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Windows 10 File Explorer will NOT preview PDF files (all other files ARE previewed correctly). Up until recently this worked perfectly.

i have had this SAME problem happen with my NEW laptop - BUT have managed to SOLVE the problem. ( sorry i am UNABLE to add this SOLUTION to my previous post on this)

I have Windows 11 Home and ABODE ACROBAT'

The problem: Windows 11 Explorer WILL preview all other file types EXCEPT PDF's ( so all image files, even word and excel files WILL preview but try to preview any PDF and i get an error message. i checked all the Explorer settings as well as ABODE settings ( as this is my intended PDF app) and still the problem persisted - exactly the same as my previous post on this ( on about 8 September 2022 i think).

i then looked at the REGISTRY entry for Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.pdf\ShellEx\{8895b1c6-b41f-4c1c-a562-0d564250836f} for .pdf for SHellEx for {8895b....6f}

and there was only ONE entry there:

Default REG_SZ {DC6EF....193} which is ABODE.

so i tried loading FOXIT PDF VIEWER (NOTE: this is the viewer ONLY not the full editor suit) and in the installation set it as the default PDF viewer app.

this FIXED the PREVIEW problem !!

my guess is that Windows wants a PDF VIEWER ONLY app not a full PDF editor app as its default Previewer app )

after Foxit Reader only install the entry in the registry had been updated to this :

Image

Glad you were able to fix this. Yes. {1B96FAD8-1C10-416E-8027-6EFF94045F6F} is the GUID added by Foxit Reader. {DC6EFB56-9CFA-464D-8880-44885D7DC193} is Adobe preview handler.

See also: PDF Thumbnail and Preview Not Showing Up in File Explorer

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Ramesh, Windows Shell MVP 2003-2012.
If this post resolves your issue, pls mark it as an Answer.

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Hi Ramesh.

it really looks to me that for the Windows Explorer to Preview any PDF files - Windows first requires the REGISTRY entry PrePreviewHandler as a REGISTRY entry of (Default) only - will not trigger the Explorer Preview function to work.

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Hi BW(),

PrevPreviewHandler need not exist. It's a backup entry made during the installation of Foxit. The (default) value data alone matters.

And, when uninstalling Foxit Reader, it restores the previous preview handler and then deletes that PrevPreviewHandler entry.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Ramesh, Windows Shell MVP 2003-2012.
If this post resolves your issue, pls mark it as an Answer.

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Hi Ramesh,

oh ok - that makes sense as the name is "PrePreviewHandler"- so the problem was solved by the install of Foxit Reader app setting itself as the "default PDF reader". so the original Abode app that i had previously set as "default" was not an Abode PDF "Reader" app - but a PDF "Read and Edit" app.

so is that Abode entry in the REGEDIT - the {DC6EFB56-9CFA-464D-8880-44885D7DC193} that indicates Abode actually a correct code to make windows use Abode PDF Reader ? or it tries to run Abode PDF Editor ?

because previously when i could not get Explorer to preview any PDF no matter what i set the Apps Default for .pdf to ( including trying PDF Viewer and Edge) was this:

Name                                    Type                      Data

ab (Default)                        REG_SZ                 {DC6EFB56-9CFA-464D-8880-44885D7DC193}

and this did NOT work.

just trying to understand what exactly Windows wants here as i think many people have this PDF Preview problem

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Hi BW(),

Yes. {DC6EFB56-9CFA-464D-8880-44885D7DC193} is the correct GUID for Adobe Reader. Edge uses {3A84F9C2-6164-485C-A7D9-4B27F8AC009E}.

If setting the GUID {DC6EFB56-9CFA-464D-8880-44885D7DC193} doesn't work, reinstalling/repairing Adobe may do the trick. If nothing helps, one can download FileTypeDiag, generate a PDF association report, and see which setting is causing the problem.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Ramesh, Windows Shell MVP 2003-2012.
If this post resolves your issue, pls mark it as an Answer.

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Last updated December 17, 2024 Views 1,026 Applies to: