In Windows 11, you can preview the contents of files without opening them in separate applications. To do this, enable the Preview pane in File Explorer. This is useful for viewing images, text files, PDFs, and other common formats.

✅ How to Enable File Preview

Method 1: Using the menu

1. Open File Explorer (Win + E).

2. Click the “View” tab at the top.

3. Hover over “Show”.

4. Select “Preview pane”.

A panel will appear on the right side, automatically showing the content of the selected file.

Method 2: Keyboard shortcut

• Press Alt + P to quickly toggle the Preview pane on or off.

🖼 Supported File Types

The Preview pane works with the following file types:

• Images: JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP, etc.

• Text files: TXT, CSV, LOG

• Documents: PDF, DOCX, XLSX (if compatible software is installed)

• Audio and video: MP3, MP4 (limited support)

📌 Note: If PDF or DOCX files aren’t showing a preview, make sure you have Adobe Acrobat Reader or Microsoft Office installed.

ℹ️ Optional: Details Pane

In addition to the preview, you can enable the Details pane to view file metadata:

1. In File Explorer, go to “View” → “Show” → “Details pane”.

2. This pane (on the left or right) displays file info like size, creation date, and type.

📌 Tips

• If the preview doesn’t appear, try restarting File Explorer or your PC.

• Some file formats require additional software to preview.

• Microsoft Store offers extensions for formats like .epub or CAD files.

With these settings, you can quickly view file contents and work more efficiently in Windows 11.