How to Change Folder Thumbnail in Windows 11

Quick Tips

• To change the thumbnail for a folder, open its properties and go to Customize > choose file.
• You can also reset the folder thumbnail to have Windows automatically set it for you.
• To disable folder thumbnails on Windows, go to the View tab in File Explorer Options and check the box for Always show icons, never thumbnails.

How to Change the Folder Thumbnail in Windows

By default, Windows picks a folder thumbnail or picture automatically based on the folder’s content. Windows may update the folder thumbnail to reflect the changes as you add or remove items from the folder.

If you want a specific thumbnail image for your folder that doesn’t change, you can set the folder thumbnail manually.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + E to open File Explorer.

Step 2: Locate the folder to change the thumbnail. Right-click on it and select Properties from the context menu.

Step 3: In the Properties window, switch to the Customize tab and click the Choose File button.

Step 4: Locate and select the picture you want to use as a thumbnail and click Open.

Step 5: Hit Apply > OK.

For folder thumbnails, Windows supports all the popular file types, including JPG, JPEG, PNG, TIF, GIF, and more.

If the folder thumbnail change does not reflect immediately, press F5 to refresh the folder. Note that File Explorer will only show folder thumbnails if the view type is set to medium, large, or extra large icons.

How to Reset Folder Thumbnail in Windows

Windows also lets you reset the folder thumbnail if you change your mind later. Here are the steps for the same.

Step 1: Press the Windows + E keyboard shortcut to launch File Explorer and navigate to the folder to reset the folder picture.

Step 2: Right-click on the folder and select Properties.

Step 3: Under the Customize tab, click the Restore Default button. Then, click Apply > OK.

How to Disable Folder Thumbnails in Windows

Although Windows makes it simple to change folder thumbnails, doing so for each folder separately can be time-consuming. If you don’t see the need for folder thumbnails, you can disable them completely. Here’s how to do it.

Step 1: Click the magnifying icon on the taskbar to access the search menu. Type file explorer options in the search box and select the first result.

Step 2: Switch to the View tab and check the Always show icons, never thumbnails box.

Step 3: Click Apply and then OK.

It’s worth noting that the above process will disable thumbnail previews for files. To undo this change later, repeat the above steps and clear the Always show icons, never thumbnails checkbox.