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Use a picture as folder preview file in Windows 7

Windows 7 will automatically use the files it contains to generate a preview used in the folder's image on your desktop or in Windows Explorer (except if you customized the folder's icon). Depending on the folder's content, you will see one or more files used as content preview files for the folder. But, as you'll learn in this tutorial, you can customize this behavior and use any picture of your choice as folder preview file. We will also explain how to reset the folder and restore to using the default preview files.

• In this Windows 7 tutorial:
• Choose a custom picture as preview file for your folder
• Restore the original folder preview files

Choose a custom picture as preview file for your folder

Here is how you set a picture as preview file in Windows 7:

• Right-click on the folder, and choose "Properties"
• Windows 7 will open the folder's properties
• Click on the "Customize" tab
• Under the "Folder Pictures" section, click on the "Choose File" button
• A "Browse" dialog will open, and show all the picture files this folder currently contains (JPG, GIF, or PNG). Either pick one of these images, or find another picture file elsewhere on your computer.
• Double-click on the picture you want to use for the folder preview file
• Click OK to return to your desktop / Windows Explorer
• Windows 7 now uses the image you chose as folder preview file:
  
  

You can of course change again the folder's preview file at any time: just follow the same steps outlined above, and pick another picture file.

Restore the original folder preview files

At any point, Windows 7 lets you revert to using the default preview files behavior for the folder: instead of showing the custom picture, you will now see a random selection of files inside the semi-open folder image. Here is how you restore the default folder preview files:

• Right-click on the folder, and choose "Properties"
• Click on the "Customize" tab
• Under "Folder pictures", just click on the "Restore Default" button
• Click "OK" to return to Windows
• Your folder now reverted to the default file preview behavior:
  
  

You can tell that Windows 7 now uses a sampling of the files the folder contains to give you an idea before you actually have to double-click on the folder to open it.

• Windows Explorer, Files, and Folders
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• Windows 7 Tutorial