PNG is one of the most commonly used image formats. However, sometimes you may encounter the matter of “PNG file not opening in Windows”. Now you can get this issue resolved with this MiniTool guide.

PNG File Not Opening in Windows

PNG (Portable Network Graphics) image format, supporting high-level lossless compression, is widely used in digital photos or images in cameras, SD cards, USB drives, etc. There are multiple ways to open PNG files. However, lots of users have encountered a situation where PNG files cannot be opened in Windows 10/11.

“PNG file won’t open Windows 10” is usually associated with an incompatible photo viewer, outdated image organizer, PNG encryption, and image corruption. In the following part, we list several useful solutions to assist you in resolving this issue.

Solution 1. Repair the Image Viewer

If you cannot open PNG files, the problem may be caused by the photo viewer instead of the PNG files. To rule out this cause, you can try to repair the current image viewer. you can reset it to erase existing configuration and transaction data in this app and download it again.

Step 1. Press the Windows + I key combination to open Settings.

Step 2. Next, select Apps.

Step 3. In the Apps & features section, find and click the image viewer like Microsoft Photos. Then click Advanced options.

Step 4. In the new window, scroll down to click the Repair button.

click Repair

Step 5. Wait for the process to complete. If the issue still exists, you can choose to reset the app.

How to Fix Microsoft Photos App Opens With a Black Screen
How to Fix Microsoft Photos App Opens With a Black Screen

This post shows you how to deal with the problem “Microsoft Photos app opens with a black screen” in Windows 10.

Read More

Solution 2. Switch to Another Photo Viewer

There are multiple free and reliable image viewers available for Windows. If you cannot open PNG files with the current photo viewer, you can turn to another one. If this does not fix the issue, you can implement the next one.

Solution 3. Turn off PNG Encryption

If the PNG file is encrypted, you may not open it successfully. You can attempt to decrypt the picture file and check if it works.

Step 1. In File Explorer, right-click the PNG file and select Properties.

Step 2. Under General, click the Advanced button. In the new window, uncheck the option of Encrypt contents to secure data and click OK.

decrypt the PNG file

Step 3. In the file properties window, click Apply > OK. Then check if the issue persists.

Tips:
If your PNG files are lost or deleted, you can use MiniTool Power Data Recovery to get them back. This tool not only can help to recover PNG files but also can recover deleted JPG files, as well as recover photos with other image formats. Besides, it also excels at recovering other types of files, including videos, documents, audio, emails, archives, etc.

MiniTool Power Data Recovery FreeClick to Download100%Clean & Safe

Recover Deleted Videos From a USB Drive | Best Practice Ways
Recover Deleted Videos From a USB Drive | Best Practice Ways

Videos on USB are lost or deleted? Read this post to get the most effective solutions to recover deleted videos from a USB drive.

Read More

Solution 4. Convert the PNG Format to Another One

Converting the PNG image format to another one is also effective in resolving the “PNG file not opening in Windows” issue. You can convert PNG to JPG or other formats via Paint, Paint 3D, or a third-party image converter like MiniTool PDF Editor (7-day free trial).

Tips:
Before making any changes to the original PNG files, it is recommended you copy them to another location for backup in the event of any accidents.

Solution 5. Repair the Corrupted PNG File

If all the methods above fail to assist you in opening the PNG file, the picture may be corrupted. In this case, you can choose a free photo repair tool to repair the corrupted image.

Bottom Line

PNG file not opening in Windows? Hope you can get it resolved by attempting the approaches above. If you have found any other feasible solutions for this problem, welcome to tell us via [email protected]. Thank you in advance.

Should you have any concerns about this article or MiniTool software, please feel free to contact us as well.

  • linkedin
  • reddit