PDF Preview Not Working | 6 Tested Methods

Windows has a handy feature that lets you peek inside files like PDFs, videos, and photos directly from File Explorer without opening them. 

However, you might have to see the previews of your PDFs, but the PDF preview is not working. This is annoying and makes your tasks more difficult.

Here are some of the reasons why your PDF preview is not working:

• 🚫The sеttings that lеt you sее prеviеws arеn't turnеd on or off corrеctly.
• ❌The program you use to read PDFs might not show small pictures of the files.
• ⚠️The PDF reader program might be outdated.
• ☹️The PDF itself could be corrupted or broken.
• 💻You haven't set the PDF reader that supports thumbnail preview as the default PDF reader.

Fix 1. Solve PDF Preview Not Working by Repairing Damaged PDFs

If you're having trouble opening a PDF file, EaseUS Fixo Document Repair can help. This tool is great for fixing PDFs that are not working because they were not downloaded properly, got a virus, or got messed up while being sent.

It's one of the best PDF repair tools that can fix many problems with PDF files. Sometimes, you might see a message saying the file is broken, the PDF might be blank, have mixed-up text, or show 0kb PDFs. That's when you need this tool.

This is super helpful for people who work with lots of PDFs, students who use e-books, or anyone who cares a lot about their files.

Using this software is easy. You just upload the PDF that's not working, and the tool will fix it quickly. You don't have to worry about complicated steps.

Check the following simple steps and repair corrupt PDF files now with EaseUS pdf fixer:

Step 1. Download and launch Fixo on your PC or laptop. Choose "File Repair" to repair corrupted Office documents, including Word, Excel, PDF, and others. Click "Add Files" to select corrupted documents.

Step 2. To repair multiple files at once, click the "Repair All" button. If you want to repair a single document, move your pointer to the target file and choose "Repair". You can also preview the documents by clicking the eye icon.

Step 3. Click "Save" to save a selected document. Select "Save All" to save all the repaired files. Choose "View Repaired" to locate the repaired folder.

Share this piece on social media and help others who might have the same problem with their PDF files.

Fix 2. Enable Preview Pane to Fix PDF Preview Not Working

If you don't see the preview bar in the File Explorer at all, it's possible that you have disabled the Preview pane. Check the following guide and enable the Preview pane again.

Step 1. Open File Explorer: You can do this by pressing "Win" + "E" on your keyboard.

Step 2. Next, click on "View"> "Show"> "Preview Pane". This will turn on the preview feature for your files.

Then, you'll see the PDF files can be previewed in the Preview pane.

Fix 3. Solve PDF Preview Issue in File Explorer Options

If PDF previews aren't appearing, just show the PDF icon; you might need to change some settings. To solve this, check that the options for thumbnails and the preview handler are enabled in File Explorer.

⭐PDF or other files just show icons, not thumbnails：

Step 1. Open File Explorer in Windows.

Step 2. Click the three dots at the top and choose "Options".

Step 3. Go to the "View" tab and make sure the "Show preview handlers in the preview pane" option is checked.

Step 4. Uncheck the "Always show icons, never thumbnails" option.

Step 5. Click "Apply" and then "OK". If you have checked this section, you may encounter image thumbnails not showing.

⭐PDF preview not available: Repeat the above steps and make sure "Show preview handlers in preview pane" is checked.

The above methods are effective for most users, and you can share this passage on social media to help more readers solve PDFs that do not preview in File Explorer.

Fix 4. Adjust Best Appearance for PDF Preview Panel

If you set your system to focus on performance, you might run into an error with the preview pane. Changing the settings to favor appearance instead of performance can fix this issue.

Here's how to adjust it:

Step 1. Click on "Windows".

Step 2. Go to "Settings", then Select "System".

Step 3. Click on "About".

Step 4. Choose "Advanced system settings". Under the "Advanced" tab, click on "Settings".

Step 5. Select "Adjust for best appearance"> "Apply".

Step 6. Click "OK" to finish. This should help fix any preview pane problems and make everything look nice.

By the way, if you tried to adjust the settings and the PDF is still not previewed, you should try to open the PDF files. If the PDF won't open, try the PDF repair tool instead.

Fix 5. Troubleshoot PDF Preview Not Available by Changing Default Open App

You might be facing the preview pane error if your default PDF software is not compatible with this feature.

Changing the default PDF opening software may resolve the issue with the following steps:

Step 1. Right-click on the PDF file in File Explorer. Move the cursor to "Open With" and click "Choose another app."

Step 2. In the popup window, you must checkmark the "Always use this app to open PDF files" and select any other preferable app, then click "OK".

Fix 6. Change Another Workable PDF Previewer

If the Preview Pane in File Explorer isn't working for your PDFs and the other tips don't help, you might want to use a new tool to see your PDFs. You should download some reliable PDF readers to help you open and preview most PDF files.

You can download Adobe Acrobat Reader and Foxit PDF Reader. These two PDF tools are handy and have user-friendly interfaces. They don't cost anything and are good at showing PDF previews.

Unable to Preview PDFs FAQs

Here are some of the answers to the common queries on PDF Preview is not working

1. How do I fix the PDF preview not working in Outlook?

If you want to fix the PDF preview not working in Outlook, try these steps:

• Ensure your PDF reader is up-to-date
• Make Adobe Acrobat or another PDF reader the default for previews
• If you have PowerToys installed, disable its PDF preview feature
• Remove temporary files that may be causing issues
• Reinstall PDF Reader: If all else fails, reinstall your PDF reader software

2. How can I enable the preview pane in File Explorer?

• Open "File Explorer."
• Select the "View" tab, then click "Show" from the menu.
• Choose the "Preview Pane."
• You'll see the Preview Pane show up on the right side of the File Explorer window.

3. Why is the preview pane not working for PDF files in Windows 11?

• The thumbnail and preview pane options might not be enabled in File Explorer
• The PDF reader installed on your system could be outdated and not support the preview feature
• Your default PDF software may not be compatible with the preview pane feature
• The PDF files themselves could be corrupt, which can cause issues with the preview pane.
• There might be conflicts with other software that interfere with the preview pane functionality.
• Corrupted system files or incorrect file associations could be preventing the preview pane from working properly
• If your system is set to prioritize performance over appearance, it might disable the preview pane feature.

Summary

If you're struggling with PDF previews not showing in Windows 11, remember that solutions are at hand.

From enabling your preview pane to changing another workable PDF previewer, these fixes can restore your workflow. 

For stubborn files that resist opening, EaseUS Fixo Document Repair is your solution. It's a powerful tool that repairs damaged PDFs. This ensures you regain access to your important documents.