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QL-Win/QuickLook

A Windows port of macOS Quick Look that previews files instantly in File Explorer when you press Space.

Open-source alternative to:Quick Look

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What is it?

QuickLook brings the macOS Quick Look workflow to Windows. Select a file in File Explorer and press Space to open a preview window without launching the associated application, then close it with Space or Esc.

Out of the box it previews images, videos, PDFs, Office documents, Markdown, text and code files, archives, fonts and audio. Its functionality can be extended through plugins distributed as .qlplugin files, such as viewers for Office documents, native PDF rendering, PostScript and CAD formats.

The project is distributed through the Microsoft Store, a standard installer with a portable option, Scoop, and nightly builds. Keyboard navigation with arrow keys lets you step through files in a folder while the preview window is open.

Key features

  • 01Preview files in File Explorer by pressing Space, without opening the full application
  • 02Supports images, video, PDF, Office documents, Markdown, code, archives and fonts
  • 03Extensible with .qlplugin plugins for additional formats such as CAD and PostScript
  • 04Navigate between files in a folder with arrow keys inside the preview window
  • 05Available via Microsoft Store, installer with portable option, and Scoop

Use cases

  • Quickly checking the contents of many documents or images while sorting files in Windows Explorer
  • Previewing source code, config files or Markdown without opening an IDE or editor
  • Viewing CAD drawings or design files like PSD and SVG without installing heavy software

Quick start

  1. 1

    Install via Scoop

    scoop bucket add extras
  2. 2

    Install QuickLook package

    scoop install quicklook
  3. 3

    Select any file in File Explorer and press Space to preview

Things to know

  • Windows only.
  • Microsoft Store version has limited Open/Save dialog support.
  • Nightly builds may be unstable.
  • Licensed under GPL-3.0, a copyleft license.

Topics

#windows#file-preview#file-explorer#productivity#quick-look#plugins#csharp#quicklook

FAQ

What is QuickLook?
A Windows port of macOS Quick Look that previews files instantly in File Explorer when you press Space. QuickLook brings the macOS Quick Look workflow to Windows. Select a file in File Explorer and press Space to open a preview window without launching the associated application, then close it with Space or Esc.
Is QuickLook free to use? What license does it have?
QuickLook is open source under the GPL-3.0 license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is QuickLook still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to QuickLook was on Oct 19, 2026.
What can I use QuickLook for?
Quickly checking the contents of many documents or images while sorting files in Windows Explorer Previewing source code, config files or Markdown without opening an IDE or editor Viewing CAD drawings or design files like PSD and SVG without installing heavy software
How do I install QuickLook?
Install via Scoop: scoop bucket add extras Install QuickLook package: scoop install quicklook Select any file in File Explorer and press Space to preview
Where can I get QuickLook?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/QL-Win/QuickLook

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