Windows 7 - Preview other file types as text in Preview Pane

I want to preview .js, .php, and other file extensions as text in explorer on Windows 7.

Any ideas on how I can accomplish this?

windows-7

John2496

Posted 2010-01-05T19:51:05.493

Reputation: 1 989

In the meantime, check out: http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/topic/add-file-types-to-windows-7-preview-pane

– ZoogieZork – 2010-01-05T20:02:35.077

Answers

On top of using PreviewConfig, you will also have to add entries into the registry to get it working on Windows 7.

Open the registry editor (regedit in the start menu search) and navigate to computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.FILE_EXT, where FILE_EXT is the extension you want to add, such as .nfo
Make 2 new string values (REG_SZ) under the file extension's key, Content Type and PerceivedType
Set the value of Content Type to text/plain and PerceivedType to text.

John T

Posted 2010-01-05T19:51:05.493

Reputation: 149 037

Note well (I should have): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_before_E_except_after_C

– dcromley – 2015-03-07T02:28:57.837

1I have found this method (registry fix) works for .eml files without bothering with PreviewConfig at all - Windows 8.1. – gogoud – 2015-07-02T12:07:16.127

This method also works for text formats on Windows 7 Professional without needing PreviewConfig. – Myles – 2019-01-02T18:29:10.527

On Win 7, I got not success on .m3u using PreviewConfig http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/9910/regionuj.png or the manual method too http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/3674/registryeditor.png . Any ideas?

– ChrisJJ – 2013-03-12T22:55:21.607

5I am not totally sure but it is not Perceived Type, it is PerceivedType – Devid – 2013-10-25T22:15:59.970

Success!! Per the answer below for most file types I did not need to manually edit the registry but for .config files I did because it had already been registered as ContentType application/xml and did not want to update. Thanks! – GrokSrc – 2014-03-20T19:19:26.183

I just went to RegEdit> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > Classes

Found .log

Added a new String Value with Value Name PerceivedType and Value Data text.

Started working straight away.

user255627

Posted 2010-01-05T19:51:05.493

Reputation: 231

The benefit of this method is that if you change the viewer for the underlying type all types that are perceived as it will change too. – Sam Hasler – 2014-06-30T11:56:31.680

1This worked for Windows 10 also and was very easy to do. – smcintosh – 2016-03-13T20:06:43.580

1Perfect! I wanted to do this for markdown files on Windows 10. Went to the same location and looked for .md and added the same thing (PerceivedType: text). Voila, it worked right away. – ba_ul – 2017-08-06T13:11:03.487

It works also for adding new key with arbitrary extension name, if the extension doesn't exist. In my case, it was unregistered .cff file type. Tested on Windows 7. – Phil B – 2018-02-01T10:55:17.020

My .html folder there in Classes unfortunately already has "Content Type" = "text/html" and "PerceivedType" = "text", but the previews don't work. I just see a Chrome icon. – Ryan – 2018-10-04T16:52:22.230

Perfect, just what I wanted... now figure out a way to get formatting in that preview and it'd be awesome :) – u8it – 2018-12-14T20:13:17.550

where did you get this tutorial from? please consider adding your source. – Lorenzo Von Matterhorn – 2013-09-19T10:25:53.280

As of June 2010, PreviewConfig will handle Windows 7 file preview duties without the need for any manual registry editing.

Anthony K

Posted 2010-01-05T19:51:05.493

Reputation: 463

You can solve this by using a little tool created by a Microsoft guy (Stephen Toub) called "PreviewHandlerEditor.exe", which is available here:

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/toub/archive/2006/12/14/preview-handler-association-editor.aspx

Download and open the tool, uncheck "Only show classes associated with this handler", select a registered preview handler from the dropdown menu (e.g. "Windows TXT Previewer"), scroll through the list of classses/extensions, and select the file type you are having trouble previewing in Windows search.

I found this answer via: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-files/no-preview-available-there-are-several-files-that/9a93872f-db8e-450a-96b1-951a3d687fd9?page=2&tm=1423925169058#LastReply

Direct download link to app: https://msdnshared.blob.core.windows.net/media/MSDNBlogsFS/prod.evol.blogs.msdn.com/CommunityServer.Components.PostAttachments/00/01/28/65/88/PreviewHandlerEditor.zip

Michael Beijer

Posted 2010-01-05T19:51:05.493

Reputation: 376

I find this tool to be more capable than the one in the accepted answer. It allows me to add and remove handlers from filetypes without limitation. Thanks, @Michael for the link to the download - the links in Toub's original blog posting no longer work. – yosh m – 2015-04-19T11:42:49.720

no need for tools. windows provides it check out the solution here link

– Peter Moore – 2019-11-20T01:16:16.340

To view .ai in windows 7 preview handler

Navigate to .ai folder in the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes.ai
Under that make a key named ShellEx if not already there
Under ShellEx create a key name {8895b1c6-b41f-4c1c-a562-0d564250836f}
Under this new key change the data value to {DC6EFB56-9CFA-464D-8880-44885D7DC193} (I would have posted an image but Im not allowed to by the system but I'm sure you got it!)

Now even Adobe Illustrator files show up in the preview handler and you look like a Pro! This is possible as the preview handler for PDF files and AI files are the same so all that is being done is copy/paste the PDF one to the AI one!

Rikaz Sheriff

Posted 2010-01-05T19:51:05.493

Reputation: 31

In addition to the accepted answer: If you don’t have the privilege to add a key under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.log (e.g. on a computer in an office environment):

You can create the same keys under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.log

Worked for me with Windows 10.

Stephan Keller

Posted 2010-01-05T19:51:05.493

Reputation: 21

Try please:

PreviewConfig Tool Registers File Types for the Preview Pane in Windows 7/Vista

Dr. Hook

Posted 2010-01-05T19:51:05.493

Reputation: 19

1While this link may answer the question, it is better to include the essential parts of the answer here and provide the link for reference. Link-only answers can become invalid if the linked page changes. – Ramhound – 2015-07-16T12:59:34.027

1Could you summarize your article here? We prefer you don't just link your own site as an answer – Simon Sheehan – 2012-02-15T22:39:03.030