How to Make Thumbnails Load Faster on Windows 10?

When you open folders that have new documents in them, then Windows will take a while for generating the thumbnail previews for the folder. But when you open up folders that you have previously opened, Windows will be able to display the thumbnail icons very quickly because it stores the pictures it uses on the hard drive. If you want to make thumbnails load faster on Windows 10, then read on.

See Whether the Thumbnail Option is Turned off

You can see if the thumbnail option is turned off by pursuing these guidelines mentioned below:

1. Hit the Windows icon to invoke the Search section on your system.
2. Thereafter, insert ‘control panel’ into it and select the OK button to launch the Control Panel.
3. Once it opens, select the settings of the ‘System and Security’ option and choose the System link.
4. Reach the left side panel and go to the option of ‘Advanced System Settings’, select it, to invoke the System Properties.
5. The screen shall launch with the tab of Advanced chosen by default.
6. Beneath the Performance section, click on the Settings option.
7. Finally, mark the “Show thumbnails instead of icons” box. 
8. Now, hit the Apply and then OK buttons to save the changes.

Rebuild the Search Index

You should rebuild the search index by pursuing these guidelines mentioned below:

1. Firstly, launch the Control Panel.
2. Then click one of the icon views in the pull-down list of View By, find and choose the Indexing Options.
3. Once you reach the screen Indexing Options, click on the button of Advanced, then hit the Rebuild option.

Configure Group Policy

You should configure group policy by pursuing these guidelines mentioned below:

1. Hold the Windows and S hotkeys simultaneously to open the Search section.
2. Thereafter, input ‘group policy’ into it and select the OK button to launch the Edit Group Policy screen.
3. Once it opens, select the ‘User Configuration’ option.
4. Then choose the ‘Windows Components’ option.
5. You should click on the ‘File Explorer’ option.
6. Thereafter, find the setting of “Turn off the caching of thumbnails in hidden thumbs.db files” and click on it to its Properties.
7. In case it has changed to ‘Not Configured,’ then change it to the ‘Enabled’ option.
8. Later, hit the Apply and then OK buttons to save the changes.
9. Now, reboot the system for the modifications to take effect.

Change the Size of Thumbnail Cache

You should change the size of the thumbnail cache by pursuing these guidelines mentioned below:

1. Hold the Windows and R hotkeys simultaneously to invoke the Run pop-up.
2. Then insert “regedi.exe” into it and press the Enter button.
3. You should select the Yes button over the UAC pop-up to continue.
4. Go to the pursuing path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explore
5. You should view a bunch of values and reach the blank area, then right-click on it.
6. After that, choose the New option and select the ‘String Value’ option.
7. Later, give the fresh value the term “Maximum Cached Icons.”
8. Reach the screen of Edit String, input this value 4096 then select the OK button.

Tweak the Registry

You can tweak the registry by pursuing these guidelines mentioned below:

1. Hit the Windows icon to launch the Search section on your system.
2. Thereafter, insert “regedit.exe” into it and select the OK button.
3. Hit the Yes button once you see the UAC pop-up.
4. Reach the pursuing path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\Thumbnail Cache
5. You can get two values here: Autorun and Default.
6. Now, double-click on Autorun and modify its value to 0.

Source: How to Make Thumbnails Load Faster on Windows 10?