The most common program for viewing images. What programs are there for viewing pictures and photographs?

Often we need to view photographs or other images on the computer. This could be a home photo album, or various materials for professional activities. When choosing a specific program for viewing images, each user relies on his personal needs and preferences.

Let's look at the pros and cons of various applications for viewing graphic file formats to decide which program is best for you.

One of the most popular programs for working with digital images is Faststone Image Viewer. It has gained popularity due to its versatility and support for a large number of formats. In this application you can not only view photos, but also edit them. There is a built-in file manager. Faststone Image Viewer is completely free for non-commercial use.

The disadvantages include the relatively large size of the program and a certain complexity in management. But these disadvantages are incomparable with the advantages of the product.

XnView

The XnView image viewer is very similar in functionality to the application described above. But, unlike it, it can work not only on computers with operating Windows system, but also on other platforms. This program has extensive plugin support. In addition, XnView allows you not only to view images, but also to play audio and video files.

The application has few disadvantages. These include a large number of functions that are not needed by the average user, and a lot of weight.

IrfanView

Irfan View differs from previous programs in that this application, having almost the same capabilities, weighs very little.

True, not every user will like the rather ascetic interface design. In addition, to Russify IrfanView you will need to make additional efforts by installing a plugin.

Imagine

A distinctive feature of the Imagine program is its extremely light weight (less than 1 MB). At the same time, all the basic functions that are present in image viewers and editors are available in it.

But it is worth noting that some features that more “heavy” programs have are not available in Imagine. This product runs on Windows OS, including Windows 10, but does not function on other platforms.

Picasa

The cross-platform Picasa application, in addition to functions for viewing and editing images, has extensive social capabilities for exchanging photos between users. This viewer has a unique feature that allows you to identify people's faces in photographs.

The main drawback of the program is that Google, its developer, announced the end of support for Picas, that is, the project is currently closed.

ACDSee

ASDSi has wider functionality than the above programs. It has additional capabilities for working with cameras, and also uses advanced integration into the Explorer menu.

At the same time, in official version ACDSee lacks Russification. Additionally, unlike the above applications, full version paid.

FastPictureViewer

The main feature of FastPictureViewer is the ability to use hardware acceleration and other advanced technologies for faster processing of “heavy” photos. In addition, the program has advanced color reproduction capabilities, making it one of the best for viewing high-definition images.

At the same time, the developers, focusing on playback quality, abandoned additional functionality. In particular, FastPictureViewer cannot perform even light image editing. The free use of the program is limited.

Zoner Photo Studio

Zoner Photo Studio has a completely different focus. This is a real combine for working with digital photographs. In addition to viewing photos, the application has advanced capabilities for editing, processing and organizing them. The program also supports working with non-graphic multimedia formats.

Among the disadvantages are rather complicated controls, especially for beginners. You can use it for free for only 1 month.

Ashampoo Photo Commander

Ashampoo Photo Commander is another combine for working with photographs, which has a fairly large set of functions for processing them. Unlike Zoner Photo Studio, the operation of this product is more intuitive for the average user.

Disadvantages include the very large size of the program. The application has a limited period of free use.

Universal Viewer

A special feature of Universal Viewer is that it supports playback of various file formats, not just graphic ones (video, audio, text, etc.). The application has fairly simple controls.

But the file playback capabilities of this universal program are still more limited than those of specialized solutions.

PSD Viewer

PSD Viewer differs from other viewers in that it supports displaying PSD files, which most similar products cannot do.

However, unlike Universal Viewer, PSD Viewer supports viewing a very limited number of graphic formats. In addition to images in PSD, and some other graphic formats created specifically for Adobe Photoshop, this program Can't reproduce other images. PSD Viewer does not have a Russian-language interface.

We have reviewed the most popular programs to view photos. As you can see, they are quite diverse, which allows the user to choose the application that best suits his tastes and tasks.

