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Microsoft Photos doesn't seem to want to open a photo, it thinks I don't have any

DeeDee 116 Reputation points
Nov 22, 2024, 7:19 PM

I just want to navigate to a photo anywhere on my PC and edit it and see what the editor looks like, see what it can do. Like you can do in any other photo editing program in the world. Microsoft Photos (non-legacy) doesn't seem to want to do that.

When I click on the Gallery, it shows me this:

User's image

If I click on the PC icon there on the left, I get this, despite having many thousands of photos local to my PC:

User's image

I have a connected USB drive with 60GB of photos on it so I go there via the import button, hoping to navigate to an image that I'll select and it starts counting videos and images like crazy and showing thumbnails. I don't see why it can't just show me an explorer view. It doesn't offer me the chance to filter by filetype or sub-folder level. So instead I just have to wait while it goes through 60GB and makes tens of thousands of thumbnails. Why?

I just want to open one image. Eventually it stops and I select an image and click Add 1 item. I don't know why I'm having to "Add 1 item", I'd just like to open it. But it seems that it wants me to copy any image from that drive so that it becomes "a local photo". Not the way Microsoft applications traditionally work but OK.

So I click on "Add 1 item" and I'm faced with the following screen. It wants me to choose a folder (there are none to choose from) or create a folder (that button is greyed out and unselectable as is the Import button). I'm left with one option now, to Cancel.

User's image

What an awesome application there Microsoft. I guess I'll stick with PhotoShop. It has an explorer style open dialog that can open a file from anywhere and a similar for saving.

Windows 11
Windows 11
A Microsoft operating system designed for productivity, creativity, and ease of use.
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  1. DeeDee 116 Reputation points
    Nov 22, 2024, 7:32 PM

    It's not just me: https://www.bing.com/search?q=why+is+microsoft+photos+so+bad

    It seems like the world has judged Microsoft Photos to be the worst application available and an insult to UI design. I can confirm that. Don't bother replying, I don't even care what the editing capabilities are if I have to use this UI to even get to a photo (which I've had to give up being able to do).

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  2. Yanhong Liu 13,655 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor
    Nov 27, 2024, 7:41 AM

    Hello

    Thank you for posting in Q&A forum.

    Here's a simpler way to navigate to your photos and use another editor, if you're open to alternatives:

    1. Windows File Explorer: Use File Explorer to navigate to the photo you want to edit. Right-click on the image and select Open with. You can then choose an image editor like Paint, Paint 3D, or even third-party applications you have installed like Photoshop.
    2. Set Default App: If you prefer a specific photo editor, you can set it as the default app for opening photos. Right-click on the image, select Open with > Choose another app. Check Always use this app to open .jpg files (or whatever file type you're using) and select your preferred editor.

    Best regards

    Yanhong

    =====================================

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