPG, PNG, and BMP, as well as CorelDraw, PhotoShop, and camera-specific formats. It even handles PDF files.

You can easily rename, change file formats, and perform basic batch edits. Share your photos directly from the app and store them for free in the cloud.

The only drawback is the lack of a folder view option. However, you can see thumbnails of other images in the same folder, and the nearly instant image loading compensates for this. Plus, it's free to use.

Also read: Photos App Not Working in Windows? Here Are the Fixes

5. ImageGlass

ImageGlass provides a modern, customizable interface for viewing your images, making it one of the more visually appealing Windows 10 photo viewer alternatives. This free open-source viewer allows for quick switching between images, far surpassing the speed of Photos.

The latest version supports over 70 image formats, offering broad compatibility.

While it doesn't support folder view, it does display thumbnails of other images in the same folder, which are more effectively presented than in Apowersoft. The slideshow feature is excellent for showcasing photo collections to friends and family.

6. XnView

XnView stands out as one of the more comprehensive Windows 10 photo viewer alternatives, supporting over 500 file formats. While not all are included by default, free add-ons are available to view the formats you need.

It offers folder view and tabbed image browsing, which I particularly enjoy. You can customize your view with thumbnails, filmstrip view, and side-by-side image comparison. A wide array of editing tools is available for adjusting brightness, color, size, format, and applying various filters.

It's free for personal use, though businesses need to purchase a license based on the number of users.

7. Honeyview

Honeyview is one of the simpler Windows 10 photo viewer alternatives, and that simplicity is one of its strengths. Images load quickly, and it supports most popular formats. You can easily set up slideshows using any of the preset options.

While not rich in editing features, it handles basic functions like cropping, rotating, resizing, and changing file types well. It also allows viewing of compressed and archived image formats without extraction.

There's no built-in folder view, but a thumbnail navigation pop-out window lets you see additional files in the current folder. Being completely free is always a plus.

If you're looking for a faster and more user-friendly alternative to Photos, consider trying any of these Windows 10 photo viewer options. For further customization of your Windows 10 experience, check out our list of handy Run commands and learn how to address the notorious 100% CPU usage issue.

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