Now let's see what to use to view images on a computer, and choose the best photo viewers for Windows. The best photo viewer is a subjective concept, so in this article I will offer several applications that can be used to open popular graphic formats for viewing and processing images.

Any user, when working on a computer, inevitably encounters pictures, images, photographs. In any case, graphic format files will end up on your computer, so you will need a program to open and view them. Therefore, you need a photo viewer on your computer to easily view digital images.

Windows 10 has a built-in Photos application, with which you can open a graphic file, create an album, make the necessary changes to a photo, etc. previous versions Windows used the Windows Image Viewer application. The user can install Windows Picture Viewer in Windows 10, in addition to the Photos program.

Exists free application Photo Gallery, part of the core components of Windows Live. The photo album supports opening and editing photos. The program must be installed on your computer (it is not included in the OS).

In addition to Microsoft applications, a large number of third-party programs have been created for viewing and editing images. In this article we will look at the best free image viewer programs that have many additional built-in tools for working with files in graphic formats.

Third-party photo viewers (viewers) can be used on your computer as an alternative to standard Windows tools. As the best free programs to view images, I recommend paying attention to the following programs: FastStone Image Viewer, XnView, IrfanView, Ashampoo Photo Commander Free, Honeyview. These programs work in Russian in operating system Windows.

These applications, in addition to basic functions, have tools for image editing. For more serious picture editing, you will need another program - an image editor (photo).

The best photo viewers, in addition to the viewing function, have additional features necessary for working with images on a computer. The programs have built-in tools to perform various operations with digital photographs or any other images: rotate, resize, remove red-eye, swatch, color correction, convert to other formats, send for printing, etc.

The free Picasa program (which would have been included in this review) was left out of the scope of this review due to the fact that Google stopped developing and supporting the application in 2016.

FastStone Image Viewer

FastStone Image Viewer is a powerful free program for viewing and processing images with a simple, intuitive interface. Built-in tools will help the user solve certain problems with photography: remove red-eye, change image size, apply color correction, convert files, etc.

A regular version of FastStone Image Viewer or a portable version of the program that does not require installation on a computer is available for download.

Key features of FastStone Image Viewer:

Opening graphic files of major formats
Editing digital photos and graphics files
A large number of built-in tools for working with images
Batch file processing
Batch conversion to another format
Creating a slide show with transitions and effects
Preview function

XnView

XnView is a free program (for non-commercial use) for viewing images, multimedia files, and converting files to other formats. This is a high-quality program for managing photos on your computer. Thanks to the support of a large number of formats, in XnView, in addition to working with graphic files, for example, you can watch movies or listen to music.

The program has a simple interface, a large number of built-in tools, XnView will do an excellent job of processing and editing photos on a computer.

The user can download the regular or portable version of the application to the computer from the official XnView website.

Features of the XnView program:

Supports more than 500 formats
Photo editing
Applying filters and effects
Screen capture
Batch conversion
Editing metadata
Convert files to 70 file formats
Supports viewing video and audio files, archives, documents
Creating a Slideshow
Plugins are supported to expand the program's capabilities

IrfanView

IrfanView is a fast, free image viewer that consumes minimum quantity computer resources. The program is one of the leaders in the number of downloads in the world for programs of this class. This indirect information tells us about the quality of the application, which is rated by users.

Honeyview is a free image viewer with a simple and intuitive interface. The program quickly opens graphic files, the application has tools for photo editing.

You can download it from the official website of the developer, as an installation file or as a portable version.

Honeyview program features:

Supports a large number of graphic formats
RAW format support
Viewing images in archives
View photos in slideshow mode
Bookmark for favorite photos
Support GPS data on photos

Conclusion

The user can choose the best photo viewer running on Windows for their computer. Free programs: FastStone Image Viewer, XnView, IrfanView, Ashampoo Photo Commander Free, Honeyview are among the best image viewers, in this class programs.

We switched to the new Windows 10 OS, and viewing photos via new program didn't like it? Then let's bring back the good old standard “viewer” like in Windows 7 or 8.1.

