Making Windows photo viewer play GIFs?

[asdf916]

Hope this is the right section, but.....

is there a way to get Windows Photo Viewer to play a GIF animation? The XP photo viewer had no problems with this, and i dont understand why microsoft didn't implement it in 7's version (unless they did, and im just stupid).

 

[Brink]

Hello Asdf916,

I'm sorry, but GIF files will only play when Internet Explorer is set as the default program to open them instead. They can only be viewed in Windows Photo Viewer.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Shawn

 

[bolter]

I don't see why MS has removed the animated gif viewing feature from photo viewer; it was very convenient in XP.

Hopefully, it will be something that is remedied in the retail version, along with the lag when viewing standard jpegs in photo viewer.

 

[logicearth]

Hopefully, it will be something that is remedied in the retail version...

Nope.

 

[Paarkhi]

Use Irfanview, the best viewer IMO

 

[QuackPot]

Where is the location of photo viewer? Just so I can change it to the default program for .gif images.

Edit: Nevermind, I got it.

 

[Psyko]

bumping this topic instead of posting a new one.

Is there still no way of fixing this? I hate having to open firefox to view images (IE can screw itself backwards)

 

[Barman58]

I think that the removal of the function was prompted by the issues with .GIF actually being a propriety standard rather that an open one, that came to light a few years ago.

http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/gif.html

The above link to the GNU pages gives some background to this, and although the patent is now lapsed as stated I very much doubt that Microsoft will ever add the functionality back, as it would cause possible legal problems.

Fortunately other software does not seem to worry about this so something like IrfanView may be the best option

 

[Hitesh12]

Use Irfanview, the best viewer IMO

Thanks, this works perfectly