File explorer: PDF's preview showing "INDEX OF" in network folders

Question

Hi,

This issue started today at work on several computers on both Windows 11 and Windows 10. Could it be related to a recent Windows update?

Pdf files (and only PDF's) previews aren't working in any network folders, Instead of showing the file preview it shows "INDEX OF:"

Previews work normally for excel, word, etc.

Weird stuff.

Answer 1

I have Windows 11 and Adobe Acrobat DC (licensed version) - HAD THE SAME PROBLEM and yes I have # in the path names.

I "REPAIRED" the Acrobat install, and the PROBLEM IS SOLVED.

Go to Settings / Apps / Apps & Features

             Find "Adobe Acrobat ..." 

             MODIFY

             ... Follow the prompts ... and click REPAIR

It solved my issue; I suspect it will solve yours

Answer 2

You're welcome.

I am not allowed to share the .bat script file with you for security reasons but I can share the content of it and you can create the script yourself and here is how.

1. Open Notepad (click the start button and type notepad).
2. Copy the content I posted above, starting at "@echo off" and ending at "exit".
3. Paste that into Notepad.
4. Click "File" then "Save As".
5. At the bottom change the "Save as type:" to "All Files".
6. At "File Name" give the file a name, it can be whatever you want but it must end in ".bat" (without the quotes). Example: FixPreviewPane.bat
7. Select the location where you want to save it. Desktop is a good place.
8. Click "Save".
9. Go to the location where you saved it. Right click the file you just made and click "Run as administrator".
10. Click "Yes" to the prompt".

You should now be able to view your .pdf files in preview pane, assuming you have Foxit installed.

I think for Adobe Reader you would use this:

@echo off

REM Check if Microsoft PDF Previewer took over the preview pane.
for /f "tokens=3" %%a in ('reg query "HKCR.pdf\ShellEx{8895b1c6-b41f-4c1c-a562-0d564250836f}" /VE ^|findstr /ri "REG_SZ"') do if %%a=={3A84F9C2-6164-485C-A7D9-4B27F8AC009E} (goto Fix) else (exit)

:Fix
REM Check for Admin.
if not "%1"=="am_admin" (powershell start -verb runas '%0' am_admin & exit /b)
REM Fix preview pane - set it to work with Foxit Phantom PDF
REG add HKCR.pdf\ShellEx{8895b1c6-b41f-4c1c-a562-0d564250836f} /ve /d {DC6EFB56-9CFA-464D-8880-44885D7DC193} /f
REG add HKCR.pdf\ShellEx{8895b1c6-b41f-4c1c-a562-0d564250836f} /v PrevPreviewHandler /d {DC6EFB56-9CFA-464D-8880-44885D7DC193} /f
exit

Answer 3

Rather obscure problem, but anyway, worked for me as well. I'm told it started around the 1st of April. In our case, Adobe Reader was part of that client's default Windows image, so I didn't have to know (or care) which application they preferred - Reader was available, and so it was used on the affected machines:

REG ADD HKCR.pdf\ShellEx{8895b1c6-b41f-4c1c-a562-0d564250836f} /t REG_SZ /d {DC6EFB56-9CFA-464D-8880-44885D7DC193} /f

Answer 4

Thanks Carlos. Yes for us it's related to having a # in the path as well...unfortunately changing a bunch of network folder names isn't an option right now.

Someone on another website said that he updated Adobe yesterday and it worked but today the issue came back.

We are using Foxit and I updated it a few hours ago and it works here as well but I wonder if it will keep working. Hopefully it does.

Answer 5

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/file-preview-not-working-when-file-is-renamed/c053ad67-c8c1-4d61-a63f-0993eb50d243

FIX

To customise the Windows Explorer previewer, you need to edit the registry directly to overwrite Windows using - I found this solution worked immediately. https://www.nextofwindows.com/how-to-switch-pdf-preview-handler-when-one-stopped-working

Step 1 - In Regedit go to

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\PreviewHandlers

Step 2 - Copy the Value Name for the Previewer that you want to use.

• I copied the Value Name that had a data value of "Adobe PDF Preview Handler"
• You might use "Foxit PDF Previewer" or another

Step 3 - Go to

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT.pdf\shellex{8895b1c6-b41f-4c1c-a562-0d564250836f}

Step 4 - Change the Default to the Value Name you copied in Step 2.