Windows 10 default photo viewer doesn't go through pictures using arrow keys

Question

It used to do it without any problems before, but today it seems like arrow keys no longer work normally for scrolling through pictures in the same folder. The weird thing is, they DO work, but exactly once. Pressing an arrow key once does take you either to previous or next picture, but when I press the same key again, the viewer does not scroll further anymore. And when I press the opposite arrow, it does take me back to the initial picture, but again, refuses to scroll further. So the only thing that's possible with arrow keys is alternating between these two pictures. Using the screen buttons and mouse works normally and scrolls as far as I make it. Any idea what could cause such a non-standard behavior?

Solution

I had the same issue go away after changing the window size of the photo viewer. Specifically, I dragged the top of the window to the right edge of my screen, so that it can fill the right half of my screen. Then I was able to use the arrow keys for some reason.

Comments

[Run5k]

Possible duplicate of How to go to the next/previous picture using the Windows 10 default photo viewer?

[InterLinked]

Is this the Photos app? This doesn't happen in Windows Photo Viewer (which is what my default has always been).

[UchuuStranger]

@Run5k no, I read that question, there the issue is that scrolling is rendered impossible. In my case scrolling by screen interface is possible, and scrolling by keyboard arrows works too, but only one time.

[UchuuStranger]

@InterLinked yes, it happens in the Photos app, when I open images in File explorer. When I open images in TotalCommander, they open in Windows Photo Viewer, and there arrow keys indeed work normally, but I personally don't like Windows Photo Viewer because it doesn't play gif animations.

[Run5k]

But did you notice that in the Possible duplicate question, the answer with the most up-votes is also a person who has Total Commander installed? Should we simply dismiss that as a big coincidence?

[UchuuStranger]

@Run5k Total Commander is not relevant here, as it was installed on my computer long before this issue appeared. Besides, in my case it's the other way around, the arrow key scrolling works in total commander and doesn't work in explorer, and the reason for this is not Total Commander itself, but rather the fact that it uses another app for image viewing - Windows Photo Viewer instead of newer Photo app. I see no coincidence here, and I'm not sure why you do. The newer Photo app used to work just as well, and using a different app is circumventing the problem rather than solving it.

[Run5k]

"I see no coincidence here, and I'm not sure why you do." Because I manage a team of 60 IT professionals where (although we have heard of it) none of us use Total Commander, and none of us have ever encountered any variation of this type of problem. On the other hand, I have now seen two people on Super User with rather similar problems who actually do have Total Commander installed. I was merely trying to help, but if you think that scenario is completely unrelated, that's your prerogative. Hopefully someone else can chime in and provide you with a definitive answer.

[InterLinked]

If that's the only reason you don't use WPV, Windows Photo Viewer can be set to open GIF files. Change that in your Default Programs. To restore Windows Photo Viewer as the default, you can use a registry script: tenforums.com/tutorials/…

[Blaizz]

The problem resolved itself after Windows updated and restarted, so it was a non-reproducible problem.

[UchuuStranger]

@InterLinked really? Can Windows Photo Viewer really play animated GIF? Do I need to install some sort of plug-in for that? Because by default Windows Photo Viewer displays GIF files as static images. My current solution is to use IrfanView instead, as I was adviced to do here: ghisler.ch/board/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=67694

[Run5k]

We are always glad to help, but we do ask that people who author questions devote a minimal amount of troubleshooting effort towards resolving their own problem prior to asking for help. Typically, that includes a simple OS reboot.

[All The Rage]

Yes! Seems to be some stupid bug where it gets in a mode that just won't allow next / prev picture buttons. Dragging as you describe fixed it for me.