Restore XP style thumbnails on Folders?


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Lee151

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Win 11 Home
I just purchased a Dell Inspiron desktop with Win 11. I have been using a custom built Win XP desktop for the last 15 years. Quite the adjustment.....
In Win 11 I'm seeing a sea of blank yellow folders in my Documents and Pictures. Is there any work around to get the XP style pictures back on the folders?

I have hundreds of folders and this change is really slowing me down while working. I used to be able to tell at a glance which folder I needed to open because of the thumbnails. I have searched and I've found how to update individual icons but not restoring XP folder thumbnails. I can't assign a new icon to each folder one by one that would take years!
 
Windows Build/Version
build 22000.675

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 11 Home
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron
Lee
I had the SAME issue having recently moved to a new desktop, with WIN11, after YEARS of using XP.....
I know of no other way of changing the view other than touching each one individually....
YES- very time consuming!!!!!!
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    WIN11 HOME Version 24H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    DELL XPS 8940
    CPU
    11th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-11700 @ 2.50GHz 2.50 GH
    Motherboard
    Dell OE
    Memory
    32GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER
    Sound Card
    Realtek Audio (on board)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    (2) DELL 2007FP
    Screen Resolution
    1600 X 1200
    Hard Drives
    C: (OS and APPS) 512GB SSD
    D: (data) 1TB SATA
    PSU
    360W
    Case
    DELL OE
    Cooling
    Noctua NF-A9 PWM 92mm case fan and NH-D9L CPU Cooler with 92mm fan
    Keyboard
    Dell
    Mouse
    Logitech M705
    Internet Speed
    500Mbps DWN 120Mbps UP
    Browser
    FIREFOX- once in a great while will use EDGE
    Antivirus
    MS
    Other Info
    The case fan and CPU cooler were after purchase upgrades...the i7 cpu runs hot and the OE solution can best be described as marginal when CPU intensive apps are used.
    ALSO added VRM and SSD passive heatsinks.
Lee151 said:
In Win 11 I'm seeing a sea of blank yellow folders in my Documents and Pictures. Is there any work around to get the XP style pictures back on the folders?
Click to expand...
You just have to wait for this year's Feature Update to version 22H2 to be released. A number of features were in W10, but got left out for the initial release of W11. This is one that's coming back due to feedback from Insiders.

www.elevenforum.com

Change Folder Picture in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to choose an image file to show as a picture on a folder's icon in Windows 11. Starting with Windows 11 build 22557, File Explorer will show a thumbnail preview of folder contents on the folder's icon. Usually, the last item added to the folder will show as a...
www.elevenforum.com www.elevenforum.com

When 22H2 will be released has not been announced by Microsoft yet, but it could be early as September.

www.elevenforum.com

Windows 11 22H2 (Sun Valley 2) RTM build 22621 general availability after Sept. 5, 2022

UPDATE 8/16: https://www.elevenforum.com/t/windows-11-version-22h2-build-22621-rumored-to-be-released-on-september-20-2022.8361/ UPDATE 6/7: https://www.elevenforum.com/t/preview-of-windows-11-version-22h2-now-available.6930/ UPDATE 5/24: Windows 11, version 22H2 certification build Minimum...
www.elevenforum.com www.elevenforum.com
 
Last edited:

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire 3 A315-23
    CPU
    AMD Athlon Silver 3050U
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon Graphics
    Monitor(s) Displays
    laptop screen
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768 native resolution, up to 2560x1440 with Radeon Virtual Super Resolution
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung EVO 870 SSD
    Internet Speed
    50 Mbps
    Browser
    Edge, Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    fully 'Windows 11 ready' laptop. Windows 10 C: partition migrated from my old unsupported 'main machine' then upgraded to 11. A test migration ran Insider builds for 2 months. When 11 was released on 5th October 2021 it was re-imaged back to 10 and was offered the upgrade in Windows Update on 20th October. Windows Update offered the 22H2 Feature Update on 20th September 2022. It got the 23H2 Feature Update on 4th November 2023 through Windows Update, and 24H2 on 3rd October 2024 through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 24H2.

    My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro (and all my Hyper-V VMs).

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 8GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Dev, Beta, and RP 24H2 as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 8GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus the Insider Beta, Dev, Canary, and Release Preview builds as a native boot .vhdx.
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Latitude E4310
    CPU
    Intel® Core™ i5-520M
    Motherboard
    0T6M8G
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics card(s)
    (integrated graphics) Intel HD Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    500GB Crucial MX500 SSD
    Browser
    Firefox, Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    unsupported machine: Legacy bios, MBR, TPM 1.2, upgraded from W10 to W11 using W10/W11 hybrid install media workaround. In-place upgrade to 22H2 using ISO and a workaround. Feature Update to 23H2 by manually installing the Enablement Package. In-place upgrade to 24H2 using hybrid 23H2/24H2 install media. Also running Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds as a native boot .vhdx.

    My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro (and all my Hyper-V VMs).

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 8GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Dev, Beta, and RP 24H2 as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 8GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus the Insider Beta, Dev, Canary, and Release Preview builds as a native boot .vhdx.
That will be an improvement thanks but not as useful as XP's thumbnail collage. Heavy sigh.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 11 Home
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron
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