Viewing Photos on Windows 10

[PabloMack]

Maybe someone here can shed some light on this phenomenon. What I am trying to do is to associate *.jpg and *.png files with "Windows Photo Viewer". When I double-click on a *.jpg or *.png, a program comes up that calls itself "Photos" in Task Manager. But when I double-click on a *.tif, the "Windows Photo Viewer" that is similar to the one on Windows 7 comes up. If I use Task Manager to show the location of the latter program, it says that it is dllhost.exe. When I try to show the location of "Photo", that option is grayed out. If I try "Open with" for *.jpg or *.png then Windows Photo Viewer is not an option. Then I chose "Use another app" and still it doesn't show up. If I then select "Find another app on this PC" it brings me to a folder that has a sub-folder named "Windows Photo Viewer" which has only two items in it. One is an empty folder called "en-US" and the other one is an executable called "ImagingDevices.exe". That one doesn't behave like "Windows Photo Viewer" but somehow WPV is there on my PC because it comes up but I don't know where it is coming from. Strange...

[WAS]

If you right click the jpeg and go to properties there is a default program section with a "Change" button, to change what program it opens with by default.

[PabloMack]

And if I do that, then "Windows Photo Viewer" is not listed even if I click "More apps". Then if I select "Look for another app on this PC" there is a folder with the name "Windows Photo Viewer" and it only has two items in it and neither one is the executable. Yet it runs when I double-click on a *.tif but Task Manager says that what is running is dllhost.exe. Even so, the window identifies itself as "Windows Photo Viewer" even though the executable doesn't seem to exist.

[WAS]

Oh that's right. It's a surrogate. I think you have to go to windows 10 settings, and then default programs and there is a windows photo viewer section to set as default image app.

Here is a CNET on it: https://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-get-windows-photo-viewer-back-in-windows-10/

[PabloMack]

The link led me to a forum which I had to search a while to find another link and I eventually found it. It is working now. Thanks a bunch.

[WAS]

That's strange. Didn't even know CNET had a forum. It's a link to one of their usual How To's.

[PabloMack]

The procedure would have been simpler if the system had been an upgrade from Windows 7. Presumably that's because the actual executable would still have been present. However, this was a new system with an original Windows 10 install so a fairly massive registry editor file had to be downloaded. The website just referred me to a forum that had another link to the actual website that had the explanation and link to the file. The file has a *.reg extension and contains a long script with numerous unintelligible (at least to me) commands in it. I do so much programming that I usually don't have to use or learn scripting languages containing interpretive code. I never spent much time learning batch file syntax beyond simple things because I can usually write a program that does the same thing.

[WAS]

Photo Viewer in 10 opens up via a command issued to dllhost.exe

This registry file here will return the photo viewer option to right click and open with dialogue: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-files-winpc/windows-photo-viewer-in-windows-10-the-executable/abf8ca2f-fea5-43c7-84d6-bc02ded350fc

Is this what you got? If so you just double click and click merge/import into your registry. 

I looked over the registry modifications and there is nothing malicious or sneaky

[PabloMack]

I will describe what I actually did. The first part of the page pointed to by your original link talks about
what you have to do if you had upgraded from Windows 7 to 10. You have to page down to where it
says "If you installed Windows 10 from scratch". It then says:

1. Copy the code from this post by Edwin over at TenForums

That then takes you to another Forum. Then you have to find where Edwin says
"Copy the following code into notepad and save it as a .reg file then merge it.
Should fix the issue. See: Restore Windows Photo Viewer in Windows 10 Apps Features Tutorials"

This link points to another page: https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/14312-restore-windows-photo-viewer-windows-10-a.html

You then scroll down to where it says: OPTION TWO To Restore Windows Photo Viewer for All Accounts

That gives you detailed steps for how to do it. You can download the link to the reg file by pressing a nice looking Download Button. The link is:

https://www.tenforums.com/attachments/tutorials/198320d1533487488-restore-windows-photo-viewer-windows-10-a-restore_windows_photo_viewer_all_users.reg