You open a folder full of PSD, RAW or other less common image files and every one of them is a blank generic icon. You have to open each file just to find the one you want. SageThumbs is a shell extension that fixes this by drawing real thumbnails for many image formats inside Windows Explorer.
Quick facts
- Latest version: 2.0.0.23
- Publisher: CherubicSoft
- Platform: Windows (Explorer shell extension)
- Price: Free, open source under GPLv2
- Disk space: about 5 MB plus room for cache
Key features
Thumbnails for 162 image formats in Explorer
SageThumbs uses the GFL library by Pierre-e Gougelet, the author of XnView. Folder views show real previews of 162 image formats (224 extensions) instead of generic icons. If you have XnView plugins installed, about 26 more formats are supported.
A preview in the right-click menu
Right-click an image and you get a thumbnail in the context menu. There are also extended info tips when you hover over a file.
One-click conversion to common formats
You can convert an image to popular formats such as JPG, GIF, BMP or PNG straight from the context menu. You don't need a separate editor.
Everyday shortcuts: wallpaper, email, clipboard
The same menu lets you set a picture as your wallpaper, send it by mail or copy it to the clipboard. An options window sets preview size, JPEG quality, PNG compression and which file types SageThumbs handles.
Who it's for
It suits anyone who browses large image folders in Explorer. That includes designers, photographers and people who collect odd formats. It also suits anyone who often needs a quick format conversion without opening an editor.
Pros and cons
- Pro: It is free and open source.
- Pro: It is small, at about 2 MB for the installer.
- Pro: It supports a very wide range of formats.
- Pro: Conversion is built into the right-click menu.
- Con: It is Windows-only and works through Explorer, so there is no standalone viewer.
- Con: A restart may be needed after installing before changes take effect.
- Con: Some vector formats, such as AI and EPS, depend on Ghostscript being installed separately.
- Con: The latest release is from 2017, so it has not been updated for newer Windows versions.
FAQs
Is SageThumbs free?
Yes. It is released under the GNU General Public License v2.
Does it need a separate program to run?
No. It runs inside Windows Explorer as a shell extension, so there is nothing to launch.
Can it convert images?
Yes. You can convert to popular formats such as JPG, GIF, BMP or PNG from the right-click menu.
How much space does it use?
About 5 MB of disk space, plus extra space for the thumbnail cache.
System requirements
- Windows with Explorer; the earlier listing named XP, Vista, 7, 2000 and Windows Server
- About 5 MB of disk space plus additional space for cache