Windows 11: how to display full folder thumbnails
Folders in Windows 11 show a preview of the files they contain when certain folder views are enabled. This is the case for the medium, large, and extra large icon views, as well as the views tiles and content.
Windows 11 displays a cut-off preview of one of the files, which you may dislike because it may get harder to identify files.
The operating system comes without options to change this. Good news is that third-party apps come to the rescue to modify the default view.
Restore folder thumbnails in Windows 11
FolderThumbnailFix is an open source tool that changes a single file in Windows 11. This file is responsible for cutting off the thumbnails that folders show in the operating system.
Word of warning: While we did not notice any issues using the program, it is recommended to either backup the original file in question or create a system restore point or system backup before using the application. The developer notes furthermore that some antivirus apps may falsely flag the app as malicious.
Here is what happens behind the scenes. The file C:\Windows\SystemResources\imageres.dll.mun is responsible for cutting off thumbnails displayed in folder icons. The application in question modifies the file to add transparency to the folder icon. With transparency in place, folder thumbnails are shown in full.
It uses the excellent Resource Hacker for that.
Installation
Installation is straightforward and requires just a few steps:
- Download the latest version of FolderThumbnailFix.zip from the GitHub repository.
- Extract the archive to the local system.
- Right-click on FolderThumbnaiFix.exe after extraction and select properties from the context menu.
- Check the "unblock" box under security.
- Click on apply and then ok.
- Double-click on the executable file to run it.
- Select the full thumbnail style.
- Confirm the action in the security prompt by selecting yes.
- Restart the PC.
- Repeat the steps from 7, but without the restart in the end, if you do not see any change.
The application makes the modification mentioned above. You can undo the change at any time by running the application again and selecting the default view when prompted to make a choice.
FolderThumbnailFix can't make the change when the Windows file imageres.dll.mun is in use. The developer suggests to retry the process in that case.
Closing Words
Whether the application is useful or not depends largely on the view modes that you use in File Explorer and whether you prefer a full preview of files in folders.
What is your preference? Do you display files and folders as icons in File Explorer, or prefer a different view? Let us know in the comments. (via Deskmodder)
Another way to waste time.
Here’s the file it replaces with a blank after it has taken ownership of the file. https://images2.imgbox.com/a1/35/e1AvS4Mv_o.png
Do note that imageres.dll.mun can be replaced/updated during a Windows Update, so this will have to be done again when that happens.
Just right click the folder and select properties then move to the customize tab and click the ‘change icon’ button. Then browse for whatever icon you want to use.
I create custom icons from images off the web in a few easy steps using IcoFX. I also use the (free) Dooffy icon pack for 3D alphanumeric icons.
https://www.iconarchive.com/show/characters-icons-by-dooffy.html
@Tachy
You missed the point. Your solution does not make the front of the folder icon transparent. Ever. This replaces the front.png with a transparent one. Great for large music collections that have the album art named Folder.jpg inside each album folder. Not so great if all your folders include big bare boobies.
Ripe to be undone by future MSFT Cumulative Updates :-|
I’ll pass on that..
That’s right. I’ve been bitten by it too many times and I finally gave up almost one year ago and moved to Linux Mint and have been with it ever since.
Every update Microsoft releases resets some settings and reinstalls undesirable features like Edge and others. Back when I used Windows, I was able to delete Edge and even Windows Security/Defender to a point where they can’t really be reinstalled, except maybe Edge, but I was thinking in retrospect about this:
– when I used XP, Vista or 7, I did not have to spend 1-2 hours post-installation to set up what I needed in terms of system settings, everything was already there as it should, only in 7 I had to disable User Account Control, but that took but a second
– since Windows 8, I had to spend over an hour or two just disabling various things and installing numerous 3rd party replacements, like OpenShell or some other things that weren’t needed prior to Windows 8, now they are an absolute must
Now I look at these “pathetic” solutions to problems within Windows and it makes me laugh on the inside how are these stupid things even problems in the first place and it always ends up that the solution is using some obscure hack and not done through the UI and built into the OS.
At this point Windows has become such an inferior OS, both to its previous versions and to Linux, the only thing it has going for itself is the software and hardware support, if that wasn’t the case, I can see a lot more people moving away from Windows.
In the past 10 years, the Linux world market share has risen by about 2-3% from 1-2 to 3-4 and it keeps growing, hopefully in the near future it will reach 10%, which will really put Linux on the map. And thanks to Valve and Proton, it has become really easy to play all kinds of Windows-only games on Linux.