A program for viewing photos on a computer. Photo Viewers: Which is Better?

Now let's see what to use to view images on a computer, and choose the best photo viewers for Windows. The best photo viewer is a subjective concept, so in this article I will offer several applications that can be used to open popular graphic formats for viewing and processing images.

Any user, when working on a computer, inevitably encounters pictures, images, photographs. In any case, graphic format files will end up on your computer, so you will need a program to open and view them. Therefore, you need a photo viewer on your computer to easily view digital images.

Windows 10 has a built-in Photos application, with which you can open a graphic file, create an album, make the necessary changes to photos, etc. In previous versions Windows versions Windows Image Viewer application was used. The user can install Windows Picture Viewer in Windows 10, in addition to the Photos program.

Exists free application Photo album (Photo Gallery), included in the main Windows components Live. The photo album supports opening and editing photos. The program must be installed on your computer (it is not included in the OS).

In addition to applications produced by Microsoft, it has created a large number of third-party programs for viewing and editing images. In this article we will look at the best free programs- image viewers that have many additional built-in tools for working with files in graphic formats.

Third-party photo viewers (viewers) can be used on your computer as an alternative to standard Windows tools. As the best free programs for viewing images, I recommend paying attention to the following programs: FastStone Image Viewer, XnView, IrfanView, Ashampoo Photo Commander Free, Honeyview. These programs run in Russian on the Windows operating system.

These applications, in addition to basic functions, have tools for image editing. For more serious picture editing, you will need another program - an image editor (photo).

The best photo viewers, in addition to the viewing function, have additional features necessary for working with images on a computer. The programs have built-in tools to perform various operations with digital photographs or any other images: rotate, resize, remove red-eye, swatch, color correction, convert to other formats, send for printing, etc.

Beyond the scope of this review is free Picasa program(which would have been included in this review), due to the fact that Google stopped developing and supporting the application in 2016.

FastStone Image Viewer

FastStone Image Viewer is a powerful free program for viewing and processing images with a simple, intuitive interface. Built-in tools will help the user solve certain problems with photography: remove red-eye, change image size, apply color correction, convert files, etc.

A regular version of FastStone Image Viewer or a portable version of the program that does not require installation on a computer is available for download.

Key features of FastStone Image Viewer:

• Opening graphic files of major formats
• Editing digital photos and graphics files
• A large number of built-in tools for working with images
• Batch file processing
• Batch conversion to another format
• Creating a slide show with transitions and effects
• Preview function

XnView

XnView is a free program (for non-commercial use) for viewing images, multimedia files, and converting files to other formats. This is a high-quality program for managing photos on your computer. Thanks to the support of a large number of formats, in XnView, in addition to working with graphic files, for example, you can watch movies or listen to music.

The program has a simple interface, a large number of built-in tools, XnView will do an excellent job of processing and editing photos on a computer.

The user can download the regular or portable version of the application to the computer from the official XnView website.

Features of the XnView program:

• Supports more than 500 formats
• Photo editing
• Applying filters and effects
• Screen capture
• Batch conversion
• Editing metadata
• Convert files to 70 file formats
• Supports viewing video and audio files, archives, documents
• Creating a Slideshow
• Plugins are supported to expand the program's capabilities

IrfanView

IrfanView is a fast, free image viewer that consumes minimal amount computer resources. The program is one of the leaders in the number of downloads in the world for programs of this class. This indirect information tells us about the quality of the application, which is rated by users.

Honeyview is a free image viewer with a simple and intuitive interface. The program quickly opens graphic files, the application has tools for photo editing.

You can download it from the official website of the developer, as an installation file or as a portable version.

Honeyview program features:

• Supports a large number of graphic formats
• RAW format support
• Viewing images in archives
• View photos in slideshow mode
• Bookmark for favorite photos
• Support GPS data on photos

Conclusion

The user can choose the best photo viewer running on Windows for their computer. Free programs: FastStone Image Viewer, XnView, IrfanView, Ashampoo Photo Commander Free, Honeyview are among the best image viewers in this class of programs.

You won’t surprise anyone with photographs and pictures on your computer for a long time. However, such a seemingly ordinary thing as a photo cannot be opened without a viewer. But the problem will disappear by itself if you know what to look for.

Windows Photo Viewer

This is a standard Windows 7 program that is installed along with the operating system. Besides, this is the simplest one you can find. Its functionality is minimal:

• viewing images of all formats;
• automatic display of photos as a slide show;
• increase and decrease;
• Rotate the photo 360 degrees.

He is not capable of anything else. Although why do you need more if its only function is viewing pictures. And he copes with it perfectly. It is also worth noting that this Windows 7 image viewer, due to its simplicity, consumes a minimal amount of random access memory, so it starts up quickly and works like a clock.

