Bring the old Windows Photo Viewer back in Windows 10

Notes:

• Thanks to Edwin from TenForums!
• This guide may/should be valid for fresh Windows 10 installation only.

Steps:

1) Copy the below code, paste into Notepad and save as registry file (e.g. photoviewer.reg)

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTApplicationsphotoviewer.dll]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTApplicationsphotoviewer.dllshell]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTApplicationsphotoviewer.dllshellopen]
"MuiVerb"="@photoviewer.dll,-3043"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTApplicationsphotoviewer.dllshellopencommand]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,
00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,72,00,75,00,
6e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,
00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,
25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,
00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,
6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,
00,22,00,2c,00,20,00,49,00,6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,
5f,00,46,00,75,00,6c,00,6c,00,73,00,63,00,72,00,65,00,65,00,6e,00,20,00,25,
00,31,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTApplicationsphotoviewer.dllshellopenDropTarget]
"Clsid"="{FFE2A43C-56B9-4bf5-9A79-CC6D4285608A}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTApplicationsphotoviewer.dllshellprint]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTApplicationsphotoviewer.dllshellprintcommand]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,
00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,72,00,75,00,
6e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,
00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,
25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,
00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,
6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,
00,22,00,2c,00,20,00,49,00,6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,
5f,00,46,00,75,00,6c,00,6c,00,73,00,63,00,72,00,65,00,65,00,6e,00,20,00,25,
00,31,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTApplicationsphotoviewer.dllshellprintDropTarget]
"Clsid"="{60fd46de-f830-4894-a628-6fa81bc0190d}"

2) Double click the saved registry file (may prompted for security check).

3) Browse any image file in explorer, right click and point to “Open with > Choose another app”

4) Choose or look for Windows Photo Viewer, check the “Always use this app to open…”.

5) Finally, hit the “OK” button. That’s all 🙂