If you’re looking for a specific file in a folder full of many files, you can use file previews to see a file’s contents without opening it. You have multiple ways to do this on your Windows 11 PC, and I’ll show you what those ways are.

Preview Files in File Explorer’s Right Sidebar Using Preview Pane

Windows 11’s built-in File Explorer app offers a preview pane feature that allows you to see your files’ previews within the file manager. This pane appears in the app’s right sidebar and lets you preview your photos, videos, PDFs, and even Microsoft Word files.

To use it, launch File Explorer by pressing Windows+E. Open the folder where the files you want to preview are located. At File Explorer’s top, click “View” and enable “Preview Pane.”

On the right, you’ll see the preview pane, ready to help you preview your files. To use it, simply click a file in your folder and you’ll see that file’s preview in the preview pane. To enlarge the preview, bring your cursor to the current preview pane’s border and drag the border outwards.

To disable the preview pane, in the pane’s top-right corner, click “Preview.”

Get a macOS-Like File Preview Feature Using QuickLook

If you’ve used Apple’s Mac computers, you know you can preview files inside Finder by simply selecting a file and pressing Spacebar. You can bring that functionality to your Windows 11 PC by downloading a free app called QuickLook. This app is inspired by that macOS feature, allowing you to see your file contents by pressing Spacebar.

To use it, launch Microsoft Store on your PC, type QuickLook in the search box, press Enter, and select the app in the search results. Choose “Get” to download and install the app on your PC.

You’re now ready to preview your files. Open File Explorer (press Windows+E) and find your files. Click a file on the list so it’s selected, then press Spacebar. You’ll see your file’s preview.

To close the preview window, press Spacebar again. Another way to close the window is by clicking “X” in the window’s top-right corner.

Enlarge File Icons to See File Contents

If you make file icons bigger, you can actually see your files’ contents without opening them. This works best for image and video files. To use it, open File Explorer and access the folder containing your files.

Right-click anywhere blank in the folder and choose View > Extra Large Icons.

Your files now have large icons, allowing you to see the file contents.

If you don’t see your file previews, you’ll have to toggle off an option. At the top of File Explorer, click the three dots and choose “Options.” On the Folder Options window, open the “View” tab. In the Advanced Settings section, disable the “Always Show Icons, Never Thumbnails” option. Then, at the bottom, click “Apply” followed by “OK.”

Use PowerToys’ Peek Feature to Peek at Files

PowerToys isn’t built into Windows 11, but it’s a Microsoft-developed app you can use to preview file contents on your PC. This toolkit brings with it many useful features that you can use on your computer.

To use it, open Microsoft Store, type PowerToys in the search box, press Enter, and select the app in the search results. Choose “Get” to download and install the app. Another way to download PowerToys is by visiting GitHub.

Open the newly installed PowerToys app. From the left sidebar, select “File Management.” In the expanded menu, choose “Peek.” On the right pane, turn on “Enable Peek.”

To now preview a file, open File Explorer and access your file folder. Select a file and press Ctrl+Space. You’ll see your file’s preview in a new window. To close this window, in the window’s top-right corner, click the “X” icon.

If you want the preview window to automatically close when you click outside of the window, launch PowerToys and select File Management > Peek. On the right side, turn on “Automatically Close the Peek Window When It Loses Focus.” Here, losing the focus means you clicking outside of the window or bringing another window into the focus.

And that’s how to see what’s inside your files without opening the files. Like this, you have other File Explorer tips to make the most of this built-in file manager app on your Windows 11 PC.