How to fix and clear the Windows thumbnail cache when File Explorer previews show old or incorrect images

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How to fix and clear the Windows thumbnail cache when File Explorer previews show old or incorrect images. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

If File Explorer is showing outdated, broken, or incorrect preview images for your photos, videos, or documents, the issue is almost always a corrupted or stale thumbnail cache. Windows stores these small preview images in a hidden system folder so it can display them quickly. When that cache becomes damaged, the previews stop refreshing properly.

This guide will walk you through clearing and rebuilding the thumbnail cache in Windows 10 and Windows 11 using built-in tools, plus a manual method if the standard approach does not work.

Quick Fix Steps

For most users, the built-in Disk Cleanup utility is the fastest way to clear the thumbnail cache.

1. Press Win + S to open the search bar, type Disk Cleanup, and press Enter.
2. Select the drive where Windows is installed (usually C:) and click OK.
3. Click Clean up system files. You may be prompted for administrator permission or to select the drive again.
4. Wait for Disk Cleanup to scan, then scroll through the list and tick Thumbnails.
5. Click OK, then Delete Files to confirm.
6. Restart your computer.

After rebooting, open File Explorer and navigate to a folder containing images. The thumbnails should regenerate automatically.

Detailed Instructions

Method 1: Clear the Thumbnail Cache Using Disk Cleanup

Disk Cleanup is the recommended approach because it safely removes only the thumbnail files without affecting your personal data.

1. Click the Start button and search for Disk Cleanup.
2. When prompted, choose your Windows drive (typically C:) and click OK.
3. Click Clean up system files. Administrator credentials may be required.
4. Once the rescan completes, locate Thumbnails in the "Files to delete" list and place a tick next to it.
5. Review the total space to be recovered, then click OK.
6. Click Delete Files when prompted to confirm.
7. Restart your computer to ensure all locked thumbnail files are released.

Method 2: Manually Delete the Thumbnail Cache Folder

If Disk Cleanup does not resolve the issue, or you want more control over the process, you can delete the cache files manually. This method requires File Explorer to be closed and may need administrative privileges.

1. Close all open File Explorer windows.
2. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog.
3. Type the following path and press Enter:
   %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer
4. In the folder that opens, look for files named thumbcache_*.db (for example, thumbcache_16.db, thumbcache_32.db, and so on).
5. Select all thumbcache_*.db files, press Delete, and confirm.
6. If you receive a permission error, right-click the files, choose Properties, then the Security tab, and verify your account has full control. Alternatively, try the steps from an elevated Command Prompt (see Method 3).
7. Restart your computer.

Method 3: Clear the Cache Using Command Prompt

For users comfortable with the command line, or when the manual method is blocked by permissions, an elevated Command Prompt provides a reliable alternative.

1. Click Start, type cmd, then right-click Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.
2. Click Yes on the User Account Control prompt.
3. Type the following commands one at a time, pressing Enter after each:
   taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
del /a /q "%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\thumbcache_*.db"
start explorer.exe
4. Wait for File Explorer to restart, then restart your computer to finalise the changes.

Adjusting Thumbnail Display Settings

After clearing the cache, you may want to confirm that File Explorer is set to display thumbnails rather than generic icons. If thumbnails are turned off, Windows will never generate them in the first place.

1. Open File Explorer from the taskbar.
2. Click the View menu (or the ... menu in Windows 11) at the top of the window.
3. Choose Show, then select Thumbnails if it is not already ticked.
4. Switch the layout to Large icons or Extra large icons to confirm thumbnails are rendering correctly.

You can also adjust thumbnail quality through Folder Options:

1. In File Explorer, click the ... menu (or View menu), then choose Options.
2. In the Folder Options window, open the View tab.
3. Under Advanced settings, ensure Always show icons, never thumbnails is not ticked.
4. Optionally, tick Display file icon on thumbnails and Display file size information in folder tips if desired.
5. Click Apply, then OK.

Troubleshooting

Thumbnails Still Show Old Images After Clearing

If the cache has been cleared but File Explorer is still showing outdated previews, try the following:

• Restart the computer again. Some thumbnail files remain locked until a full restart occurs.
• Empty the Recycle Bin if you used the manual deletion method.
• Check that your user account has full control over the Explorer folder. Right-click the folder, choose Properties, then the Security tab.
• Run the System File Checker to repair any underlying Windows component issues. Open an elevated Command Prompt and run sfc /scannow.

Thumbnails Do Not Appear At All

If no thumbnails are generated after rebuilding the cache, the issue may be related to a damaged system file or a third-party shell extension interfering with Explorer.

• Confirm Thumbnails is enabled under View > Show in File Explorer.
• Open Control Panel > System and Security > System and click System protection. Run a restore point if one is available from before the issue started.
• Boot into Safe Mode to see if thumbnails appear. If they do, a startup application or shell extension is likely the cause.
• Consider performing a more thorough repair using the steps outlined in our Windows 11 Update Issues guide, particularly the DISM and SFC commands.

Cache Keeps Becoming Corrupt

If the thumbnail cache becomes corrupted repeatedly, there may be an underlying issue with your system storage or a third-party application interfering with Windows.

• Run the chkdsk utility to check your drive for errors. Open an elevated Command Prompt and run chkdsk C: /f /r, then restart when prompted.
• Check for failing hardware by reviewing the system logs in Event Viewer under Windows Logs > System.
• Disable non-Microsoft shell extensions one at a time to identify any that may be interfering with thumbnail generation. These are often installed by file management or cloud storage applications.
• Ensure Windows is fully up to date by going to Settings > Windows Update and installing any pending updates.
• If the issue persists, consider creating a new Windows user profile to determine whether the problem is profile-specific.

Preventing Future Thumbnail Issues

To reduce the likelihood of thumbnail cache problems recurring:

• Shut down your computer properly rather than forcing a power-off, so Windows can manage locked files correctly.
• Keep your system drive from becoming critically full, as low disk space can cause cache files to fail to write properly.
• Avoid using aggressive third-party "PC cleaner" applications that may delete cache files while they are still in use.
• Run Disk Cleanup periodically to remove old thumbnail files along with other temporary system data.

Still Having Issues?