How to Fix It When PNGs Won’t Open in Windows 11

If the Photos app won't display the image, try a different app. If that doesn't work, try downloading the file again

By
Brad Stephenson
Brad Stephenson - Lifewire Writer
Brad Stephenson
Freelance Contributor
  • Western Sydney University
Brad Stephenson is a freelance tech and geek culture writer with 12+ years' experience. He writes about Windows 10, Xbox One, and cryptocurrency.
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Published on March 4, 2024
Windows

This article explains how to fix it when a PNG file won't open in Windows 11.

Causes of Not Being Able to Open PNG Files in Windows 11

When you can’t open PNG files in Windows 11, the main cause is usually a corrupted PNG file. Typically, you'd see an error message such as “The specified procedure could not be found” or "Sorry, we don't accept this format." It’s also possible that nothing happens when you try to open the PNG file.

File corruption typically happens due to an interrupted internet download or file transfer from one location to another, and it's rarely the result of something you did.

Other common reasons a Windows 11 computer may be unable to open PNG files include an operating system glitch or the incorrect app to view the image.

How to Fix Windows 11 PNG Problems

Here are the best solutions for when a PNG file won’t open in Windows 11. It’s best to work through these fixes in the order presented as they’re listed from easiest and fastest to more complex and time-consuming. Don't worry; it's typically the easiest solution that works best.

  1. Open the PNG file in the correct Windows 11 app. The default Windows 11 Photos app and other image editing apps, such as Adobe Photoshop and Affinity Photo, should be able to view your PNG image without problem. Web browsers such as Microsoft Edge and Brave can also view PNG files.

  2. Open the PNG file in a different app. Right-click the PNG file icon and select Open with to choose an alternative app to view the PNG image. You can also drag and drop the file icon into some open apps.

  3. Check if the PNG file is corrupt. The easiest way to check if your PNG file is corrupt is to open another PNG file in Windows 11. If that second PNG file opens perfectly, the issue is with your first PNG file, not the operating system or an app.

  4. Re-download the PNG image. Save the file from the website or wherever you got it from.

  5. Download a different version of the image. If the PNG file you saved isn’t displaying correctly or won’t open, try to find another version of it on a different website by searching Google Images or Bing.

    You may need to save the PNG file directly from the website it’s hosted on instead of from the search results page. This is especially the case when it comes to transparent PNG files.

  6. Copy the PNG file to your Windows 11 computer. If you are trying to open the file from a flash drive or disc, consider the disc or drive is damaged. Copy the file from the drive or disc onto your computer's local storage and open the file from there.

  7. Update the Windows 11 Photos app. The Photos app may need an update to open PNG files properly.

  8. Update Windows 11. Your computer’s Windows 11 operating system may require an update to fix some bugs, such as the one affecting PNG files.

  9. Restart Windows 11. A quick Windows restart can fix a variety of problems, including those impacting PNG files and your computer’s ability to open them properly.

  10. Run a Windows Troubleshooter. Performing a troubleshooter for Windows Store Apps has been known to fix PNG file and Photos app issues.

  11. Repair the Photos app. Right-click the Photos app icon, select App settings, and choose Repair.

  12. Reset the Photos app. Right-click the Photos app icon, choose App settings, and select Reset. This process essentially reinstalls the app to its as-new state, which can fix issues caused by problematic settings or preferences.

    Resetting an app will delete any personal app settings or customizations you’ve made. Your saved images and photos shouldn’t be affected.

  13. Turn off antivirus software. Disable any third-party antivirus software or web browser extensions and try downloading the PNG file again. In particular, the Mcafee Web Advisor browser extension has been known to affect PNG file downloads in Windows 11.

  14. Uninstall and reinstall Microsoft’s Photos app. Right-click the Photos app’s icon, select Uninstall to uninstall it, and then reinstall it again from the Microsoft Store app store.

  15. Turn off photo encryption. Right-click the PNG file icon, select Advanced, and make sure that Encrypt contents to secure data is unchecked.

  16. Change the PNG file’s extension. Changing the image file’s extension from PNG to JPG could help an app open it. This is unlikely to help, but it's easy to try.

  17. Take a screenshot of the PNG file. If you still can’t open the PNG file, one sneaky workaround is to take a screenshot of them instead of downloading them.

  18. Change File Explorer folder settings. If your issue involves the PNG file thumbnail not displaying its image preview, open the folder where it’s located in File Explorer, select View from the top menu, and choose Medium-sized icons, Large icons, or Extra large icons. Anything smaller than these options will display PNGs with a blank file icon.

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