15 Best Image Viewer Apps for Windows

Contents:

• Recommendations for choosing an image viewer
• Microsoft Photos
• Google Photos
• FastStone Image Viewer Overview
• XnView MP
• IrfanView
• Tonfotos
• Imagine Viewer
• JPEGView
• ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate: A Comprehensive Management Tool Adobe Bridge
• Photo Mechanic
• Nomacs
• Visum Photo Viewer
• Zoner Photo Studio
• ImageGlass

Image viewers, or viewers, are applications designed to view and organize photos. At first glance, everything seems quite simple: you install the right program and view images. However, sometimes situations arise when you need more functionality than just viewing images. Let's take a closer look at the variety of software for the Windows operating system.

Recommendations for Choosing a Photo Viewer

Choosing photo viewing software is largely determined by your needs. Before making a decision, it is useful to ask yourself a few questions.

• What types of files do you use?
• Do you plan to simply view the photos or do you also intend to edit them, such as cropping, rotating, or adjusting color settings?
• Do you need tools for organizing information, such as tags, geotags, or the ability to sort by date and contributors?
• How many photos do you process? Do you need to process files in batches?
• Should you check and edit metadata?
• Is Russian language support necessary?
• Can your computer handle a resource-intensive application?
• What other aspects of working with photos are important to you?

Let's take a quick look at 15 different programs designed to solve a variety of tasks.

The programs are presented in no particular order.

Microsoft Photos

Let's start with the standard viewer that comes with Windows, as its functionality may be sufficient for many users. With its help, you can not only view, but also sort images, and perform basic editing. Although it is not suitable for professional retouching, you can still crop photos and manually adjust colors, or use the automatic enhancement feature.

It is possible to preview documents and search in various formats, and there is also integration with cloud storage services.

Pros

• Free.
• Promotes the Russian language.
• Pre-installed.
• All the main functions are present.

Cons

• Currently, there are no tools for comprehensive editing.
• Using this from a mobile device is not very convenient.

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Google Photos

A well-known resource for saving, organizing, and viewing photos.

Google is undoubtedly actively integrating artificial intelligence into its services. For example, they offer an AI-powered editor that allows you to quickly process photos. However, it's worth noting that some features are available exclusively to users with a paid subscription. The ease of photo search is also impressive: you can find images based on locations, faces, objects, and even text. It's important to note that you don't need to tag your photos beforehand.

You can now automatically share photos with specific people, and the new version of albums includes a QR code sharing feature.

Pros

• Clear interface.
• Russian language support is available.
• The ability to view photos from any device.
• This will be useful for those who often use a smartphone for photos.

Cons

• Free storage space is limited to 15 GB, which includes both email messages and files on Google Drive.
• Lack of modern editing tools.

FastStone Image Viewer Overview

A convenient and multifunctional application for working with images, which is also free and has a Russian-language interface.

The FastStone program allows you to convert files to various formats, apply color filters to photos, and add text and watermarks to images. It also supports batch photo processing and metadata management.

Pros

• Free.
• Russian language available.
• Clear interface.
• Fast operation.
• Photo processing in batch mode.

Cons

• There is a small set of tools for editing.
• No connection with Cloud servers.
• PDF format is not supported.

XnView MP

This widely used free application allows you to view, sort, and resize images, while supporting many file formats. It can also open audio files such as AVI and MP3.

Working with a large number of photos is made much easier thanks to software that allows you to organize them by various formats and other parameters.

An advantage for those who take photos themselves is the ability to compare up to four photos simultaneously on a single screen.

The MP version, unlike the traditional version, features face detection. Don't worry: this doesn't automatically collect personal data from people in the photos—no data is sent online. The program identifies faces in the images, and then the user manually assigns names to them. These tags can be used to search for photos in a personal archive and to sort them.

In addition, the MP version provides Unicode support, which allows it to correctly process data in all languages ​​​​of the globe.

Pros

• Available for personal use without payment.
• Russian language available.
• Suitable for processing large volumes of images.
• Provides compatibility with various file types.

Cons

• Interface, which may be challenging for those just starting out.
• There are no modern photo processing tools.

IrfanView

One of the iconic programs, celebrating almost thirty years of existence, was once the first to allow Windows users to enjoy animated files. Since then, the developers have continued to add new features, which contributes to the fact that the software is still actively downloaded by millions of users.

The software has a small size of only 6 MB and demonstrates high speed. It also supports many file formats and provides the ability to batch process images.

By default, the system is set to English. To use it in Russian, you will need to install an additional module.

For some people, the presence of dark mode can be significant.

Pros

• Provided free of charge for purposes unrelated to commerce.
• The Russian language can be installed and configured.
• Processes many different file formats.
• Lightweight.
• Works fast.
• Ensures compatibility with Unicode.

Cons

• Outdated user interface.
• Image editing capabilities have certain limitations.
• Some functions require plugins to work.

Tonfotos

Russian software that uses elements of artificial intelligence claims to be a solution for organizing and storing family photo archives.

A face recognition function has been developed for this purpose: the user selects a person in one photo, and artificial intelligence searches for their images in other photos. For each person, a card with additional information can be created, and the program can “collect” family connections into a family tree. The program can be shared with a family (up to five participants), but this option is only available in the paid version.

Another interesting feature is an interactive map that marks the locations where the photos were taken.

Archived images can be saved on various media, including portable hard drives, which will provide constant access to them.

Pros

• There is a version that is provided at no cost.
• Telegram has the ability to automatically save images.
• This is suitable for creating a family archive.
• Nice interface.
• Convenient access to documents stored in various storages.

Cons

• The free version allows tagging a maximum of 12 users.
• Using geotags based on Yandex Maps may create certain difficulties outside of Russia.
• Inability to use a wide range of photo processing tools.

