Updated October 2026. QuickLook lets you check a file from File Explorer: select it, press Space, inspect the preview, and close it without opening a full editing application.
This guide follows our recorded Windows test. JPG, PDF, MP4, and TXT previews opened on that test computer. That is a four-format test, not a guarantee that every file or Windows setup will behave the same way.
1. Install and start QuickLook
You need a Windows PC with File Explorer. Get QuickLook from its official project page, which links to the Microsoft Store version and the developers’ other installation options. The project recommends the Store version for most people because it installs in one step and receives automatic updates.
Install QuickLook from the Microsoft Store listing, then check the Windows notification area (system tray) for its icon. The project’s quick-start guide says QuickLook runs after installation and stays available in the tray. If it is not running, open QuickLook from the Start menu before continuing.
Store-version limitation: the official project notes that Open and Save dialog support is limited in the Store edition. This tutorial uses File Explorer. The separate installer is listed by the project for full Open/Save dialog support. We did not install or test another package for this article.
There is no installation screenshot because the supplied recording begins with QuickLook already running. These are written setup instructions from the official source, not a recreated installation screen.
2. Select a file and open its preview
Open File Explorer and browse to a folder with a file you want to check. Click the file once so its row is selected. Do not double-click it; the point is to preview the selection without opening the usual full application.
With that file still selected, press Space. QuickLook opens a preview over File Explorer. The screenshot below shows the actual NASA Apollo 17 Blue Marble test image used in the recording.
Keyboard cue (instructional annotation): SPACE
The preview should show the file’s contents. QuickLook is for inspection; it does not edit the file.
3. Move between nearby files with the arrow keys
Leave the preview open and use an arrow key to move to a neighboring file. In our vertically arranged File Explorer test folder, Down Arrow advanced through the JPG, PDF, MP4, and TXT entries. QuickLook updated the preview as the selected file changed.
Keyboard cue (instructional annotation): ↓ in this vertical file list
The next selected item was the short MP4 test clip:
The TXT file also opened in the same preview window:
The repository also documents left and right arrow navigation. This recording used Down Arrow in a vertically listed folder, so the article describes that observed movement without claiming every layout behaves identically.
4. Close the preview with Space or Escape
Press Space again or press Esc. The preview closes and File Explorer is visible again. Both closing keys worked in the recorded test.
Keyboard cue (instructional annotation): ESC or SPACE
5. What worked, limits, and troubleshooting
In this one Windows test, QuickLook opened these four formats:
- JPG: image preview opened.
- PDF: document preview opened.
- MP4: video preview opened and played.
- TXT: text preview opened.
QuickLook’s official project lists a broader set of supported formats and optional plugins. The Click Test directly checked only the four formats above. File contents, app version, plugins, and Windows configuration can affect an individual preview. Large or unusual files may also take longer; the timing in one recording is not a speed promise.
- Nothing appears: confirm a file is selected and QuickLook is running in the system tray. If needed, start it from the Start menu and try Space again.
- One file will not preview: check the official supported-formats list. A listed extension does not guarantee every file with that extension will preview; the file may be unusual, damaged, or require a supported plugin.
- You need to change the file: open it in the application used to edit that format. QuickLook is a preview tool, not a replacement editor.
- You expected it in an Open or Save dialog: the official project notes limited dialog support for the Store version. This tutorial uses File Explorer.
For more practical Windows guides, see three Windows tricks that save time, our Microsoft PowerToys guide, and USB audio troubleshooting.
Official sources: QuickLook project and installation options · Microsoft Store listing · Supported formats.
Optional video walkthrough
Prefer to watch? The video below shows the same QuickLook test, including Space, arrow-key navigation, and closing the preview. The written instructions and screenshots above are complete on their own.
Watch “Press Space to Preview Files on Windows — Free QuickLook App” on YouTube