The Windows Explorer can show your file names in a list or you can view the overview of files as thumbnails. For example, you can see a preview of png and jpg images. For some images, Windows does not provide previews, such as Photoshop files (psd). You can do this with SageThumbs.
Step 1: Thumbnails
The display of Windows Explorer is easy to change. Through the tab Image you can switch between Details or Big Icons. Of Details you will see the file name with additional information such as date and file size. Big Icons shows the thumbnails of files. It is useful if you know the shortcuts for this. Activate the display Details with Ctrl+Shift+6 and Big Icons via Ctrl+Shift+2.
SageThumbs is available for all types of images for which you do not see a thumbnail view, even if this view is activated in Windows Explorer. The installation is simple, but you do have to change a few settings afterwards. Download and install SageThumbs here.
Step 2: Settings
Search your start menu for SageThumbs and start SageThumbs 64-bit options or SageThumbs 32-bit options (depending on your bit version, look at Windows key+Pause). Let SageThumbs manage all thumbnails by checking Select everything. Increase the value behind Maximum size considerable. By default, this is 10 MB. A Photoshop file can easily be 500 MB. This is a good value to set if you already know that you have even larger Photoshop files. Confirm with OK and you're done. From now on you will see the contents of all image files in Windows Explorer.
Step 3: Convert
Optionally, you can show the linked program as an extra icon on the thumbnail. Open SageThumbs' options again and check Show type on thumbnail. Sticking to the Photoshop example, with this additional tweak you'll see the Photoshop logo on the thumbnail image in Windows Explorer.
A nice extra from SageThumbs is hidden behind the right mouse button. Click on an image file (or selection of images) and choose SagaThumbs. Here you will see options like Convert to jpg or Send image by email. These tricks make the extra programs (that you might use for this) superfluous.
