See all your photos

The Photos app in Windows 10 gathers photos from your PC, phone, and other devices, and puts them in one place where you can more easily find what you’re looking for.

To get started, in the search box on the taskbar, type photos and then select the Photos app from the results. Or, press Open the Photos app in Windows.

Find photos fast

Browse your collection by date, album, video projects, people, or folder. Or search to find a specific person, place, or thing. The app recognizes faces and objects in images and adds tags to help you find what you need without endless scrolling. For example, try searching for “beach,” “dog,” or «smile,» or select a face shown in the search pane to see all photos that person is in.

Upload photos automatically

One of the simplest ways to copy all your photos and videos to one place in the Photos app is to set up automatic upload to OneDrive from your mobile device.

Install the OneDrive app on your iOS or Android device. Next, turn on Camera Upload in the settings. The latest photos and videos that you take will automatically start uploading. Once uploaded, they’ll automatically appear in the Photos app on your PC.

Import photos and videos

You can import photos and videos you have stored on a camera’s SD card, a USB drive, or on another device.

Use a USB cable to connect your device to the PC.

In the search box on the taskbar, type photos and then select the Photos app from the results.

Select Import and follow the instructions to import from a folder or a USB device. The app automatically selects items you haven’t imported before, or you can choose what to import.

Note: If you’re using an Android phone and Import isn’t working, you might need to change your phone’s USB setting to allow it to transfer photos.

Help the app find more photos

The Photos app automatically displays the photos and videos in the Pictures folder on your PC and OneDrive. Here’s how to add more source folders to the Pictures folder.

In the search box on the taskbar, type photos and then select the Photos app from the results.

Select More … > Settings .

Under Sources, select Add a folder .

Choose a folder from your PC, an external drive, or a network drive connected to your PC, and then select Add this folder to Pictures to add it to the app. Subfolders of the folders that you add will be included, too.

Windows Photo Viewer in Windows 10 view all photos by date taken

One of the features I loved in Windows 7, was the ability to view photos in different ways, ie. within their folders (by name) or by date which would strip them all out of the folders and enable you to view all of them by date (as per attached view). Great if you couldn’t remember which folder you put them in.

In Windows 10, I can’t seem to find the option to view them that way. I realise the Photos App does it, but my personal preference is viewing the photos in Windows Photo Viewer rather than the App. I loved the simplicity of Windows 7 photo viewer.

Is this view possible at all in the Windows 10 photo viewer, would love to know if it is or how to find it.

Replies (8) 

The feature is still there in Windows 10. Make sure you open Pictures Library instead of Pictures folder.

Open File Explorer, click View > Navigation Pane > Show libraries.

In the navigation pane expand Libraries, click Pictures.

Set the view and group options as desired.

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Thanks for your reply Ramesh, I was hopeful however this would work, but it doesn’t. Regardless of whether viewing in library mode or not, the sort by date feature only sorts the folders by date. It doesn’t pull all the images out of their folders as it did beautifully in Windows 7.

This is particularly helpful when you are searching for photos eg of one person, and it saves you having to go in and out of many folders and enables you to view all images at once. I would do this and then quickly scroll through and tag them all with the persons name.

The other problem. You can view them by date in the new Photos App, but you can not tag them in this app. I am surprised that the Photo App does not have tagging.

You can only tag them in Photo Viewer (but here you can’t view all by date).

I just find it very disappointing when an upgrade (ie Win 7 to 10) actually loses features rather than improves on them.

If I’m missing something, please let me know. Thanks.

15 BEST Photo (Image) Viewer Apps for Windows 10 in 2021

Photo viewer is computer software that can display stored pictures. These tools can handle many common file formats like PNG, BMP, JPG, etc. You can use software to rename, cut, copy, delete, and convert images from one format to another. Many applications enable you to view images in full-screen mode without any hassle.

Following is a handpicked list of Top Image Viewer for Windows, with their popular features and website links. The list contains both open source (free) and commercial (paid) software.

Best Windows 10 Photo (Picture) Viewer Apps & Software

1) ACDSee Ultimate

ACDSee Ultimate is a tool that can find duplicate images from a variety of locations and folders. You can get pictures stored on cloud storage apps like OneDrive or DropBox.

Features:

• Convert massive images into other formats.
• The tool is fully customizable.
• View collection of images by date.
• Wirelessly send images to ACDSee Photo Studio from your mobile.
• Supports HEIF (High-Efficiency Image File Format) file formats.
• Erase unwanted objects in the photo.
• It provides image cropping.
• Automatically correct the exposure levels of any photo.
• Adjust the contrast of any image.
• This software allows you to view files in ZIP format without extraction.

2) Microsoft Photos

Microsoft Photos is image viewer for window OS that enables you to edit photos with no hassle. This software enables you to search photos for places, people, things, and more.