You won’t be able to download the standard photo viewer in Windows 10 from previous versions, and why should it, because it’s already in the system. You just need to activate it.

The standard photo viewer on Windows 10 is already installed on the system, you just need to use it!

Where is it located - the Windows 10 photo viewer? And how can I set it as the main one for viewing photos? Let's go!

How to open pictures in Windows 10 through browsing

We make changes to the registry.

1) Start - Windows System Tools - Run (or by holding down the Win + R keys). We write regedit - we call the Windows registry.

Attention! Registry - important element Windows. Don't change anything unnecessary here. Just in case, as a fireman, we recommend making a point Windows recovery(backup copy).

2) Once in the registry window, go to the folder:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Microsoft/Windows Photo Viewer/Capabilities/FileAssociations

Only 2 image formats have been added for the photo viewer: tiff and tif.

3) Right-click on an empty space and select New - String Parameter. Sign the name.jpeg

4) Left-click twice on the created name and enter in the Value field: PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff
Next OK.

5) Create names as in point 3 for other file types, namely: .jpg, .png, .gif and any others, for example .ico and .bmp. The value is the same for everyone: PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff
As a result, you will get this picture:

Setting up Photo Viewer in Windows 10

6) Start - Settings (or Win+i) - System - Default applications - Set default values for the application (link below).

If there is no Default Applications item in the list, then write Applications in the search box at the top left (Find parameter) and the desired item will appear in the drop-down list.

7) On the left in the list of programs, select Windows Photo Viewer and click Select default values for this program.

If you have a slightly different window (the usual list of programs), then find Photo Viewer in it, click once and select Manage. Then select the desired program for all file formats.

9) Now right-click on any image in .jpg, .png, .gif or .jpeg format - Open with - Select another application (or select an application).
Select Windows Photo Viewer from the list and check the box Always use this application.

Bottom line. Like this in a simple way In 5-10 minutes you can permanently install the standard Photo Viewer for Windows 10 that was in Windows 7 and 8.1.

Windows 10 has a built-in Photos application, with which you can open a graphic file, create an album, make the necessary changes to a photo, etc. In previous versions of Windows, the Windows Image Viewer application was used. The user can install Windows Picture Viewer in Windows 10, in addition to the Photos program, read more about this.

There is a free Photo Gallery application included with the core components of Windows Live. The photo album supports opening and editing photos. The program must be installed on your computer (it is not included in the OS). Read more about Windows Live Photo Album in this article.

Third-party photo viewers (viewers) can be used on your computer as an alternative to standard Windows tools. As the best free programs for viewing images, I recommend paying attention to the following programs: FastStone Image Viewer, XnView, IrfanView, Ashampoo Photo Commander Free, Honeyview. These programs run in Russian on the Windows operating system.

These applications, in addition to basic functions, have tools for image editing. For more serious picture editing, you will need another program - an image editor (photo).

The free Picasa program (which would have been included in this review) was left out of the scope of this review due to the fact that Google stopped developing and supporting the application in 2016.

FastStone Image Viewer

A regular version of FastStone Image Viewer or a portable version of the program that does not require installation on a computer is available for download.

Key features of FastStone Image Viewer:

Opening graphic files of major formats.
Editing digital photos and graphic files.
A large number of built-in tools for working with images.
Batch file processing.
Batch conversion to another format.
Creating a slide show with transitions and effects.
Preview function.

XnView

The program has a simple interface, a large number of built-in tools, XnView will do an excellent job of processing and editing photos on a computer.

The user can download the regular or portable version of the application to the computer from the official XnView website.

Features of the XnView program:

Supports more than 500 formats.
Photo editing.
Applying filters and effects.
Screen capture.
Batch conversion.
Editing metadata.
Convert files to 70 file formats.
Supports viewing video and audio files, archives, documents.
Creating a slideshow.
Plugins are supported to expand the program's capabilities.

