Windows 7 - Photoshop PSD files - Enable Thumbnail Previews

By default, You can not get the preview of Photoshop PSD files in Windows 7 Explorer. They will look like this Screenshot (The thumbnail you can see is of a PNG file):

We will perform some trick to enable the thumbnail preview of these PSD files in Windows 7 without any need of softwares.

Step 1

Download this open source dll file (new page will open). You will get something like this:

Step 2


Note: This method currently might not work for Windows 7 64 bit (please read the comments). We are trying to solve the problem, we will update the method as soon we get it universally working. (31/03/2010).


Differs a bit in 32 bit and 64 bit.

For 32 bit:

Place it in crogram filescommon filesadobeshell ( If the shell directory isn’t there create it.).

For 64 bit:

Place it in crogram files (x86)common filesadobeshell ( If the shell directory isn’t there create it).

Paste it:

Step 3

Open notepad; Copy the code given below:

For 32 bit:


Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionSharedDLLs]

“C:Program FilesCommon FilesAdobeShellpsicon.dll”=dword:00000001

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT.psdShellEx]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT.psdShellEx{BB2E617C-0920-11d1-9A0B-00C04FC2D6C1}]

@=”{0B6DC6EE-C4FD-11d1-819A-00C04FB69B4D}”

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTCLSID{0B6DC6EE-C4FD-11d1-819A-00C04FB69B4D}]

@=”Photoshop Icon Handler”

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTCLSID{0B6DC6EE-C4FD-11d1-819A-00C04FB69B4D}InProcServer32]

@=”C:Program FilesCommon FilesAdobeShellpsicon.dll”

“ThreadingModel”=”Apartment”

For 64 bit:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionSharedDLLs]

“C:Program Files (x86)Common FilesAdobeShellpsicon.dll”=dword:00000001

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT.psdShellEx]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT.psdShellEx{BB2E617C-0920-11d1-9A0B-00C04FC2D6C1}]

@=”{0B6DC6EE-C4FD-11d1-819A-00C04FB69B4D}”

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTCLSID{0B6DC6EE-C4FD-11d1-819A-00C04FB69B4D}]

@=”Photoshop Icon Handler”

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTCLSID{0B6DC6EE-C4FD-11d1-819A-00C04FB69B4D}InProcServer32]

@=”C:Program Files (x86)Common FilesAdobeShellpsicon.dll”

“ThreadingModel”=”Apartment”

Now save it as ” psdreg.reg ” (Without quotes. Change file type to all files, otherwise it will be a text file):

Step 4

Double click it and accept security prompt; Windows will inform you the values has been added:

Check your PSD files now:

Note:

1. Dont follow this method if you have folders containing GBs of PSD files; particularly if individual file size is like me (See first screenshot).

2. It will slow the explorer a bit.

3. You can use paid third party tools like Ardfry Codecs for Windows Explorer . In that case, apart from Windows explorer, you can get preview of PSD in Windows Photo Viewer, Windows Media Player (Windows Media Player can open any image file: try it) , Windows Media Center etc programs. I used trial version to check:





Note:

All the needed registry files plus those registry files you need to remove thumbnail preview in Windows 7 is here, Click here to download.

Read more: How to enable Thumbnail view for Photoshop PSD files in Windows 7 | Windows 7, Wordpress,Tips, Tricks, SEO, Computer, Tutorials, Software Downloads, Themes, Wallpapers
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives
Original source: The Customize Windows