Preview not working in Windows 10 on affinity designer v2.0.3

[MarkHankin]

The  preview in Windows 10 file explorer does not work for files created in Affinity Designer 2, though it still works for those created in v1.

[Cyrisus]

Yes I am also experiencing this issue. Not only this, but the file-type badge on the thumbnail is just completely missing for affinty file-types now. Its making sifting through my work files annoying, as my project files just look the same as any exported images or assets. These worked just fine in V1.

 

[SrPx]

One question... When you right click on an Affinity Photo file, *.afphoto,  and in the floating menu that appears, you click on "Open With", what does it show, then? A list in what appears all the v1 and v2 apps that you have purchased? Or only V1 ones ? In my case it lists all 6, v1 and v2 apps.

I can't test anything as I am in my Win 10 right now, and this one does not have the problem. I can think of 4 things to do (not to do all 4, but the first that works, you stop there, of course). But I'd try them in the listed order.

One idea that comes is to check in Windows Settings-> Apps -> Default apps -> Set defaults by app. And check if Affinity Photo v2 settings are correct. Or if the app is actually listed there (it should).

Other could be to fiddle in Windows folder settings in one particular folder. Set the view as 'details' or 'list' (to ensure it really takes it I do it setting "for all folders", clicking that button in folder options, but that would change settings for other folders, too),  restart Windows, set again that folder as full thumbnails, restart . Thumbnail problems have gone away for me sometimes doing that, with other applications/issues (I haven't got them yet with Affinity). If it is solved by this, then in folder options you can click the button "set all folders like this folder", but only if you know what you're doing, as maybe you prefer other folders to display as details, etc (anyway, you can later on manually displays those specific folders as list, etc). I use the button a lot, as mostly I want all my graphic folders to display thumbnails.

Other problems have gone (again, with other apps) by setting on Windows Settings-> About -> clicking on the "Advanced system settings" link at the very right of that screen -> then  you get a tiny window, and just in the 'Advanced' tab you appear on, on the "performance" area, click on the "Settings" button. -> You will be now in a new window, in "visual effects" tab. Now uncheck the box "Show thumbnails instead of icons". Restart Windows. No folder should show thumbnails now, all just bare icons. Go back to the setting I just explained, and set as checked "Show thumbnails instead of icons" back, as you want it on, this just helps to fix thumbnails issues in some cases. Restart Windows and see if it solves it.

Also , there was a way to "flush" the Windows thumbnails cache, but was complicated and I don't remember the procedure right now...

All the things above, I'd try before this. But if nothing above works (all are fast, slower to explain than to do), I'd try to fully uninstall all Affinity V2 apps, and install them again. As I say, as a last resource.

[Cyrisus]

24 minutes ago, SrPx said:

One question... When you right click on an Affinity Photo file, *.afphoto,  and in the floating menu that appears, you click on "Open With", what does it show, then? A list in what appears all the v1 and v2 apps that you have purchased? Or only V1 ones ? In my case it lists all 6, v1 and v2 apps.

I can't test anything as I am in my Win 10 right now, and this one does not have the problem. I can think of 4 things to do (not to do all 4, but the first that works, you stop there, of course). But I'd try them in the listed order.

One idea that comes is to check in Windows Settings-> Apps -> Default apps -> Set defaults by app. And check if Affinity Photo v2 settings are correct. Or if the app is actually listed there (it should).

Other could be to fiddle in Windows folder settings in one particular folder. Set the view as 'details' or 'list' (to ensure it really takes it I do it setting "for all folders", clicking that button in folder options, but that would change settings for other folders, too),  restart Windows, set again that folder as full thumbnails, restart . Thumbnail problems have gone away for me sometimes doing that, with other applications/issues (I haven't got them yet with Affinity). If it is solved by this, then in folder options you can click the button "set all folders like this folder", but only if you know what you're doing, as maybe you prefer other folders to display as details, etc (anyway, you can later on manually displays those specific folders as list, etc). I use the button a lot, as mostly I want all my graphic folders to display thumbnails.

Other problems have gone (again, with other apps) by setting on Windows Settings-> About -> clicking on the "Advanced system settings" link at the very right of that screen -> then  you get a tiny window, and just in the 'Advanced' tab you appear on, on the "performance" area, click on the "Settings" button. -> You will be now in a new window, in "visual effects" tab. Now uncheck the box "Show thumbnails instead of icons". Restart Windows. No folder should show thumbnails now, all just bare icons. Go back to the setting I just explained, and set as checked "Show thumbnails instead of icons" back, as you want it on, this just helps to fix thumbnails issues in some cases. Restart Windows and see if it solves it.

Also , there was a way to "flush" the Windows thumbnails cache, but was complicated and I don't remember the procedure right now...

All the things above, I'd try before this. But if nothing above works (all are fast, slower to explain than to do), I'd try to fully uninstall all Affinity V2 apps, and install them again. As I say, as a last resource.

Everything in Windows explorer is set correctly, and displays all other preview compatible files just fine. The exception of course being Affinity files.

Flushing the thumbnail cache would only fix issues with the smaller thumbnails, and not the larger preview window. As that loads media on demand when it is selected.

This is a fresh installation of Windows, as well as a fresh installation of Affinity Designer 2. This issue was not present in V1, and only manifested itself after V2 was installed.

[AlainP]

I don't have any preview for all Affinity programs files in Win 11. Thumbnails are fine but no preview at all. I can't tell if it worked with version 1 as I never used the preview window in File Explorer.

[siaccarino]

It does not work with Windows 11 as well, tried to uninstall and reinstall, does not work

[Ron P.]

Have a look at the File Options Settings. In a File Explorer window click on the View tab, then the Options, located on the far right. In the Folder Options window that opens, click on the View tab. Is there a check in the box beside Always show Icons, never thumbnails ? Uncheck it and see it that helps.

[siaccarino]

is unchecked

[siaccarino]

1 minute ago, N.P.M. said:

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/search/&q=one drive %2B thumbnails&quick=1

That was the reason: not one drive but nextcloud... Thanks.

[Anne Hauzeur]

On 1/8/2023 at 2:03 AM, AlainP said:

I don't have any preview for all Affinity programs files in Win 11. Thumbnails are fine but no preview at all. I can't tell if it worked with version 1 as I never used the preview window in File Explorer.

Hi! I met the same problem. As far as I was working with versions 1, no problem in Win 10 as well as in Win 11 . The absence of previewing only appears with Affinity versions 2. Win 11 Home, Intel Core, Irisx.