Details about the XnView program are written on my website.

IrfanView

IrfanView is a fast, free image viewer that consumes minimal computer resources. The program is one of the leaders in the number of downloads in the world for programs of this class. This indirect information tells us about the quality of the application, which is rated by users.

Download the IrfanView program from the official website. You can download the regular installation version of the application or the portable version of the program to your computer. To Russify the application, you will need to additionally download the Russian language file.

Main features of the IrfanView program:

Basic image editing functions.
Play audio and video files (using plugins).
Opening some text formats.
Taking screenshots (screenshots).
Batch renaming and converting files.
Creating a slideshow.
Support for plugins that significantly expand the functionality of the application.
Supports keyboard and command line operation.

Read a detailed article about the program on my website.

Ashampoo Photo Commander Free

Ashampoo Photo Commander Free - free version Ashampoo Photo Commander program for viewing, editing and organizing photo storage on your computer. This is a powerful photo application with good functionality. With Ashampoo Photo Commander Free you can bring order to your digital photo collection.

Download Ashampoo Photo Commander Free from the official website to install on your computer.

Key features of Ashampoo Photo Commander Free:

Supports a large number of formats.
Organizing photo collections.
Creation of virtual photo albums.
Create slideshows with effects and transitions.
Record slide shows or photos to CD/DVD/Blu-ray disc.
Batch image processing.
Creation of collages, calendars, postcards.
Play video and audio files using the built-in player.

Honeyview is a free image viewer with a simple and intuitive interface. The program quickly opens graphic files, the application has tools for photo editing.

You can download it from the official website of the developer, as an installation file or as a portable version.

Honeyview program features:

Supports a large number of graphic formats.
RAW format support.
View images in archives.
View photos in slideshow mode.
Bookmark for favorite photos.
Support for GPS data on photos.

Conclusions of the article

The user can choose the best photo viewer running on Windows for their computer. Free programs: FastStone Image Viewer, XnView, IrfanView, Ashampoo Photo Commander Free, Honeyview, are among the best image viewers in this class of programs, they cope well with tasks for viewing and processing images.

What is the best photo viewer? The built-in Windows tool is not an option if you have tried anything more interesting. But among the numerous alternatives, it is difficult to choose the ideal one for yourself, unless, of course, you spend time testing everything. Therefore, we offer you a description best programs to view photos.

We fundamentally decided to consider only free software. The programs offered are, of course, not ideal, but neither are commercial ones. All applications in question have general set of advantages:

Compatible with Windows 10 and other current versions, up to Windows 7
A richer set of functions than the standard “peeper” offers
Individual “superpower” for every decision

FastStone Image Viewer

At the end of the 2010s, this program’s popularity can only be compared with ACDSee in the early 2000s. The difference is that ACDSee was mostly hacked among post-Soviet users, but there is no need to hack FastStone. Based on user reviews and the positive/negative ratio, FastStone is the best photo viewer these days.

The program works quickly, has a built-in editor, and can convert photos in batch mode. Note unusual design interface: in full-screen mode, just move the cursor over the edge of the display to access various menu sections.

FastStone supports a variety of image formats, from mainstream to professional. The only thing missing is built-in support for .webp, but soon this format, invented by Google programmers, will be supported in Windows at the system level.

Advantages:

Decent Russification
Contains a built-in editor with a wide range of functions

Flaws:

Unusual editor logic
Minor bugs in the batch conversion function

Another super hit of the market of free photo viewing programs. From the very beginning of the installation, a rich history is visible: in the list of plugins that are proposed to be installed, there is even a plugin for writing pictures to disk in Nero (who remembers this dinosaur?)

The interface of the program resembles classic approach ACDSee or the same FastStone: a browser with photo thumbnails, a more detailed view of the selected picture in the same window and full screen - by double click.

However, there is interesting feature– working with tabs. On each tab, you can open a separate folder or photo and switch between them.

