Displaying an image is one of the most fundamental tasks in any operating system. A simple double-click should be enough to view the content with a compatible program, and although Windows has improved its built-in viewer in recent years, third-party software still provides a much more satisfying experience. In this opportunity we present true classics of the market, along with a couple of additional recommendations.
I remember very well that in the early days of the Web, when modems shared their horror song with us and phone lines were avatars of instability, I used ACDSee to view images. As happened with many other programs of that time, ACDSee took the path of bloatware, completely abandoning that lightweight and free viewer in favor of heavy applications that offer nothing positive to the user. The Web grew, and so did images, but the need for viewers remained intact. In most cases, Windows' built-in tool does its job quite well; however, when you want to have more control over images (especially with the keyboard) and apply minimal adjustments (like rotation or resizing), turning to an external program is ideal. The market offers free alternatives of very high quality, and today we will mention five of them.
IrfanView
A true classic among viewers, IrfanView has been on the market for almost twenty years and has never given up its privileged position. One of the most important aspects of this program is its plugin system, which allows us to expand its functionality and compatibility, whether by adding new reading formats or secondary languages (Spanish is on the list). It also offers support for scanners (TWAIN and OCR), and although its installer comes with the Amazon 1Button app integrated, that offer is completely optional.
XnView
XnView is only two years younger than IrfanView, but its origins are very different. The first builds of XnView were compatible with Linux, and over time it made its way to other platforms. XnView works with a tab-based interface, offers several not-so-common features (a good example is viewing an image in hexadecimal code), and others definitely convenient such as batch conversion and renaming. Very lightweight, and with a portable variant.
ImageGlass
The viewer known as ImageGlass is one of those gems that require a bit of "digital mining". It doesn't appear on any main list, which is a real shame, because we have a very capable program in our hands, with a compact and distraction-free interface. It may not be at the same level as the competition in terms of secondary features, but you can convert, print, upload to Facebook, and of course add extensions. Another point in favor of ImageGlass is its open source profile.
Nomacs
Something similar to ImageGlass happens with Nomacs. The name might not catch your attention, but once you run it, you discover a very efficient viewer with features that go beyond traditional packages. One of them is the ability to synchronize multiple instances of Nomacs, either locally on the same computer or over a LAN. Synchronization also enables sending images from one terminal to another, a detail that should help in any collaborative environment. Nomacs is open source, with 32-bit and 64-bit versions.
FastStone Image Viewer
I have been using FastStone Image Viewer for years, and I must confess it's my personal favorite. It's no coincidence that it appears in the vast majority of searches and guides. The amount of configuration options can be intimidating, but that doesn't change the fact that it's one of the most robust and efficient viewers out there. From a certain point of view, FastStone Image Viewer is 'almost' an image editor, with parameters to rotate, crop, convert, and modify colors. Free for personal use.
To finish: The five viewers we recommend this time are excellent, and any of them can replace the integrated Windows tool without major issues. Do you prefer an extension over a dedicated program? This list that Edgardo prepared for us has what you want. Don't use Microsoft's system? Don't worry: Both XnView and Nomacs have builds compatible with Linux, and I'm sure the rest will work perfectly with the help of Wine. If you think there should be another program on the list, feel free to share it; comments are open. Good luck!
