Revolutionary Trick to Stop Thumbs.db from Being Created Windows 10

Ever noticed those pesky “thumbs.db” files cluttering up your folders? They’re the sneaky little files that Windows 10 uses to store thumbnail previews of your images, but they can take up valuable disk space and even slow down your system. If you’re tired of these thumbnail invaders, you’ve come to the right place! This guide will walk you through various methods on how to stop thumbs.db from being created in Windows 10, allowing you to reclaim your hard drive space and boost your system’s performance.

Understanding Thumbs.db: The Thumbnail Bandit

Before diving into the solutions, let’s understand what thumbs.db files are and why they exist. Windows 10 uses these files to generate thumbnail previews of images within folders. When you open a folder containing images, Windows accesses the thumbs.db file to quickly display small previews of each image, making navigation smoother. While this functionality is convenient, it comes at a cost. These thumbs.db files can grow quite large, especially if you have a large collection of images. They can also slow down folder access, particularly on slower drives.

Method 1: Disable Thumbnail Generation

The most straightforward way to stop thumbs.db files from being created is to disable thumbnail generation altogether. Here’s how:

1. Open File Explorer: Press the Windows key ++ E to open File Explorer.
2. Navigate to View Tab: Click on the “View” tab located at the top of the File Explorer window.
3. Uncheck “Always Show Icons, Never Thumbnails”: In the “Show/Hide” group, uncheck the option “Always show icons, never thumbnails.”
4. Confirm Changes: Click “Apply” and then “OK” to save the changes.

This method will disable thumbnail previews for all folders, including images. While it effectively prevents thumbs.db files from being created, you’ll lose the convenience of seeing thumbnail previews.

Method 2: Disable Thumbnails for Specific Folders

If you only want to disable thumbs.db files for certain folders, you can use the following steps:

1. Right-Click the Folder: Right-click on the folder where you want to disable thumbnails.
2. Select Properties: Choose “Properties” from the context menu.
3. Navigate to Customize Tab: Click on the “Customize” tab within the “Properties” window.
4. Select “Optimize for:” Under the “Optimize this folder for:” section, choose “General items” instead of “Photos.”
5. Apply Changes: Click “Apply” and then “OK” to save the changes.

This method will prevent the creation of thumbs.db files specifically within the selected folder. Thumbnails will still be generated for other folders where this setting is not applied.

Method 3: Disable Thumbnails for Specific File Types

You can also prevent thumbs.db files from being created for specific file types instead of disabling them for entire folders. Here’s how:

1. Open Folder Options: Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box, type “control folders” and press Enter.
2. Navigate to View Tab: Click on the “View” tab in the “Folder Options” window.
3. Uncheck “Always Show Icons, Never Thumbnails”: Uncheck the option “Always show icons, never thumbnails.”
4. Click “Advanced Settings“: Click the “Advanced settings” button at the bottom of the “Folder Options” window.
5. Select “File Types“: In the “Advanced settings” window, click on the “File Types” tab.
6. Select File Type: Choose the file type for which you want to disable thumbnails.
7. Disable Thumbnails: In the “Advanced” section, uncheck the option “Always show icons, never thumbnails.”
8. Apply Changes: Click “OK” to save the changes.

This method allows you to disable thumbnails for specific file types, such as RAW images or video files, while still allowing thumbnails for other file types.

Method 4: Use a Third-Party Tool

If you prefer a more automated approach, several third-party tools can help you manage thumbs.db files. These tools can automatically delete or disable the creation of thumbs.db files across your entire system. Some popular options include:

• Thumbs.db Cleaner: This free tool can scan your drives and delete all thumbs.db files.
• CCleaner: A popular system optimization tool that includes a thumbs.db cleaner.
• Wise Disk Cleaner: Another comprehensive cleaning tool with a thumbs.db removal feature.

Method 5: Disable Thumbnails for Network Drives

Thumbs.db files can also be created on network drives, leading to unnecessary space consumption and performance issues. To disable thumbnails for network drives, follow these steps:

1. Open File Explorer: Press the Windows key ++ E to open File Explorer.
2. Navigate to Network Drive: Click on the network drive where you want to disable thumbnails.
3. Right-Click and Select Properties: Right-click on the network drive and choose “Properties.”
4. Navigate to Customize Tab: Click on the “Customize” tab within the “Properties” window.
5. Select “Optimize for:” Under the “Optimize this folder for:” section, choose “General items” instead of “Photos.”
6. Apply Changes: Click “Apply” and then “OK” to save the changes.

This method will prevent the creation of thumbs.db files on the selected network drive.

Method 6: Use Group Policy Editor

For advanced users, you can use the Group Policy Editor to disable thumbs.db creation for all users on your system. This method is more complex and should only be used if you’re comfortable with system settings.

1. Open Group Policy Editor: Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box, type “gpedit.msc” and press Enter.
2. Navigate to the Setting: Navigate to “Computer Configuration” > “Administrative Templates” > “Windows Components” > “File Explorer.”
3. Disable Thumbnails: Double-click on the “Turn off thumbnail generation” policy setting.
4. Enable and Apply: Select “Enabled” and click “Apply” and then “OK” to save the changes.

This method will disable thumbnail generation for all users on your system, effectively preventing the creation of thumbs.db files.

The Final Chapter: Reclaiming Your Hard Drive Space

By implementing one or more of these methods, you can prevent the creation of thumbs.db files and reclaim valuable hard drive space. Remember to choose the method that best suits your needs and preferences.

If you’ve already accumulated a large number of thumbs.db files, you can manually delete them by navigating to the folders where they’re located. However, it’s generally recommended to use a dedicated thumbs.db cleaner tool to ensure that you’re not deleting any essential files.

What People Want to Know

Q: Will disabling thumbs.db files affect my image viewing experience?

A: Disabling thumbs.db files will prevent the display of thumbnail previews in folders. However, you’ll still be able to open and view images normally. The only difference is that you won’t see small previews of the images in the folder.

Q: Are thumbs.db files essential for Windows 10 to function properly?

A: Thumbs.db files are not essential for Windows 10 to function properly. They are merely a convenience feature that speeds up folder navigation by displaying thumbnail previews. You can disable them without affecting the core functionality of Windows 10.

Q: Will deleting thumbs.db files affect my images?

A: Deleting thumbs.db files will not affect your actual image files. They are separate files that only contain thumbnail previews. Deleting them will simply remove the thumbnail previews, but your images will remain intact.

Q: Is there a way to automatically clean thumbs.db files regularly?

A: Yes, some system optimization tools, such as CCleaner and Wise Disk Cleaner, include features that automatically clean thumbs.db files on a regular schedule. You can configure these tools to run a scan and delete thumbs.db files at specific intervals.

Q: What if I only want to disable thumbs.db files for specific folders?

A: You can disable thumbnails for specific folders using the “Customize” tab in the folder properties window. Select “General items” instead of “Photos” under the “Optimize this folder for:” section to prevent thumbs.db files from being created within that folder.