Resolve 'Photos Cannot Preview or Open' Error in Windows 10/8/7

Why Aren't My JPG Photos Opening?

"Does anyone know how to fix JPG images that won't open with the Photos App on Windows 10?"

I have some photos saved in the Pictures folder on Windows 10, and they are all in .JPG or .JPEG format. This morning, I attempted to open these photos using the Photos App, but it didn't work. They also didn't open with any other image viewer. Can anyone tell me why my JPG photos aren't opening and how to resolve this issue?

Although the issue of photos not being able to preview or open is no longer a novel problem, it continues to frustrate a significant number of individuals. Do you understand the reasons behind photos not opening or being unable to be previewed?

Here is a list of reasons why photos might not be opening: 1. Incorrect File Format: The photo might be in an unsupported file format, which your device or software cannot recognize. 2. Corrupted File: The image file could be damaged or corrupted, preventing it from being opened. 3. Outdated Software: Your image viewer or editing application might be outdated and lacks compatibility with certain file types. 4. Incomplete Download/Transfer: If the photo was downloaded or transferred incompletely, it may be missing essential data required to open. 5. Missing Codec: Some image formats require specific codecs for viewing, and if your system doesn't have them, the photo won't open. 6. Insufficient Storage: Low storage space on your device can cause issues while attempting to open large image files. 7. Virus/Malware: A virus or malware infection could have damaged the photo file or affected the software used to open it. 8. Incorrect Extension: The file extension might not match the actual image format, leading to confusion for the software. 9. Password Protected: The photo might be password-protected, and you need the correct credentials to access it. 10. Compatibility Issues: The image was created using specific software that your current program cannot handle. To resolve these issues, try different image viewers, update your software, scan for malware, or check the file's properties and integrity.

1. Photos are corrupted or damaged
2. Photo format is not supported
3. Photo viewer is outdated
4. Mobile phone photos are encrypted

Check Photo States and Find Appropriate Solutions

Some of you might be curious about how to identify unopenable photos and find the appropriate solutions. Keep reading, as we'll guide you through the process to make all your photos accessible for viewing and reuse once more.

If your photos are corrupted or damaged, as displayed below, you'll require a dependable photo repair tool, such as the Fixo Photo Repair Tool, which offers a repair feature (found in Method 1) to assist you.

If file formats are unsupported or the Photo Viewer is outdated, as shown below, you can resolve this issue by converting the photo format (in Method 2) or updating Windows Photo Viewer (in Method 3).
• If file formats are not supported or the Photo Viewer is outdated, as demonstrated below, you can opt to convert the photo's format (in Method 2) or update the Windows Photo Viewer (in Method 3) to address the problem.

Method 1: Repair Corrupted or Damaged Photos using Photo Repair Software

If you search for photo repair software or picture repair tool online, you will be overwhelmed with numerous results. Some of these tools are advertised as being 100% free, while others boast support for repairing multiple image formats.

However, most image repair tools only support to repair corrupted photos with JPG, JPEG, GIF, etc., formats saved on computer or external storage devices.

Great news! The tools R&D team has recently introduced an excellent addition to the tools collection -工具 Fixo Photo Repair. This amazing product enables you to repair corrupted pictures with just a few simple steps.

The process is identical to the file recovery process:

Step 1. Launch Fixo on your computer. Select "Photo Repair" to fix photos that won't open, are partially missing, or have similar issues. Click "Add Photos" to select the corrupted images.

Step 2. You can repair multiple photos at once by clicking the "Repair All" button. If you wish to repair a single photo, hover your pointer over the targeted photo and select "Repair."

Step 3. You can click on the eye icon to preview the photos and click "Save" to save a selected photo. Choose "Save All" to save all the repaired images. Click "View Repaired" to locate the folder where the repaired images are stored.

Upon completion of the recovery process, you can save the repaired corrupted images to another secure location on your computer. Following this, you can reopen these pictures using your photo viewing application.

Method 2: Alter and Transform Photo Formats

If the photo viewer application alerts you that it doesn't support the image format, you can alter the photo's extension to JPEG, TIFF, or PNG, and so on.

Step 1. Find the specific photos or pictures that won't open, right-click on them, and select "Rename."

Step 2. Alter the photo's file extension to .jpg, .jpeg, .png, or .tiff, etc.

Then you should be able to open, review, and reuse the photos on your computer again.

Method 3: Update Photos Viewer

If your photo viewing application is outdated, you can check for and install the latest update. This will allow you to use your photo application to view images once again.

Here's a step-by-step guide for Windows Photo Viewer users to install the latest update: 1. **Ensure Windows Updates are Enabled:** - Open the Start menu, type "Settings" and click on the Settings app. - In the Settings window, choose "Update & Security." - Under the "Windows Update" tab, make sure that the option "Receive updates for other Microsoft products when you update Windows" is checked. 2. **Check for Available Updates:** - Click on the "Check for updates" button. Windows will now search for any available updates, including those for Windows Photo Viewer. 3. **Install Updates:** - If an update for Windows Photo Viewer is found, it will be included in the list of available updates. Click on "Download" or "Install updates" to start the process. - Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation. You may need to restart your computer for the changes to take effect. 4. **Manually Downloading the Update (if necessary):** - If the update doesn't appear through Windows Update, you can visit the Microsoft Update Catalog website (https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com) to search for specific updates related to Windows Photo Viewer. - Enter "Windows Photo Viewer" in the search bar and hit Enter. - Locate the latest update, select it, and click on "Add." Then, click on "Download" to download the update package. - Once downloaded, double-click the downloaded file to initiate the installation process. 5. **Verify the Update:** - After installing the update, open Windows Photo Viewer to ensure it has been updated successfully. - Check for any new features, performance improvements, or bug fixes mentioned in the update release notes. Remember that Windows Photo Viewer is not the default photo viewer in newer versions of Windows, so you might need to set it as the default manually if it isn't already. To do this: - Right-click on any image file, choose "Open with," then select "Choose another app." - Scroll down and check the box "Always use this app to open .jpg files," then choose "Windows Photo Viewer" from the list. - Click "OK" to confirm the change. That's it! Your Windows Photo Viewer should now be updated and ready to use with the latest features and improvements.

Step 1. Go to Settings, click on "Update & Security," and then navigate to Windows Update.

Step 2. Click "Check for updates." If the Photo Viewer icon appears after checking for Windows updates, check the box next to it.

Step 3. Click "Install Updates" to install the latest update.

During the installation process, restart your PC. Afterwards, you'll be able to use the application to open photos once again.

Method 4: Remove Encryption from Images

If the photos have been transferred from a mobile phone to a computer and they cannot be opened, it is likely due to encryption.

通常，手机上的照片会被加密，不允许用户在电脑上打开和使用。要查看这些照片，你需要先解除加密：

Step 1. Right-click on the photos and select "Properties."

Step 2. Go to the General tab and click on "Advanced."

Step 3. Deselect the "Encrypt Contents to Secure Data" option and click "OK" to confirm.

By implementing the solutions provided on this page, you will be able to effectively address the issue of unable to view or open photos.

To safeguard your cherished memories, we recommend creating a backup of all significant photos and storing them securely. This way, if you accidentally lose photos or encounter corruption, you can promptly restore them from the backup.

Additionally, if you don't have a backup, don't worry. The Fixo Photo Repair tool can repair corrupted photos in just three simple steps, as demonstrated in Method 1.