Imagine Viewer

An easy-to-use application for viewing and basic photo editing that won't burden even older computers.

Lightweight and high-speed, this tool supports a variety of file formats, including RAW. It also offers the ability to work with archived images and animations. The utility allows for batch renaming and file conversion, conveniently displaying photo previews and providing basic color correction.

A portable version is available that doesn't require installation. It can be run directly from a flash drive or other storage device.

Pros

• Free.
• Russian language available.
• There is a compact version.
• Easy to use handling.
• Lightweight.

Cons

• Old-fashioned interface.
• Certain features may require additional plugins.

JPEGView

A convenient and fast image viewing tool. Although its name may be misleading, it can handle not only JPEG files, but also many other popular types.

The program does not take up much space and offers a portable version. It is ideal for those who simply want to view photos, but still include all the necessary basic functions for sorting and editing images.

It is created in a simple and convenient style, but not much attention has been paid to the design.

You can change the interface language to Russian.

Pros

• Free.
• Russian language available.
• Fast.
• Portable version available.

Cons

• Lacks modern editing tools.
• Unique interface.

ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate: A Comprehensive Photo Management Tool

This powerful application is ideal for professional use. The developers emphasized the solution's versatility. The program allows you to not only view and organize photos but also perform high-level editing. It features layer management and professional color correction tools.

Users appreciate this software for its ability to effectively process RAW files. In the latest update, the developers have introduced a number of truly useful tools based on artificial intelligence technologies. For example, the AI ​​Super-Resolution function allows you to increase image resolution and reduce noise.

The program's services are provided on a paid basis: a monthly subscription is available for $8.9, as well as the option to purchase a perpetual license for $79.9.

Pros

• Versatility.
• RAW processing.
• Image editing capabilities cover all key Features.
• Artificial intelligence-based tools that can be useful.

Cons

• Paid.
• May result in decreased performance on an older computer.
• This may be somewhat difficult for a beginner.

Adobe Bridge

This is a free application from Adobe, and to use it you only need an Adobe ID account. It does not require a subscription to other company products.

The system provides convenience in sorting and tagging images, especially when you need to process several files at once. Photos can be rated and keywords can be added to them. You can also edit metadata, which allows you to, for example, indicate information about the author, and quickly view previews of RAW files.

While the application does not offer an extensive set of image editing tools, it interacts well with other Adobe products if you have a subscription to them.

Pros

• Free.
• Efficient means of organizing photos.
• Provides comfortable use for people who work with other programs from Adobe.

Cons

• Lack of built-in editing capabilities.
• You must enter your Adobe ID every thirty days.

Photo Mechanic

This program is popular among photojournalists due to its high speed.

This feature is especially useful when you need to quickly view a large collection of photos, especially when time is short. It allows you to view thumbnails of images directly while copying files from the memory card to your computer.

It is possible to quickly view RAW files, organize images in the desired sequence, and sort photos using color labels. You can add captions to images and manage metadata. Selected photos can be immediately transferred to Lightroom or Photoshop for final editing.

Despite its extensive functionality, the software is characterized by its simplicity and intuitive interface.

The program is paid. Its standard version is available for €16.18 per month or €160.77 annually. A perpetual license costs €322.62. In addition, a 30-day free trial is provided.

Pros

• Quick selection of cards, even when it comes to RAW file format.
• Synchronization with well-known photo editing programs.
• Photo sorting functions that provide ease of use.
• Correction metadata.

Cons

• Paid.
• Lacks tools for advanced photo post-processing.

Nomacs

This is a free viewing application that supports major file formats such as RAW and PSD. It has basic editing features, including the ability to crop and rotate images, as well as color correction and file resizing. Metadata editing is also available.

The main feature of this program, for which it was developed, is the ability to run it twice on the same computer with windows synchronized. This is especially useful when you need to compare two images, such as the original and its processed version. In addition, the synchronization setting is also available for applications running on different devices.

There is a mobile version.

Pros

• Free.
• Convenient for comparing images.
• There is a mobile version.

Cons

• Currently there are no tools for deep editing.
• Improvements happen infrequently, since the program is developed by a community of passionate people.

Visum Photo Viewer

It does not require payment, takes up little space and is easy to use.

This program is designed for those users who prefer quick solutions without an excessive set of functions. In addition, it attracts lovers of minimalist and laconic design.

The program is compatible with major file formats, allows you to crop images, resize them and perform simple color correction. You can also view previews and quickly move photos to other apps.

Pros

• Free.
• Minimalistic interface.

Cons

• Sorry, editing metadata is not possible.
• No modern editing tools.

Zoner Photo Studio

The creators of this program present it as a multifunctional tool for processing photos and video materials, and in fact, it offers extensive capabilities.

The program supports major file formats. However, it is worth noting that the free version only supports RAW previews. Full editing of RAW images requires purchasing a license.

It effectively handles the processing of sets of images. Users can not only view, sort, and edit photos, but also share them on social networks or send them for printing. The program includes basic tools for working with video materials.

This is a paid service: a monthly subscription costs $5.99, and an annual subscription costs $59. A free week-long trial is also available.

Pros

• Extensive capabilities.
• You can do various types of work with video.
• There are AI tools.

Cons

• Paid.
• For beginners, this may present certain difficulties.

ImageGlass

A lightweight and free viewer that won't overload your computer.

The program supports over 80 different file formats, including RAW. It allows you to quickly view images, sort them, resize them, and convert files to alternative formats.

The program has a modern, minimalist design, offers numerous customization options, and offers extensive integration with external software. A portable version is also available.

Pros

• Free and free of ads.
• An interface that is easy to perceive and does not require a long training.
• There is a mobile version.
• "Collaborates" with other applications.

Cons

• There is an extremely limited number of tools for processing photos.

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