Windows Registry Key for Explorer Thumbnail Previews

Windows File Explorer allows users to view thumbnail previews of images, videos, and documents instead of generic file icons. This behavior is governed by specific Windows Registry values—primarily the IconsOnly value in the user settings and the DisableThumbnails value in system policies. Modifying these entries directly through the Registry Editor allows you to enable or disable thumbnail previews across the operating system.

Primary Registry Entry: IconsOnly

The primary setting that mirrors the “Always show icons, never thumbnails” option in File Explorer Options is the IconsOnly DWORD value.

• Registry Path:
  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
• Value Name: IconsOnly
• Value Type: REG_DWORD
• Value Data:
  • 0 = Enabled (Windows shows thumbnail previews)
  • 1 = Disabled (Windows shows standard icons only, never thumbnails)

Policy Registry Entry: DisableThumbnails

If thumbnail settings are managed globally or enforced via Group Policy, the behavior is controlled by the DisableThumbnails value.

• User Policy Path:
  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
• Machine Policy Path:
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
• Value Name: DisableThumbnails
• Value Type: REG_DWORD
• Value Data:
  • 0 (or deleted) = Enabled (Thumbnails are displayed)
  • 1 = Disabled (Thumbnails are turned off system-wide)

How to Modify the Setting in Regedit

1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.

2. Navigate to:

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

3. Locate IconsOnly in the right pane. If it does not exist, right-click an empty area, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it IconsOnly.

4. Double-click IconsOnly and set the Value data to 0 to show thumbnails, or 1 to show icons only.

5. Click OK.

Applying the Changes

Registry changes to File Explorer do not always take effect immediately. To apply the new configuration without restarting your computer:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Locate Windows Explorer in the Processes tab.
3. Right-click Windows Explorer and select Restart.