Look! 5 Methods to Fix PNG Files Not Opening in Windows 10/11

PNG files are widely used among the most popular image file formats. You can see this kind of file on an SD card, USB flash drive, and mobile device. If your PNG file not opening in Windows 10, you can follow the steps to fix it.

5 Methods to Fix PNG Not Opening in Windows 10/11

To fix the .png file not opening in Windows 10, follow these solutions below:

Basic Info about PNG File

Before checking the solutions, see the basic info of PNG format and reasons for "PNG won't open in Windows 10".

What are PNG Files

PNG, a Portable Network Graphics file, aims to replace GIF and TIFF file format. Typically, it will apply to Java programs, web pages, and more. The picture compression ratio is high, and the file size is small.

How to Open and Convert PNG Files

Double-click the photo is the common way to open files. The frequently used photo app is Windows Photo Viewer (Built-in), IrfanView, and more. Also, if you use another photos viewer, you can right-click photos, choose “Open with” to run another photo checker.

PNG file converter:

Paint app - Put your photo on the app and click File > Save as to choose PNG File format.

PicPick - Drag the file to app and click File > Save as to click PNG file format.

Why PNG Files Not Open in Windows 10

• Your Windows Photo Viewer is out of date.
• Your Windows Photo Viewer needs to be repair or reset.
• Your PNG file is corrupted.
• Your PNG file is encrypted.
• Your default photo viewer needs to be replaced.

If you encounter any of the scenarios like what I listed, you can try the following methods to get them back. Not only can a Photo viewer let you fail to launch your image, but your image might also have been damaged. We'll show the best approach to take in different "open .png file" situations.

1. Repair/Reset Your Windows Photo Viewer

Your preference will be simply wiped out.

• Click Settings.
• Choose Apps, then click Apps & features.
• Type Windows Photo Viewer in the search box.
• Click Windows Photo Viewer and click Advanced options.
• Move to Windows Photo Viewer Page, slide your mouse to the Reset part.
• Choose Repair.

• Or Windows Photo Viewer still doesn't work correctly. Click Reset.

2. Use PNG File Repair Tool to Repair Damaged PNG File

If you can not open what you want via repair or reset your default photo viewer, perhaps the most reliable method of opening a .png file is to use professional image recovery software. One such robust tool is EaseUS free data recovery software, which makes it fortune in the high recovery rate and simple steps.

• Recover 2GB for FREE.
• Support numerous file types.
• Support Windows & Mac Version.

Join us and apply the quick steps outlined:

Step 1. Launch EaseUS data recovery software. Select a hard drive that contains broken photos files and click "Scan".

Step 2. Select "Pictures" to find your corrupted phots that can be in a variety of formats, JPEG, JPG, PNG, BMP, and more. Or, you can click "Search files or folders" in the upper right corner to search for files.

Step 3. Double-click on a damaged picture to repair and preview the file. Then, click "Recover" to save images to a different location.

Read also:

3. Turn Off Photo Encryption

Maybe things go easier as your PNG image is encrypted. If these methods are useless for you. It is possible that you need to change your file setting.

• Right-click PNG and choose Properties on the menu.
• Then the Properties page pops up.
• Choose the General option, and click Advanced... on the bottom right corner.
• Under the Compress or Encrypt attributes option, uncheck Encrypt contents to secure data.

4. Update your Windows Photo Viewer in Windows 11/10/8/7

• Click on Windows Start > Choose Settings icon > Click Update & Security
• Click on Windows Update, and choose to Check for updates.
• Check the little box next to the Windows Photo, then choose Install Updates.

After the update is completed, try to open the PNG file. If it does not work, restart the system.

See Microsoft guide here.

5. Convert PNG to another format or Replace PNG Viewer

It looks like your default app may not support the file format. In such a scenario, we recommend you convert PNG to another file format by online file converter or change photo viewer software.

These 5 methods of how to open PNG file is not going to be suitable for everyone in different scenarios. It is important to note that the reliable method is to run the free PNG repair tool as we listed above.

Which Method Do You Like? Try it!

All of the method outlined here is available to open your PNG files in Windows 10. But it is the robust data recovery software - EaseUS Data Recovery for free can give you the great chance to fix your PNG file and open it again.