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SOLIDWORKS Thumbnail Preview Missing in Windows Explorer

If SOLIDWORKS file thumbnails are not appearing in Windows Explorer or in the preview pane, there are several common causes and solutions that can restore them.

Symptoms

You may notice one or more of the following issues:

  • SOLIDWORKS parts, assemblies, or drawings only display generic icons
  • No preview image appears in Windows Explorer
  • Preview pane in the Open dialog is blank
  • Thumbnail previews disappeared after a Windows or SOLIDWORKS update

Solution 1: Enable Thumbnail Graphics in SOLIDWORKS

The first setting to verify is inside SOLIDWORKS itself.

Steps

  1. Open SOLIDWORKS
  2. Go to: Tools > Options > System Options > General
  3. Enable: Show thumbnail graphics in Windows Explorer
  4. Click OK

Note: Existing files may need to be opened and saved again in SOLIDWORKS before thumbnails are generated.

 

Solution 2: Check Windows File Explorer Options

Windows can be configured to hide thumbnails.

Steps

  1. Open Control Panel
  2. Select: File Explorer Options
  3. Open the View tab
  4. Ensure the following setting is checked: Show preview handlers in preview pane
  5. Make sure Always show icons, never thumbnails is unchecked
  6. Click Apply and then OK

These settings allow Windows to display SOLIDWORKS preview images correctly.

 

Solution 3: Enable Windows Thumbnail Performance Settings

Windows performance settings can disable thumbnails globally.

Steps

  1. Open the Windows search bar
  2. Search for: Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows
  3. Under Visual Effects, enable: Show thumbnails instead of icons
  4. Click Apply

Note: If Windows is set to Adjust for best performance, thumbnails may be disabled automatically.

 

Solution 4: Re-register SOLIDWORKS Thumbnail DLL Files

Missing or unregistered DLL files are one of the most common causes of thumbnail preview issues.

Important: You must run these steps with Local Administrator permissions.

Steps

  1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator
  2. Run the following commands one at a time:
  3. Restart Windows Explorer or reboot the computer

regsvr32 "C:\Program Files\Common Files\SOLIDWORKS Shared\swdocumentmgr.dll"

regsvr32 "C:\Program Files\Common Files\SOLIDWORKS Shared\sldwinshellextu.dll"

regsvr32 "C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\sldthumbnailprovider.dll"

Note: File locations may vary depending on your SOLIDWORKS version and installation path.

 

Solution 5: Restore SOLIDWORKS File Associations

Incorrect file associations can prevent previews from loading.

Steps

  1. Run SOLIDWORKS as Administrator
  2. Go to: Tools > Options > File Explorer
  3. Click: Restore File Associations
  4. Restart Windows Explorer or reboot the computer

 

Solution 6: Repair the SOLIDWORKS Installation

If none of the previous solutions work, repairing the installation may restore missing components.

Steps

  1. Open: Control Panel > Programs and Features
  2. Right-click your SOLIDWORKS installation
  3. Select: Change
  4. Choose: Repair your installation
  5. Follow the repair wizard

 

Additional Notes

  • Thumbnail previews are only created after the file has been saved in SOLIDWORKS
  • Older files may need to be reopened and resaved
  • Some Windows updates can reset thumbnail-related settings
  • Restarting Windows Explorer can refresh previews without a full reboot