Features:

• You can make images smaller for fast scrolling.
• It has improved navigation and design.
• You can crop, and rotate photos, adjust color, lighting, and more.
• Enables you to fix red eyes and blemishes in photos.
• View photos and albums from all your devices.
• See images as a slideshow.
• Set image as a lock screen image or desktop background.
• This tool automatically arranges photos in a timeline that can be scrollable.
• It supports image formats like BMP, JPEG, JPEG GIF, PNG, and more.

3) Adobe Photoshop Elements

Adobe Photoshop Elements is a tool that enables you to edit, create, manage, and share photos. It allows you to add motion to your static images with just one mouse click.

Features:

• You can add personalized quotes or messages to pictures.
• Allows you to create landscape images with ease.
• Offers customized effects to your photos.
• You can move, scale, or duplicate objects.
• This tool automatically adjusts the position of the human face for a selfie.

4) Movavi Photo Manager

Movavi Photo Manager is a tool for Windows, which enables users to manage digital photo collection. It helps you to edit individual or multiple images for the enhancement. The software also helps you to flip, crop rotate, and resize the photo.

Features:

• It enables you to manage RAW, PNG, JPEG, and many other formats.
• Automatically detects faces in the photo and create an album of each person.
• You can add tags to image files.
• It enables you to find and remove duplicate photos from your hard drive quickly.
• View photos in full-screen mode.
• The software can select visually similar images for you.
• Review automatically created photo albums which are sorted by the company.

5) Apowersoft Photo Viewer

Apowersoft Photo Viewer is an app that provides a free cloud service. It supports numerous image formats like PNG, BMP, JPG, etc. This software comes with a function of processing images in batch.

Features:

• You can share photos instantly with other people.
• View long images with ease.
• Screenshot anything which is there on your screen.
• Offers free cloud space.
• It can also work as a PDF reader app.

6) 123 Photo Viewer

123 Photo Viewer is a tool having a simple user interface. This tool supports the most common image formats like .bmp, gif, .jpg, .jpeg, and many more.

Features:

• Animation formats supported by this software are GIF, PNG, etc.
• You can magnify images.
• Use delete key for fast deletion of any file
• You can use a mouse to drag and drop images to the directory.
• Press ‘ESC’ key to quite from the application.
• 123 Photo Viewer enables you to change the format and rename image in batch.

7) Jalbum

Jalbum is application that enables you to create a photo album website from your images. It allows you to create folders to organize your album with no hassle.

Features:

• You can drag and drop images to this web application.
• A photo album can be uploaded to any website or blog.
• You can customize the presentation.
• Allows you to create or edit templates.
• Supports more than 160 different video formats suitable for web presentation.
• You can adjust any images with Straighten and crop tools.

8) ScanMyPhotos

ScanMyPhotos is a website that enables you to scan and view your photos with ease. This service helps you to enhance your old pictures.

Features:

• Offers photo restoration facility.
• It provides you video transfer service.
• ScanMyPhotos allows you to scan all your photos in bulk.
• You will get fast digitization of your photographs.

9) Google Photos

Google Photos allows you to share photos with friends and family using shared albums. It is one of the best photo viewer for Windows 10 which enables you to make room for more memories.

Features:

• This picture viewer for Windows 10 enables you to get back up unlimited photos, images, and videos for free, up to 16MP.
• This app helps you in the management of phone storage.
• It allows you to access them from any phone, tablet, or computer.
• See your photos automatically organized by the people, places, and things that matter.
• Navigate a lifetime of photos with simple gestures.

10) XnView

XnView is a free image viewer that enables users to open and make changes in photos easily. This Windows photo viewer supports JPEG, TIFF (Tagged Image File Format), PNG, PSD (Photoshop Document), GIF, etc.

Features:

• You can adjust the color of image, resize, and crop it.
• It can find duplicate image
• You can quickly view photos and manage images.
• Rename file in batch.
• Create a slideshow of images.
• Available for mobile phones as well as PC.

11) IrfanView

IrfanView is a compact and free image viewer for Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, and 10. It provides multi-language support. This software enables you to preview images using Thumbnail.

Features:

• This picture viewer for Windows 10 supports multiple undo steps.
• You can cut or crop any image.
• Convert image from one format to another in batch.
• You can save slideshow as SCR or EXE.
• Provides directory view of images.
• It allows you to add a watermark into the image.
• Change color in depth.
• Multipage TIF (Tagged Image Format File) editing is possible.
• You can rotate JPEG files.
• This tool supports OCR tread text from image and export in an editable format.

12) FastStone Image Viewer

FastStone Image Viewer is an image viewer for Windows 10. It supports numerous different image formats. This tool allows you to view photos in a variety of ways, like full screen, thumbnails, etc.

