Helping people with computers... one answer at a time.
Windows Picture and Fax Viewer seems to have disappeared from Windows Vista. It's still there with a different name and look.
I have just installed Vista Home premium and miss Windows Picture & Fax Viewer for printing pictures. It seems that one has to first save them as an XPS file and then use MS XPS printer to actually print the pictures. A retrograde step it seems to me!
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Judging by the volume of requests on this topic, I think there are lots of people who agree with you that Vista took a step backwards when it comes to Windows Picture and Fax viewer.
But it's not as far a step backwards as you might think.
And even if it is, there are many alternatives.
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The default image viewer is Windows Picture and Fax Viewer.
From what I can tell, it's one of those love-it or hate-it applications. Personally, I'm in the later camp and never use it. But I know many people love it, are very happy with it, and use it regularly.
In Windows Vista, Windows Picture and Fax Viewer has been replaced by Windows Photo Gallery:
It's the same, only different. (And for the record, I'm not fond of it either.) It appears to have most of the same functionality as the older Windows Picture and Fax Viewer, but it's ... different.
If it's not already the default image viewer, you should be able to right click on any picture in Windows Explorer and say "Open With..." and choose Windows Photo Gallery to view your image.
And to address the issue that lead your question: you can print directly from within Windows Photo Gallery.
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I spoke of alternatives...
Copying Windows Picture and Fax Viewer from a Windows XP system is not an option. Windows Photo Gallery is implemented in the same file: shimgvw.dll, and the registration protocol has apparently changed between the two.
So you can't get Windows Picture and Fax Viewer on Windows Vista, just Windows Photo Gallery.
The alternatives I'm speaking of are third party tools that work on Both Windows Vista and Windows XP, and quite frankly, are far more powerful than either of the built-in Windows tools.
A reader recently recommended FastStone Image Viewer:
FastStone has quickly become my favored replacement for my long-loved, but now defunct Firehand Ember.
Another very popular image viewer is IrfanView:
Both Irfan and FastStone offer standard image viewing options, slide shows, thumbnail browsing, full screen view, and much more. In addition they both also include basic image editing tools such as cropping, resizing, and more.
And best of all, both are free.
So if you're frustrated with the transition from Windows Picture and Fax Viewer to Windows Photo Gallery, my recommendation is that you actually check out these alternatives. They are suitable replacements that work well on both Windows Vista and XP.
Article C3254 - January 2, 2008
Leo A. Notenboom has been playing with computers since he
was required to take a programming class in 1976. An 18 year career as a programmer at Microsoft soon followed.
After "retiring" in 2001, Leo started Ask Leo! in 2003 as a place for answers
to common computer and technical questions. More about Leo.
Change HKEY user to the Local Machine key so it runs under all users without having to "reinstall" it.
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Layers]
Posted by: Dr Anonymous at January 8, 2012 1:31 PM"C:\\Windows\\rundll32.exe"="VISTARTM"
Found that you need both of these for it to work:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Layers]
"C:\\Windows\\rundll32.exe"="VISTARTM"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Layers]
"C:\\Windows\\rundll32.exe"="VISTARTM"
Just be sure to copy & paste it in, & you only have to have them listed once a piece, but be sure both are included.
I had registry keys on my machine that I had to delete to test this out more completely, & now I have done this on multiple machines & it still works.
Enjoy!
Posted by: Dr Anonymous at January 8, 2012 8:27 PMcan this work with windows 7?
31-Jan-2012
Posted by: just me at January 30, 2012 10:21 AM
@Just Me
Posted by: connie at January 30, 2012 11:48 AMMy Windows 7 machine has both "Windows Live Photo Gallery" and "Windows Photo Viewer" each with slightly different options. You can certainly use Faststone and Irfanview on Windows 7.
actually, yes this does work on W7. I gathered the required files from internet sources, created the .reg file with the changes suggested, Simply copy the files to your Windows folder, clik the reg, merge. all set. A windows picture and fax view on W7. works perfectly.
Posted by: just me at February 1, 2012 6:50 AMThey should never have taken it out.
And I never really like any of the replacement programs available.