Discover the Best Free Photo Viewer Apps for Windows in 2022

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Image Glass - The Open Source Image Viewer
3. Picture Flick - A Modern Picture Viewer
4. One Two Three Photo View - Fluent Design at its Best
5. FastStone Image Viewer - Google Picasa's Superior Alternative
6. IrfanView - Simple, Efficient, and Reliable
7. XnView - Tabbed Browsing with Multiple Layouts
8. DigiKam - The Ultimate Image Viewer for Professionals
9. Conclusion
10. FAQs

Introduction

With the release of Windows 11, the Photos app has become even more powerful, offering users a wide range of features. However, like any software, it is not without its flaws. If You're looking for a good alternative to the default Photos app, this article is for you. We will be discussing seven of the best photo viewers that you can use on your Windows 10 or 11 PC. These apps provide a fantastic interface, extensive file support, a thriving open-source community, and the most important aspect - stability. So, let's dive in and explore the alternatives to the default Photos app on your PC.

Image Glass - The Open Source Image Viewer

Image Glass is a highly recommended open-source image viewer that offers a simple, neat, and user-friendly interface. It supports over 70 different image formats, including GIF, SVG, HDIC, and even RAW images. One of the standout features of Image Glass is its lightweight nature, ensuring it doesn't burden your system resources. Additionally, all the image information is displayed neatly in the title bar, allowing for easy access. You can even customize the viewer with various themes, making it visually appealing.

Picture Flick - A Modern Picture Viewer

If you're looking for a modern picture viewer built on the UWP framework, Picture Flick is the perfect choice. It supports a wide range of image formats, including JPEG, PNG, WebP, RAW, and more, with GIF support as well. The user interface is sleek and modern, complementing the Windows 11 UI. Picture Flick also offers customization options, allowing you to personalize the look and feel of the viewer. Although the app has an inbuilt photo editor behind a paywall, the free version is more than sufficient for most users.

One Two Three Photo View - Fluent Design at its Best

One Two Three Photo View is another impressive photo viewer Based on UWP. It boasts a fluent design language that perfectly aligns with the aesthetic of Windows 11. The viewer supports various image formats and comes with plenty of keyboard shortcuts for enhanced user convenience. The only downside to One Two Three Photo View is that the rich animations may lead to slight sluggishness on low-resource systems. Nonetheless, it remains an outstanding tool that you must try.

FastStone Image Viewer - Google Picasa's Superior Alternative

FastStone Image Viewer is similar to Google's discontinued Picasa image viewer, but with significant improvements. It supports a vast number of image formats, including JPEG, GIF, PNG, RAW, and even PSDs for Photoshop. The user interface resembles that of Windows Explorer, making it intuitive to use. Additionally, FastStone Image Viewer offers preview options without opening the images in full view. With comprehensive options and features, this viewer provides a seamless experience for users.

IrfanView - Simple, Efficient, and Reliable

IrfanView is a well-known and highly efficient photo viewer that has garnered a dedicated user base over the years. It is straightforward but incredibly reliable. Upon installation, you will find two shortcuts - "Add One View" and "Thumbnails." The former displays your thumbnails, while the latter opens the images in the real tool. IrfanView also supports batch editing, slideshows, and the ability to change EXIF data, making it a versatile option for users.

XnView - Tabbed Browsing with Multiple Layouts

XnView is an image viewer that works similarly to FastStone but also offers tabbed browsing. This allows you to view multiple images simultaneously, enhancing your productivity. With support for over 500 image formats, XnView offers extensive compatibility. The viewer provides basic editing tools, such as rotation, resizing, and cropping, alongside multiple layout options to cater to your preferences and enhance your viewing experience.

DigiKam - The Ultimate Image Viewer for Professionals

DigiKam is a professional software widely used by photographers due to its advanced features and exceptional functionality. Upon installation, you can set up your library, and DigiKam will automatically fetch and organize all your photos, including raw files and videos, into albums. The viewer offers powerful searching capabilities, allowing you to search your photo library based on tags, labels, ratings, location, and even specific EXIF information or XMP metadata. If you're a professional photographer, DigiKam is a must-have app for your PC.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the default Photos app on Windows 11 is undoubtedly powerful, but it's not without its drawbacks. These alternative photo viewers provide an array of features, exceptional stability, and an overall impressive user experience. Whether you're a casual user or a professional photographer, there is an option on this list that will meet your needs. Consider trying out one of these photo viewers and enhance your image viewing experience on your Windows PC.

FAQs

Q: Can I customize the theme of Image Glass? A: Yes, Image Glass allows you to personalize the viewer with various themes to suit your preferences.

Q: Does Picture Flick offer a free photo editor? A: While Picture Flick does have an inbuilt photo editor, it is behind a paywall. However, the free version of the app should suffice for most users.

Q: Is IrfanView a stable and reliable photo viewer? A: Absolutely. IrfanView is known for its stability and efficiency, making it a popular choice among users.

Q: Does XnView support tabbed browsing? A: Yes, XnView offers tabbed browsing, allowing you to view multiple images simultaneously for enhanced productivity.

Q: Is DigiKam suitable for professional photographers? A: Yes, DigiKam is highly recommended for professional photographers due to its advanced features and robust functionality. It organizes photos, raw files, and videos into albums, and provides powerful searching capabilities based on various criteria such as tags, ratings, and metadata.