Paint

The well-known standard drawing program for PC. Most often, this is where children begin their acquaintance with computers. However, it is also a good Windows image viewer for almost all common formats.

In addition to multiple drawing features, it has very useful function rotation and reflection of the image horizontally and diagonally. In addition, it can be used to save a graphic element in a different format.

Free

- FastStone Image Viewer. A very common image viewer, it has an intuitive interface and is easy to use. Everything is visible, almost all tool buttons are clear at first glance, the folder tree will help you find photos without leaving the program, thumbnails of pictures are shown.

In addition, the utility is notable for its great functionality for editing and minor processing of photos, as well as the ability to view them in full screen mode. In the same mode, you can edit using the pop-up toolbar.

A distinctive feature of the program is the function of collective file renaming, it is called “Batch conversion\renaming”. For more convenient viewing, you can create a slide show with quite interesting settings (display in random order, use of effects and music, compress photos, etc.).

- Picasa. Also a very famous image viewer. It has a design that is both simple and sophisticated. When you open a picture, the editing panel immediately opens using filters (auto-light correction, retouching, removing red eyes, etc.). You can also experiment with colors, brightness, and contrast.

As in the previous program, there is a function for creating slide shows with the addition of various effects, transitions and music. However, this is not the main feature of Picasa. It is famous for its ability to find a specific person in a photo or group photos with a certain personality.

An excellent utility for viewing graphic files. Has a stylish modern design. Supports many well-known and not so well-known image formats. It can be controlled using hot keys, and it is also possible to write a caption for a photo. In addition, with its help, any picture can easily become wallpaper on your desktop.

This utility does not contain any serious editing functions. However, it is somewhat different from its relatives in that it does not need to be installed and is not case sensitive. Therefore, you can safely carry it on a flash drive and use it to view various kinds Images.

Microsoft Office program

World famous software package Microsoft Office is on almost every computer. It includes a large number of office utilities, including an image viewer. It's called Microsoft Office Picture Manager.

Its functionality is small, but it is enough for viewing photos and editing them a little. With it you can:

• flip or rotate the image;
• crop or change resolution;
• adjust color, brightness and contrast;
• remove red eye, etc.

This utility can open graphic elements very many formats. The only caveat is that the license for the software package from Microsoft is paid, and does not cost that little. But you can find a hacked office on torrents (however, this is highly undesirable, since using pirated programs can result in a hefty fine).

Which one is better to choose?

Of course, it is impossible to definitely say which is the best image viewer. It all depends on the user’s preferences, what functions he wants to see and what to do with the photo. But we can definitely say that it is useful to have a couple of different programs on your computer. For example, you can use a standard utility for simple viewing and Paint for minimal editing and resaving, and additionally install FastStone Image Viewer for advanced actions with graphic files.

What is the best photo viewer? Built-in Windows tool– not an option if you have tried at least something more interesting. But among the numerous alternatives, it is difficult to choose the ideal one for yourself, unless, of course, you spend time testing everything. Therefore, we offer you a description best programs to view photos.

We fundamentally decided to consider only free software. The programs offered are, of course, not ideal, but neither are commercial ones. All applications in question have general set of advantages:

• Compatible with Windows 10 and other current versions, up to Windows 7
• A richer set of functions than the standard “peeper” offers
• Individual “superpower” for every decision

FastStone Image Viewer

At the end of the 2010s, this program’s popularity can only be compared with ACDSee in the early 2000s. The difference is that ACDSee was mostly hacked for post-Soviet users, but there is no need to hack FastStone. Based on user reviews and the positive/negative ratio, FastStone is the best photo viewer these days.

The program works quickly, has a built-in editor, and can convert photos in batch mode. Note unusual design interface: in full-screen mode, just move the cursor over the edge of the display to access various menu sections.

FastStone supports a variety of image formats, from mainstream to professional. The only thing missing is built-in support for .webp, but soon this format, invented by Google programmers, will be supported in Windows at the system level.

Advantages:

• Decent Russification
• Contains a built-in editor with a wide range of functions

Flaws:

• Unusual editor logic
• Minor bugs in the batch conversion function

Another super hit of the market of free photo viewing programs. Visible from the start of installation rich story: in the list of plugins that are suggested to be installed, there is even a plugin for burning pictures to disk in Nero (who remembers this dinosaur?)

The interface of the program resembles the classic approach of ACDSee or the same FastStone: a browser with photo thumbnails, a more detailed view of the selected image in the same window, and a full-screen view by double click.

However, there is interesting feature– working with tabs. On each tab, you can open a separate folder or photo and switch between them.

Advantages:

• Small size
• Fast work
• Support large number formats
• Good Russification

Flaws:

• Slightly outdated style
• Inconvenient keyboard controls

A classic program that Bosnian developer Irfan Skilyan created back in 1996 and named after himself. The program is in demand even more than two decades after its creation. Installers for 32- and 64-bit versions are available separately. This way you can choose the one that is more suitable for your system.

