How To Set Windows Photo Gallery As The Default Image Viewer

How To Set Windows Photo Gallery As The Default Image Viewer

When you install Windows Photo Gallery, you are not asked whether you want to set it as the default image viewer. In order to do that, you have to go through several steps. You can set it as the default viewer for all image types, just a few of them or only one type. In this guide we will cover all three scenarios:

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NOTE: This procedure applies to both Windows 7 and Windows 8.1.

How To Set Photo Gallery As The Default Image Viewer For All Images

To set Windows Photo Gallery as the default image viewer, open the Set Default Programs panel as shown in this guide: How to Set Your Default Programs in Windows 7 and Windows 8.1.

In the Set Default Programs panel, select Photo Gallery in the list of available programs. Then, click or tap "Set this program as default".

Now Windows Photo Gallery is used to open all supported file types and protocols.

Windows Photo Gallery, set, default, image, pictures, viewer, files, types
Windows Photo Gallery, set, default, image, pictures, viewer, files, types

How To Set Photo Gallery As The Default Image Viewer For Specific Formats

If you want to set Windows Photo Gallery as the default image viewer only for some specific types of images, follow the procedure shared earlier to open the Set Default Programs panel and select Photo Gallery. Then, click or tap "Choose defaults for this program".

Windows Photo Gallery, set, default, image, pictures, viewer, files, types
Windows Photo Gallery, set, default, image, pictures, viewer, files, types

A long list is shown with all the types of images that this program can open. Select the types that interest you and click or tap Save.

Windows Photo Gallery, set, default, image, pictures, viewer, files, types
Windows Photo Gallery, set, default, image, pictures, viewer, files, types

You are back to the Set Default Programs panel. Close it and your settings are now applied.

How To Set Photo Gallery As The Default Image Viewer For One Specific Format

You can also set Windows Photo Gallery as default viewer only for a specific type of images. In order to do that, open File Explorer in Windows 8.1 or Windows Explorer in Windows 7. Navigate to a picture that you want to view in Windows Photo Gallery and which has the type that you want opened with Windows Photo Gallery. Then, right click on it and choose Open with followed by "Choose default program".

Windows Photo Gallery, set, default, image, pictures, viewer, files, types
Windows Photo Gallery, set, default, image, pictures, viewer, files, types

The Open with menu looks different in Windows 7 than in Windows 8.1. If you are using Windows 7, select Photo Gallery in the list of available programs, check the box that says "Always use the selected program to open this kind of file" and click OK.

Windows Photo Gallery, set, default, image, pictures, viewer, files, types
Windows Photo Gallery, set, default, image, pictures, viewer, files, types

In Windows 8.1, check the box that says "Use this app for all.file_extension files", where ".file_extension" is the extension used by files of that type. In our example it is ".jpg".

Then, click or tap Photo Gallery in the list of programs.

Windows Photo Gallery, set, default, image, pictures, viewer, files, types
Windows Photo Gallery, set, default, image, pictures, viewer, files, types

The selected image is now opened in Windows Photo Gallery. Also, this procedure makes Windows Photo Gallery the default image viewer for the format of the selected image.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, when you install Windows Photo Gallery, you are not asked whether you want to set it as the default image viewer or not. Therefore, you need to go through the steps detailed above in order to set it as the default image viewer for all image types or just a few of them.

If you are looking for other useful tips and tricks about using Windows Photo Gallery, read the articles recommended below.

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