Features:

• It provides a fast and user-friendly photo browser.
• FastStone offers quick access to EXIF (Exchangeable Image File Format) information.
• This tool provides HD magnifier and a musical slideshow with many transactional effects.
• You can drag and drop photos to a directory.
• Add special effects on the image.
• It has a customizable image magnifier.
• This tool has multi-level undo/ redo capability.
• FastStone Image Viewer supports one-touch best fit or actual size display.
• You can compare images side by side.

13) HoneyView

HoneyView is a portable free image viewer. This tool supports operating systems like Windows XP, Vista, 7,8, and 10. You can use it to convert batch photo format conversion with resizing.

Features:

• Supports formats like GIF, JPG, BMP, PNG, and more.
• A portable version is also available.
• It is a freeware software.
• This photo viewer app for Windows 10 allows you to view files in a RAR or ZIP folder without unzipping it.

14) ImageGlass

ImageGlass is a lightweight and versatile image viewing software. It is designed for Microsoft Windows 10, 8, 7 and Vista.

Features:

• This photo viewer app for Windows 10 supports more than 70 file formats.
• You can personalize the software the way you like.
• Switch quickly between images.
• Open-source image viewer that can be used for any purpose.

15) GonVisor

GonVisor is a free sequential image viewer designed for Microsoft Windows. It enables you to view images in the form of a comic book or magazine.

Features:

• This program supports Brazilian, Dutch, English, French, and German, and more languages.
• You can enhance images that are bad taken or scanned.
• You can effortlessly check which comic book you have started reading.
• This Windows 10 photo viewer allows you to sort images and add a description.
• This software enables you to view images quickly.
• Support a full-screen view.
• Adjust image according to the size of your screen.
• Rotate image and save it with a new direction.

16) Nomacs

Nomacs is a free and open source image viewer that supports multiple platforms. It is one of the best photo viewer for Windows 10 that helps you to view all common image formats, including PSD and RAW files. It displays additional information like thumbnails, metadata, and histogram.

Features:

• You can browse images in MS Office files or zip that can be extracted to any directory.
• This image viewer for Windows 10 offers file explorer panel that allows switching between folders.
• You can add notes to the image.
• You can apply filters within the directory.

17) Photo Mechanic

Photo Mechanic is an application that enables you to view, organize, manage, and export digital photos. This tool makes the process of choosing, managing, and adding metadata to your image easier.

Features:

• You can edit any image quickly.
• It is one of the best photo viewer Windows 10 which enables you to copy images from memory cards.
• You can add metadata to the image.
• It has a basic feature that helps you to preview images with ease.
• Contains structured Keyword lists that enable you to add related keywords for searching a file.
• Copy, delete, tag, watermark, rename, and resize the image in batch.
• Geotag images by applying your saved GPS tracking logs.
• Synchronize photos from more than one camera.
• You can view and compare images side by side.

18) DigiKam

DigiKam is an open-source and free image viewer and tag editor written in C++. This tool can work with Operating systems like Linux, Windows, and even macOS. It contains a set of tools that can be used for importing, managing, editing, and sharing photo.

Features:

• You can transfer photos directly from external storage devices like USB sticks, SD cards, etc.
• Process images and publish them to social media.
• Filter album by file name, type, labels, and tags.
• Icon view enables you to display images as a thumbnails and full size.
• Easily compare images.
• You can create image presentation using this Windows 10 photo viewer.
• It enables you to crop, rotate, and flip photos.

19) FastPictureViewer

FastPictureViewer is a software that is developed for photographers with the aim of speeding up the image section. It has a facility to quickly review, rate, and annotate large quantities of pictures.

Features:

• It is one of the best photo viewer Windows 10 that provides full support of 4K and 5K monitors.
• View images in full-screen mode.
• You can press the delete button to simply remove the images.
• Tag, filter by rating, move, or copy images in batch.
• Allows you to sort by folder and file name.

⚡ Which are the Best Photo Viewing Apps for Windows 10?

Following are some of the best photo viewing apps for Windows 10:

• ACDSee Ultimate
• Microsoft Photos
• Adobe Photoshop Elements
• Movavi Photo Manager
• Apowersoft Photo Viewer
• 123 Photo Viewer
• Google Photos

💻 How to set default Photo Viewer in Windows 10?

Below are the steps to set the default photo viewer of your choice in Windows 10:

1. First, make sure you have installed the photo viewer you want to set as default on your computer
2. On the desktop, press “Win + I”
3. Navigate to the Default Apps > Photo viewer
4. Press the left click on Photos, and you will see the list of Photo viewing apps
5. Select the app you want to set as default
6. Your desired app will be set as default to view photos

✅ How to select the Best Photo Viewer for Windows 10?

To select the best photo viewer for Windows 10, we should consider the following factors:

• GUI and User Experience
• Usability and Compatibility
• File formats supported
• Tools and functionalities offered
• How photos are organized
• Ease of finding images
• Sharing options
• Album creation
• Basic editing, filters, and tagging features
• Cloud compatibility