The Preview Pane is a useful feature in Windows 10 that allows users to see a preview of the content of a file without actually opening it. However, sometimes the Preview Pane may stop working, which can be frustrating for many users. Here are some ways to fix the Preview Pane not working in Windows 10.

1. Restart Windows Explorer

The first and simplest way to fix the Preview Pane not working is to restart Windows Explorer. To do this, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager. Then, under the Processes tab, locate Windows Explorer, right-click on it, and click on Restart.

2. Clear Temporary Files

Sometimes temporary files can cause issues with the Preview Pane. To clear temporary files, press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box. Then, type in %temp% and press Enter. This will open the Temp folder. Delete all the files and folders in this folder.

3. Clear Thumbnail Cache

The thumbnail cache is a database of thumbnail images used by Windows to display previews of files. If the thumbnail cache is corrupted, it can prevent the Preview Pane from working. To clear the thumbnail cache, open the Run dialog box again and type in the following command: cleanmgr /d C:

This will launch the Disk Cleanup tool. Select the drive where Windows 10 is installed and click on OK. Then, select the Thumbnails checkbox and click on OK to clear the thumbnail cache.

4. Disable Shell Extensions

Sometimes shell extensions can interfere with the Preview Pane. To disable shell extensions, download ShellExView from NirSoft. Launch the program and sort the entries by Type. Then, select all the Context Menu and Icon Overlay entries and disable them by right-clicking on them and selecting Disable Selected Items. Restart Windows Explorer to see if the Preview Pane is working.

5. Disable Third-Party Antivirus or Firewall

Third-party antivirus or firewall software can sometimes block the Preview Pane from working correctly. Disable your antivirus or firewall temporarily to see if the Preview Pane starts working. If it does, then you may need to adjust the settings of your antivirus or firewall to allow Windows to use the Preview Pane.