To open a JPG file in Windows 10, find it in File Explorer and double-click it. The picture opens in your default image app, which is normally Photos. If nothing happens or the wrong program opens, right-click the file, point to Open with, select Choose another app, and pick Photos or Paint.
Applies to: Windows 10 (the same route works for .jpg and .jpeg files). Checked against Microsoft Support on October 6, 2026.
What you need to know first
- JPG and JPEG are the same thing. Microsoft lists both endings, .jpg and .jpeg, as a Joint Photographic Experts Group photo file. Every step here works for either one.
- You don’t need extra software. Microsoft lists JPEG as a supported image format in the Photos app, along with PNG, GIF, BMP, and TIFF. Paint also works with JPEG pictures.
- You need the file on your PC. If the picture is still on a phone, camera, or memory card, copy or import it first. You can do this in Photos: select Import, select your connected device, and follow the instructions. Unlock your phone first, because Windows can’t see a locked device.
Open a JPG file with a double-click
- Open File Explorer. Press the Windows logo key + E, or type file explorer in the search box on the taskbar and select it in the results. A window opens that shows your folders.
- Go to the folder that holds the picture. Downloaded pictures are usually in Downloads, and saved photos are usually in Pictures.
- Double-click the JPG file. The picture opens in your default image app. On most Windows 10 PCs that is Photos.
- If the picture opens in a program you don’t want, or Windows asks how you want to open the file, right-click the file and point to Open with. A short list of apps appears.
- Select Photos or Paint to open the picture once. To see more apps, select Choose another app.
- To use that app every time, select it in the Choose another app window, turn on Always use this app to open .jpg files, and select OK. The picture opens, and that app is now the default for this file type.
Files that end in .jpeg have their own default setting. If you change the default for .jpg, do the same thing once with a .jpeg file so both endings open in the same app.
Open the picture from inside an app
You can also start with the app and then pick the picture. This is handy when you want to edit the picture, not just look at it.
Photos
- Select the Start button, then select Photos.
- Browse to the picture and select it. Photos shows the pictures from your Pictures folder, and from OneDrive if you have connected it.
- Use the editing tools if you want to make simple changes to the picture.
Paint
- Select the Start button, type Paint, and press Enter. Paint opens with a blank canvas.
- The quickest way to load your picture is to go back to File Explorer, right-click the JPG, point to Open with, and select Paint.
Paint can save a picture as PNG, JPEG, BMP, or GIF, so it is also a simple way to make a copy in a different format. If you only need a smaller version of the picture, see how to resize an image in Windows 10.
A web browser
Web browsers can display JPG pictures too. Right-click the file, point to Open with, and select Microsoft Edge or another browser from the list. This is useful as a quick test when you are not sure if the problem is the picture or the photo app.
Change the default app for JPG files in Settings
The Open with steps above are the fastest way to change the default. You can do the same thing in Settings, which helps when you want to check several file types in one place.
- Open Settings and select Apps > Default apps.
- Look for the option to set defaults by file type, then find .jpg in the list. If your version of the page has a search bar, type .jpg there and select the result.
- Select the app that is shown next to .jpg and choose the one you want, such as Photos.
- Repeat for .jpeg.
Microsoft explains both ways of choosing defaults, by file type and by app, in Change default apps in Windows.
How to confirm it worked, and how to undo it
Close the picture, go back to File Explorer, and double-click a different JPG. It should open in the app you picked without asking.
To undo the change, repeat the steps and pick the app you used before. Changing the default app does not change, move, or convert your pictures. It only changes which program opens them.
If a JPG file won’t open
Check if it is one file or every file
Try a different JPG that you know is fine, such as a photo you opened last week. If other pictures open, the problem is the one file. If no JPG opens, the problem is the app or the default setting.
One file won’t open
- The download didn’t finish. A picture that was cut off during a download or a copy from a memory card is incomplete and can’t be displayed. Download or copy it again from the original source.
- The file isn’t really a JPG. Show the full file name so you can check the ending. In File Explorer, select View, then select the File name extensions check box. The steps are in our guide on how to show file extensions in Windows 10. A real picture ends in .jpg or .jpeg. A name such as photo.jpg.exe is a program, not a picture, so don’t open it.
- It is a phone photo in HEIC format. Many phones save photos as HEIF files, which end in .heic. Photos needs the HEIF Image Extensions add-on from Microsoft Store to show them. Microsoft covers this in its article about the “You need an extension to use this file” message. Renaming a .heic file to .jpg does not convert it.
- The file is damaged. If it won’t open in Photos, Paint, or a browser, and it won’t open on another device, the file itself is the problem. Get a fresh copy from the person, website, camera, or backup it came from.
No JPG opens, or Photos closes right away
- Right-click a JPG, point to Open with, and select Paint. If the picture appears, your files are fine and the Photos app needs attention.
- Open Microsoft Store and check for app updates, then try Photos again.
- Select Start > Settings > Apps, and find Microsoft Photos in the list of installed apps.
- Select the app, then select Advanced options. Select Repair if it is available. If that isn’t available or doesn’t fix the problem, select Reset.
- Restart the PC and double-click a JPG again.
Microsoft notes that not every app has these options. See Repair apps and programs in Windows for the details.
The default app option is missing or greyed out
On a work or school PC, your organization can control which apps open each file type. If you can’t change the default, you can still use Open with to open a picture once in an allowed app. Ask your IT department if you need a different default.
Windows says you need a codec or a special viewer
Windows 10 already opens JPG pictures, so you don’t need to download a “JPG codec” or an unknown viewer from a website. If you want a different image app, get it from Microsoft Store or from the software maker’s own site.
Frequently asked questions
What app opens JPG files in Windows 10?
Photos is the built-in app for viewing pictures, and it supports JPEG. Paint and web browsers such as Microsoft Edge can open JPG files too.
Is a JPEG file different from a JPG file?
No. They are two endings for the same picture format. Windows treats .jpg and .jpeg as separate file types for default apps, so set the default for both.
How do I make JPG files always open in the same app?
Right-click a JPG, point to Open with, select Choose another app, select the app, turn on Always use this app to open .jpg files, and select OK.
Why does my JPG open in Paint and not in Photos?
Paint is set as the default app for that file type. Use the Open with steps above and choose Photos as the app that always opens .jpg files.
How do I find a JPG file on my computer?
Open File Explorer, go to the folder you want to search, such as Pictures or Downloads, and type .jpg in the File Explorer search box. Matching files appear in the list.
Can I turn a JPG into a PDF without extra software?
Yes. Windows 10 can print a picture to a PDF file. See how to convert JPG to PDF on Windows 10.
Is it still safe to use Windows 10 to view pictures?
JPG files open the same way they always have. Microsoft ended support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, so the system no longer gets regular security updates unless the PC is enrolled in Extended Security Updates. Be careful with picture files from unknown senders, and read Microsoft’s page on the end of Windows 10 support for your options.
Once your JPG opens with a double-click, set the same default for .jpeg files so every photo on the PC opens in the app you prefer.
Related: how to change JFIF to JPG in Windows 10.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.