The program is loved because there is nothing superfluous in it - only viewing and basic photo editing. For other needs, the photo can be sent to third party editors straight from full screen view.

Advantages:

• Supports multiple image formats
• Required Editing Capabilities
• Integration with external editors
• Support Adobe plugins BF8
• Ability to create panoramic photos
• Batch Converter

Flaws:

• No own file manager
• Outdated interface (for example, it is impossible to download an additional language pack through the program itself)

A relatively little-known player on the market, DIMIN View has its trump cards. Probably the most interesting feature compared to analogues is the ability to create playlists from photos, a sort of simplified analogue of presentations. The playlist can be organized, compiled from pictures located in different folders, and played in slide show mode.

DIMIN View is a kind of attempt to bring the logic of the iTunes library into the photo viewer. You do not need to transfer image files to organize them into a group: just add them to a special playlist.

Advantages:

• Supports plugins
• Allows you to create photo collections that can be viewed like a music playlist

Flaws:

• Unusual interface logic
• Incorrect Russification (there is a translation, but we haven’t seen such problems with displaying the Cyrillic alphabet since the days of Windows XP, so it’s better to use English, please!)

By the standards of its simple and small analogues, this program is a corroded giant. WildBit has a wild appetite and requires more than 100 MB for installation. However, these megabytes are not wasted: the program has something to show.

Advantages:

• Many formats supported
• Beautiful slideshow with a variety of effects
• Separate implementation for 32- and 64-bit systems
• Working with multiple monitors simultaneously
• Built-in powerful editor

Flaws:

• Big size
• Redundancy of functions if you just need to view

The program with the sweetest name suggests that viewing photos through it is like eating honey - you will stick and will not come off. Indeed, the developers succeeded a good product, rightfully taking its place on the list.

One of the most interesting opportunities What HoneyView doesn't have on its competitors is Google Maps integration. If the EXIF ​​data of a photo contains the coordinates of the place where it was taken, then you can go to this place in one click Google Maps, view the street panorama (if available) and use all other functions of the service.

Just click on the “GPS” button, and the program opens the coordinates from the photo data using the web version of Google Maps.

Among other things, it is a simple and easy way to view photos on your computer. Convenient navigation using keys, built-in browser with thumbnail display, basic functions editing and converting - perhaps this is the best choice for travel lovers.

Advantages:

• Easy viewing of EXIF ​​data and its integration with Google Maps
• Support for rare formats (for example, .webp)
• Successful integration into the Windows context menu
• Menu in Russian

Flaws:

• Somewhat overloaded interface

An absolute masterpiece of minimalism. The program does not require installation and is distributed in the form of a single executable file xlideit.exe. When launched, the application is integrated into the system automatically and generates configuration files, so it is better to immediately create a separate folder for it.

Since installation is not necessary, the program can be kept on a flash drive. This is convenient in many respects: for example, it allows you to view photos without launching the main program on the PC (you never know what the owner used it to look at last time).

For a file smaller than 3MB, Xlideit's capabilities are astounding. Opens different formats files, contains a built-in file manager and a set of tools for basic processing - what more could you want from such a midget?

Advantages:

• Minimum size
• Works from anywhere on your computer, including removable media
• Rich options

Flaws:

• Interface is in English only
• Stutters when opening uncompressed photos
• Sometimes it works unstably

Which of the proposed viewers is considered the best is a matter of taste. Each one has some kind of unique “trick” - perhaps you will find room on your computer for two or three at once. Thus, the author of the review believes that good combination will consist of FastStone (as a universal viewer and editor) and HoneyView (as a tool for working with metadata). There is always room for Xlideit on a flash drive with photos. However, each user has different needs, so you may choose a different program or set of them.

Our selection includes best apps to view photos, which, despite their free distribution, have high-quality functionality and capabilities on par with commercial software. Graphic image viewers have options for converting and renaming images, creating photo albums for recording on disks, uploading to the Internet, etc.

The utilities we are considering are also editors with a set of tools for processing photographs, removing unnecessary elements and applying interesting filters. Our review will help you choose a program for viewing digital images that meets your requirements.

The application allows you to various modes view photos, convert to required format and edit images using the set useful tools. The utility is one of the fastest among similar viewers; it easily opens objects of less common formats, recognizes audio and video, and can also expand the boundaries of its capabilities by adding plug-ins. The user can extract sections of the image of the selected area and image icons, view images as a thumbnail of the image, create screenshots and use convenient auto-correction.

The program combines the main functions for editing and processing images of various graphic formats and digital RAW. The user can apply watermarks to the image, work with the size, color and unnecessary fragments of images, auto-enhancement, batch processing and red-eye removal. In addition, you can create histograms, business cards and slide shows with music, turn on a magnifying glass and add comments. The application is compatible with the scanner.

