IrfanView download for Windows

IrfanView has been the quick image viewer for Windows for decades. It opens almost instantly, flips through a folder of photos as fast as you can press a key, and hides a surprisingly capable toolbox behind that plain window: batch conversion and renaming, resizing, lossless JPEG rotation, slideshows and screen capture. It runs on everything from Windows XP to Windows 11.

What to download

Start at irfanview.com. You will find:

• 64-bit and 32-bit versions, and a separate page for ARM64.
• An installer (EXE) or a ZIP for each. The ZIP runs from a folder without installation.
• The plug-ins package, a separate download. Install it too: many file formats and several features depend on it.
• Language files on their own page, if you want an interface other than English or German.

The 64-bit page explains the trade-off between the two. The 64-bit version copes better with very large images. The 32-bit version runs on both 32- and 64-bit Windows, and the site suggests it if you run into trouble with scanning.

The download buttons lead to a separate file-hosting service. That is how the official site works, but start from irfanview.com rather than a search result, because copies on other sites are not always what they claim to be.

The installer asks which file types IrfanView should open. Tick the image formats you want it to handle and leave the rest.

Shortcuts that make it fly

• Space or the arrow keys: next and previous image in the folder.
• T: thumbnails of the whole folder.
• W: start a slideshow.
• Ctrl+R: resize or resample the current image.
• C: screen capture.
• B: Batch Conversion and Rename.

Batch conversion: the reason many people keep it

Press B and add the files you want. You can then:

• Convert them all to one format, such as JPEG or PNG.
• Resize them in the same pass, through Advanced options.
• Rename them with a pattern, for example a name followed by a running number.

Run a test on a few copies first. A batch job does exactly what you set, to every file.

Limits

IrfanView is a viewer with editing tools, not an image editor. There are no layers, and its retouching tools are basic. It is also Windows only. For real editing, open the image in Paint.NET or GIMP.

Questions and answers

Is IrfanView free?

For private, non-commercial use, yes. The site describes it as freeware for non-commercial use. If you use it at work or in a business, you need to register a paid licence through the site.

32-bit or 64-bit?

64-bit for most people, especially with large photos. 32-bit if you are on 32-bit Windows, or if scanning gives you problems.

Why can IrfanView not open my file?

Most likely because the plug-ins package is missing. Install the matching plug-ins for your version, 32-bit or 64-bit.

Can I rotate JPEGs without losing quality?

Yes, with the lossless JPEG rotation in the plug-ins package. An ordinary rotate and save re-compresses the image.