Advantages:

Small size
Fast work
Supports a wide range of formats
Good Russification

Flaws:

Slightly outdated style
Inconvenient keyboard controls

A classic program that Bosnian developer Irfan Skilyan created back in 1996 and named after himself. The program is in demand even more than two decades after its creation. Installers for 32- and 64-bit versions are available separately. This way you can choose the one that is more suitable for your system.

The program is loved because there is nothing superfluous in it - only viewing and basic photo editing. For other needs, the photo can be sent to third-party editors directly from full-screen viewing.

Advantages:

Supports multiple image formats
Required Editing Capabilities
Integration with external editors
Adobe BF8 plugin support
Ability to create panoramic photos
Batch Converter

Flaws:

No own file manager
Outdated interface (for example, it is impossible to download an additional language pack through the program itself)

A relatively little-known player on the market, DIMIN View has its trump cards. Probably the most interesting feature compared to analogues is the ability to create playlists from photos, a sort of simplified analogue of presentations. The playlist can be organized, compiled from pictures located in different folders, and played in slide show mode.

DIMIN View is a kind of attempt to bring the logic of the iTunes library into the photo viewer. You do not need to transfer image files to organize them into a group: just add them to a special playlist.

Advantages:

Supports plugins
Allows you to create photo collections that can be viewed like a music playlist

Flaws:

Unusual interface logic
Incorrect Russification (there is a translation, but we haven’t seen such problems with displaying the Cyrillic alphabet since Windows XP, so it’s better to use English, please!)

By the standards of its simple and small analogues, this program is a corroded giant. WildBit has a wild appetite and requires more than 100 MB for installation. However, these megabytes are not wasted: the program has something to show.

Advantages:

Many formats supported
Beautiful slideshow with a variety of effects
Separate implementation for 32- and 64-bit systems
Working with multiple monitors simultaneously
Built-in powerful editor

Flaws:

Large size
Redundancy of functions if you just need to view

The program with the sweetest name suggests that viewing photos through it is like eating honey - you will stick and will not come off. Indeed, the developers succeeded good product, rightfully taking its place on the list.

One of the most interesting opportunities What HoneyView doesn't have on its competitors is Google Maps integration. If the EXIF data of a photo contains the coordinates of the place where it was taken, then you can go to this place in one click Google Maps, view the street panorama (if available) and use all other functions of the service.

Just click on the “GPS” button, and the program opens the coordinates from the photo data using the web version of Google Maps.

Among other things, it is a simple and easy way to view photos on your computer. Convenient navigation using keys, a built-in browser with thumbnail display, basic editing and conversion functions - perhaps this is the best choice for lovers of travel.

Advantages:

Easy viewing of EXIF data and its integration with Google Maps
Support for rare formats (for example, .webp)
Successful integration into the Windows context menu
Menu in Russian

Flaws:

Somewhat overloaded interface

An absolute masterpiece of minimalism. The program does not require installation and is distributed in the form of a single executable file xlideit.exe. When launched, the application is integrated into the system automatically and generates configuration files, so it is better to immediately create a separate folder for it.

Since installation is not necessary, the program can be kept on a flash drive. This is convenient in many respects: for example, it allows you to view photos without launching the main program on the PC (you never know what the owner used it to look at last time).

For a file smaller than 3MB, Xlideit's capabilities are astounding. It opens different file formats, contains a built-in file manager and a set of tools for basic processing - what more could you want from such a midget?

Advantages:

Minimum size
Works from anywhere on your computer, including removable media
Rich options

Flaws:

Interface is in English only
Stutters when opening uncompressed photos
Sometimes it works unstably

Which of the proposed viewers is considered the best is a matter of taste. Each one has some kind of unique “trick” - perhaps you will find room on your computer for two or three at once. Thus, the author of the review believes that good combination will consist of FastStone (as a universal viewer and editor) and HoneyView (as a tool for working with metadata). There is always room for Xlideit on a flash drive with photos. However, each user has different needs, so you may choose a different program or set of them.