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Viewing photos is an essential need regardless of the device you're using, from phones to computers. With Windows 10, you have numerous options for specialized software to view image files, whether integrated or third-party. The following list compiles the top 5 photo viewing apps for Windows 10, rated the best, some of which may also work on older Windows versions.
1. Microsoft Photos – Integrated into Windows 10
If you're using Windows 10, you might not need to search for another photo viewing app because Photos is already available in the system. You also don't need to install it yourself; it's always ready to use. So, you can start building your Windows photo library right away, even if you've just bought a new PC from the store.
* Key Advantages of Microsoft Photos:
- Windows 10's default photo viewer boasts an attractive user interface and sensible organization, aligning well with other Microsoft-produced applications.
- It offers fairly effective image management capabilities.
- Automatically arranges photos and videos in a scrollable timeline.
- Easily import photos from folders and external devices such as smartphones, cameras, etc.
- The integrated search box works exceptionally well, allowing context-based searches.
- The Share feature enables direct sharing of photos and videos from within the app and uploading them to cloud services.
- Includes a video editing tool as well.
* Limitations of Microsoft Photos:
- Occasionally, the app encounters performance issues, operating less smoothly or loading images relatively slowly.
* Download Link: The app is available in Windows 10. If removed, you can download it again using the following link: Download Microsoft Photos.
2. 123 Photo Viewer – A simple and easy-to-use photo viewer
If you're not satisfied with your experience with Microsoft Photos, 123 Photo Viewer is the next option you should consider. This app has been around since 2014 and is considered the best photo viewer for users who prefer less flashy presentations.
* Key Advantages of 123 Photo Viewer:
- Easy navigation and simple user interface.
- Users can add and view images from local folders and OneDrive cloud storage.
- Easily switch between images with just a mouse click.
- Offers a variety of filters and effects for editing an image.
- Allows batch format conversion of multiple image files at once.
- It supports popular image formats including JPEG, PNG, ... as well as GIF and WEBP animations.
* Limitations of 123 Photo Viewer:
- The interface may not be appealing to some users.
- Does not automatically detect folders and images on your computer.
* Download Link: Download 123 Photo Viewer.
3. Google Photos – Best Online Photo Viewer
Google Photos might not be the conventional choice for Windows 10 users, but it remains a highly useful tool in today's cross-device era. In fact, most people view photos and videos on their phones. With Google Photos, you can store all your photos and videos in the cloud and access them anytime on your PC or phone.
One of the strengths of Google Photos is its search bar. We probably don't need to talk about the power of Google Search. So, as a simple example, you just need to type 'show photos of me in the mountains,' and the screen will display all related photos.
Google Photos is completely free to use. You can upload photos from your computer using Google's sync and backup tool.
* Key Advantages of Google Photos:
- Boasts the most visually appealing user interface in this list.
- Supports a wide range of image formats.
- Google Photos provides access to photos and videos across multiple devices.
- Free up space on your computer by storing data in the cloud.
- You can upload photos from both your PC and phone.
- Supports simple image editing options such as cropping, rotating, filters, etc.
- Automatically enhance photos taken in poor lighting conditions.
- Easily create albums and share with others.
- Offers AI-powered facial recognition tagging in photos (even tags faces of your dog).
* Limitations of Google Photos:
- Requires an Internet connection to use.
* Website: Google Photos
4. Apowersoft Photo Viewer – More than just a photo viewer
Apowersoft is a software company based in Hong Kong specializing in producing utility tools for the Windows operating system. And those tools never disappoint users.
* Key Advantages of Apowersoft Photo Viewer:
- This app's user interface is aesthetically pleasing and intuitive.
- Supports a wide range of image formats, including PNG, JPG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, ... Also opens professional image formats like HEIC (HEIF), PSD, CDR, RAW, ...
- Not only for viewing photos but also serves as a PDF reader.
- Comes with an integrated image editing tool similar to Microsoft Paint.
- Allows batch image processing to change format and rename them.
- Includes a screen capture tool with various modes.
* Limitations of Apowersoft Photo Viewer:
- The bottom control panel is automatically hidden, which makes it difficult and inconvenient to use.
- Unable to directly import an entire folder of images into the application.
- Cannot be used as an image management tool for Windows.
* Download Link: Download Apowersoft Photo Viewer.
5. Movavi Photo Manager – Excellent for managing Windows photo library
Movavi Photo Manager is another great tool that can be used to manage your massive photo and video collection. This Windows 10 photo viewer is also available for macOS, in case you want seamless switching between Microsoft and Apple operating systems.
Unfortunately, this app is not free, and you'll have to spend $8 to get it. However, you can use the trial version to see if this photo management tool is worth the money you're spending.
* Key Advantages of Movavi Photo Manager:
- Attractive intuitive user interface and neatly organized options.
- Automatically organizes photos into albums based on data and geotags.
- Works with a wide range of image formats to support images captured on various devices.
- Identifies duplicate images in your massive photo collection.
- Provides basic image editing options such as rotate, crop, flip, ...
* Limitations of Movavi Photo Manager:
- The application may freeze temporarily if too many images are added at once (possibly a bug).
- The built-in search tool does not support contextual search like Google Photos.
* Download Link: Download Movavi Photo Manager.
Here, I've introduced a range of top-rated photo viewing software for Windows 10 that you can try on your computer. It's hard to pinpoint which one is the best in the list as each has its own pros and cons. Choosing the right software will depend on your usage needs. Hopefully, after considering the content above, you'll find the most suitable photo viewing software for you.