One of the best programs for viewing and editing graphic images. Can convert files, change images, create photo albums, set passwords on photos, burn the resulting material to disk or print. You can also resave from one format to another, work with multiple formats, remove red eyes from a photo, and view photos in slide show mode. In addition, the user can use interesting filters and effects.

Free Google product for quick search, viewing on a PC and editing images. Finds images available on the computer and, using a large set of tools and interesting effects, retouches them, creates collages and slide shows. The user can crop, remove red-eye, improve the quality of pictures, adjust color and shadow, as well as adjust height and width. Transferring photos and clips to Google+ will help you quickly display the material in your feed, and the comparison option will allow you to evaluate the initial and final results of the processed image. Pikasa also systematizes pictures and finds them in a common database by tags, faces, geolocation or other parameters of a given sorting.

The utility allows you to view and edit images using a large set of high-quality tools. The viewer opens more than 400 formats, converts files, works with different operating systems and installs new modules. Available to the user for processing interesting effects and tools, picture capture, creating a slideshow and web pages, go to search and select skins. Using plugins, integration into the Total Commander shell is possible, and having Nero on your PC will help you burn pictures to discs directly from the software. Creation of photo galleries and web pages is available.

A free Nero product for searching media files, playing and burning DVDs, Blu-Rays and CDs. The utility helps you quickly find the necessary files in the media directory, open them, create images and burn them to media. In addition, you can “upload” material to the Internet, record images in several formats, edit photos and create a slide show or video presentation. Nero Quick works with most formats, recognizes faces and has a large set of powerful tools.

This utility allows you to quickly view and edit photos efficiently, sort home collections by different criteria and “upload” pictures to resources. The editor is almost as functional as its paid counterparts; it intelligently organizes collections of photographs, removes red eyes, and has options for adjusting color depth, palette, and adding text. You can create 3D buttons, layouts, collages, apply effects and fine-tune parameters. Processed images can be synchronized with mobile version software Free version works 30 days.

The application will help you properly organize your photos, create albums, collections, automatically sort and apply various effects to your photos. With the help of Karambis, you can create a convenient photo library not only for viewing on a PC, but also for use in software for viewing pictures or in social networks. There is a smart search, sorting by dates and locations. You can download GPS tracks and overlay them on an image, apply filters, share material by email, and adjust various quality enhancement settings. You can evaluate the trial version for 30 days.

A convenient converter that qualitatively changes the size and extension of images. Supports RAW, popular and used for professional photography formats, organizes pictures, compresses, imports, applies watermarks, batch processes and has presets to improve pictures. There are versions for 32 and 64-bit operating systems.

The utility helps you view text, “book” files and images, supports popular formats and recognizes them. Exports the document base into text or image, converts the selected area into some formats and supports several languages ​​(including Russian). The viewer can also modify the XML file, customize the document for easier reading, and use tools to customize tabs and zoom. Conveniently customizable keys, session recovery, going to the previous page and fine-tuning the search for books, paragraphs and fonts will not leave demanding users indifferent.

Modern development of computer technology has led to the fact that there are more and more graphic images using specific formats. This is especially true due to the fact that each camera manufacturer (especially DSLRs) tries to take photographs in its own format (although universal formats are also present). And sometimes the question is, choose and download image viewing programs, is very relevant. Today, there are quite a large number of programs that allow you not only to view, but also to edit graphic files and objects. For now we will focus only on viewer programs. In the modern computer world, there are a great variety of them, as well as the file formats with which they can work. Among the most common formats are JPEG, TIFF, GIF, PNG, BMP, ICO and some others. If you look at it, built-in graphics viewers are available in any operating system. Even if we take into account even this file manager type FAR, which is up to to a certain extent reminiscent of Norton Commander, it also has a graphics preview function, despite the fact that it is a kind of add-on in the form of a DOS system for Windows. In recent operating systems family of Windows there is a built-in program that opens graphic images default. However, it is worth noting that the previewer from Microsoft may not work with all types of images. IN in this case much more convenient to use special programs, which recognize maximum amount formats. It's no secret that each camera manufacturer, in addition to the usual standard JPEG format, can use its own file format to save photos in the camera's memory or on a removable card in order to reduce the size of the saved file and save disk space. When viewing such images, you will most likely have to use the device on which the photograph was taken. Converting an image from a personal to a public format can take quite a long time. This is where programs that can recognize an image come to the rescue, even if the file has a different extension. Such programs allow you to view graphic files even if they are renamed. Let's say in some Commander you changed the file extension from .JPG to .TXT. The program will not detect the difference between the formats, although the system will indicate that the latter is, after all, a text file (although, in fact, it is not one of those). You can download such programs for viewing images on our website. It seems that using a standard graphic viewer Windows files is becoming more and more irrelevant. On our website you can download free programs for viewing images.