How to fix unable to open jpg files in windows 11 issue?

Many users have been recently reported about problem “unable to open jpg files in windows 11”. This problem is not new. Some of you may have reported this issue on Windows 10 as well. Here, in this article, we have provided different fixes for the particular problem occurs on the latest OS version Windows 11.

Can’t open a JPG file on Windows Photos app is a common issue that you may face after the Windows Upgrade. The error message that says “This app didn’t start” appearing on the screen just after opening JPG file on Windows is an indication of following set of causes:

  • Corrupt JPG file,
  • Outdated Windows Photos App,
  • A flaw in Windows Update,
  • Interference from third party app,
  • System mal-function,
  • Presence of virus or malware.

Check below, the different fixes that you can try to get the problem fixed.

Possible fixes for unable to open jpg files in windows 11

Fix 1: Rename the File

To begin with the solution, you should see if the extension of the file you are trying to access has a right file extension.  Renaming the JPG/ JPEG file would help you in this case to fix the issue. What you have to do is to select the file you are not able to open it, right-click and then click on Rename.

Rename the JPG file accurately and make sure you use .jpg as the file extension before you save it. Once after renaming the file, click on it to view it using the Windows Photos and check if the problem is still there.

Fix 2: Reduce the file size

 The modern mobile devices come up with the 1080 primary camera that can take picture of 20MB or more image size. To view such images on computer, you need to reduce the file size and save it as another image.

Image editors help you in doing that. If you lack of image editor apps on your PC, you can look for the option of web apps to reduce the size of the image. Out of many websites available, we have provided you a suggestion of Reduce File Size just as reference.

Fix 3: Set photos as the default viewer for JPG files

Unable to open jpg files in windows 11 issue can occur because the image won’t file proper app to open with. On Windows, different apps are set by default to open different files. As for example, Paint app would open .HIF files and Affinity Photos would open .DNG file. For the .JPG file, there is Photos app. You should make sure tweak in the settings won’t take place:

  • Press Win+ I to open Settings app,
  • Go to the Apps menu and select Default apps,
  • Scroll down to the Photos,

  • On a menu with the current default apps for different file types, scroll down to .jpg and set Photos as the default software to open .JPG file.

Fix 4: Repair Photos app

The problem could occur because you are running an older version of Windows Photo app, the default photo-viewer app on your device. Updating the app to the latest version will allow you to deal with errors, bugs and technical glitches.

To update Windows Photo Viewer app, open Microsoft App Store, tap on the three dots icon placed there and select Downloads and Updates. In the list of the Available Updates, click on Photo Apps and install the latest Photo app version on your system.

If you are running with the latest Windows Photo App version already and the problem still appears, you should use Microsoft’s option to repair Photos app. Open Settings> Apps & Features> Microsoft Photos, select Advanced options by clicking the three-dot menu, and finally select Repair under Reset menu.

Fix 5: Check for Windows Update

Check for Windows Update if the problem continues. If the problem occurs due to bug/ flaws due to outdated Windows version installed on the system, you will get the automatic fix. Tap on Windows icon, select settings> Update and Security > Check for Updates and wait for second to see the latest update available for your device.

Fix 6: Run SFC scan

SFC is a built-in Windows troubleshooter using which you can check for corrupt system file and settings and repair them. If unable to open jpg files in windows 11 problem results out due to these issues, SFC scanner would help you in resolving the problem:

  • On Windows Search, type cmd and hit Enter,
  • Right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator,
  • On the command line, type sfc /scannow and hit Enter,

The scanning process would initiate and the entire process would take a few minutes to find and fix the problem.

Fix 7: Reset Photo App

If JPG file is still not opening, you should completely reset the Windows Photo app. This is a critical step as the Windows will completely delete the photos app data. You will have to integrate the OneDrive again so as to sync the photos. Here are the steps how to reset it:

  • Open Windows Settings,
  • Navigate to Apps & Features,
  • Scroll down to Photos App and select ‘Advanced’ options,
  • On the following menu, find Reset option and click on it to reset the photo app,

  • Go ahead and try to open JPG files on your system.

Fix 8: Scan your device for virus and malware

Check for the possibility of system infection with malware if the problem continues. Employ a reputable antivirus tool to get the best result. You can use PC Repair Tool for the purpose. This tool will be effective in dealing with other Windows related issues to deal with the problem automatically.

It is capable of fixing DLLs and EXEs related issues, system files corruptions, apps mal-functions and so on, besides the problems due to malware attacks. It is professionally tested and highly recommended tool and so just feel free to use it. Here is its direct download link.

Conclusion

That’s all! We have provided all possible fixes for unable to open jpg files in windows 11. We hope that you are now able to access your JPG file on Windows. If the problem continues, you can look for some third-party image viewer app.