


How to fix File Explorer preview pane not working in Windows?
Jul 24, 2025 am 02:35 AM1. Make sure the preview pane is enabled: Press the Alt key to open the menu bar, click "View" > "Panal" > "Preview Pane". If it is gray, the current file type is not supported or the system settings are disabled; 2. Check whether the file type is supported: Common formats such as .txt, .docx, etc. are normal, but third-party software may destroy the association. You need to reset the default application to bind to a program that supports preview; 3. Reset the Explorer settings or repair the system files: Enter "Folder Options" and click "Restore to Default Value", or run the sfc /scannow command to repair the system files and restart the computer.
Sometimes the File Explorer preview pane suddenly stops working, which is really a headache. It was originally designed to let us browse the content of the document quickly, but now it shows blank or does not appear on the interface at all.

1. Make sure the preview pane is enabled
Many people actually don’t open the preview pane when they encounter problems. You can press Alt
key to bring up the menu bar and click View > Pane > Preview Pane to make sure it is on.
If you see a gray-in-optional state, it may be that the file type you currently select does not support preview. For example, some compressed packages or files in special formats will not trigger the preview function.
Additionally, some system settings or group policies may disable this feature. You can try to find relevant items in the registry to restore, but remember to back up the registry before operation.
2. Check whether the file type is supported
Not all files can be displayed normally in the preview pane. Common ones such as .txt
, .docx
, .xlsx
, .pptx
, .pdf
(if the corresponding reader is installed) are usually fine.
But if you use third-party software to open these files, it may destroy the preview association. For example, after replacing the default PDF reader, the Explorer may no longer preview the PDF file.
At this time, you can try to reset the default application:

- Open Settings > Apps > Default Apps.
- Find the entry for the corresponding file type and rebind it to Microsoft Edge or other programs that support preview.
3. Reset Explorer settings or repair system files
Sometimes an exception in Windows settings can also cause this problem. You can try the following:
- Open any folder, go to the "View" tab, and click "Options" > "Folder Options".
- Switch to the View tab and click the Restore to Default value button.
This step can clear some custom settings that may conflict.
If it doesn't work, you can run the system file checking tool: - Open a command prompt as administrator, enter
sfc /scannow
and press Enter. - Wait for the scan to complete and restart the computer to see if it recovers.
Basically, these common reasons and solutions are all about them. Although not particularly complicated, it is easy to ignore a small detail, such as file type restrictions or menu not activated.

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