Quick Start Guide
This guide will help you start viewing images with ImageGlass right away. You’ll learn the essential features and shortcuts to navigate your image collection efficiently.If you haven’t installed ImageGlass yet, check out the Installation Guide first.
Opening Images
ImageGlass provides several ways to open and view your images.Method 1: Double-Click an Image File
The simplest way to open an image in ImageGlass:Set ImageGlass as Default
If you set ImageGlass as your default image viewer during installation, simply double-click any image file in Windows Explorer.
Method 2: Drag and Drop
Quickly view images by dragging them onto ImageGlass:- Open ImageGlass (it can be empty)
- Drag one or more image files from Windows Explorer
- Drop them onto the ImageGlass window
You can drag entire folders onto ImageGlass to load all images from that folder.
Method 3: Use the File Menu
Open images from within ImageGlass:Method 4: Clipboard Images
View images directly from your clipboard:- Copy an image to clipboard (from a website, screenshot, or another app)
- Open ImageGlass or switch to an already-open window
- Press
Ctrl + Vto paste and view the image
Navigating Between Images
Once you’ve opened an image, ImageGlass loads all images from the same folder. Here’s how to navigate through them:Using Keyboard Shortcuts
Keyboard navigation is the fastest way to browse images:| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Next image | Right Arrow or Page Down |
| Previous image | Left Arrow or Page Up |
| First image | Home |
| Last image | End |
| Go to specific image | Ctrl + G (opens Go To dialog) |
Using Mouse Navigation
Navigate images with your mouse:- Mouse wheel: Scroll up for previous image, down for next image
- Mouse buttons: Click the Next/Previous buttons on the toolbar (if visible)
- Thumbnail gallery: Press
Tto show the thumbnail gallery at the bottom, then click any thumbnail
Viewing Order
By default, ImageGlass maintains the same file order as Windows Explorer, including:- Natural sorting (e.g., “image1.jpg”, “image2.jpg”, “image10.jpg” in correct order)
- Folder sort preferences from Explorer
- Search results order
Basic Viewing Controls
Zoom Controls
Adjust the image zoom level to see details or fit the image to your screen:| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Zoom in | Ctrl + = or Ctrl + Mouse wheel up |
| Zoom out | Ctrl + - or Ctrl + Mouse wheel down |
| Actual size (100%) | Ctrl + 0 |
| Fit to window | Ctrl + M |
| Auto-zoom | Ctrl + / |
| Lock zoom ratio | Ctrl + L |
Window and Display Modes
Customize how ImageGlass displays images:| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Full screen | F11 |
| Slideshow | F12 |
| Toggle toolbar | Ctrl + T |
| Toggle thumbnail bar | T |
| Window fit | F (resizes window to image size) |
| Frameless window | Ctrl + F11 |
Rotation and Flipping
Quickly adjust image orientation:| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Rotate clockwise | Ctrl + Right Arrow |
| Rotate counter-clockwise | Ctrl + Left Arrow |
| Flip horizontal | Ctrl + H |
| Flip vertical | Ctrl + V |
Essential Features
Image Information
View detailed information about the current image:Working with Animated Images
ImageGlass fully supports animated formats (GIF, APNG, WebP):| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Play/Pause animation | Space |
| Next frame | Right Arrow (when paused) |
| Previous frame | Left Arrow (when paused) |
| Go to first frame | Home (when paused) |
| Go to last frame | End (when paused) |
Color Picker
Pick colors from any image:- Press
Kto activate Color Picker mode - Move your mouse over the image
- Click to copy the color value to clipboard
- Press
Escto exit Color Picker mode
Setting ImageGlass as Default Viewer
If you skipped this during installation, here’s how to set ImageGlass as your default image viewer:Quick Method (Right-Click)
Select ImageGlass
Choose ImageGlass from the list.Check the box “Always use this app to open .jpg files” (or whatever extension it is).
Using ImageGlass Settings
Set default associations for multiple formats at once:Select Formats
Choose which image formats you want ImageGlass to handle:
- Click Select all for all 90+ supported formats
- Or individually check formats like
.jpg,.png,.gif, etc.
You may need to restart Windows Explorer or log out and back in for changes to take effect.
Customizing Your Experience
Changing Themes
Personalize ImageGlass with different themes:Select Theme
Go to Appearance → Theme.Choose from built-in themes:
- Kobe (default light theme)
- Dark themes for low-light viewing
- Other community themes
Customizing Toolbar
Show or hide toolbar buttons based on your needs:- Go to Settings → Toolbar
- Check or uncheck buttons you want to show/hide
- Drag buttons to reorder them
- Click OK to save
Background and Colors
Adjust the viewing background:- Go to Settings → Appearance
- Choose background color or pattern
- Adjust checkerboard pattern for transparent images
- Set window accent colors
Common Tasks
Copying Images
Quickly copy images to clipboard or files:| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Copy image to clipboard | Ctrl + C |
| Copy image file | Ctrl + Shift + C |
| Copy image path | Ctrl + Shift + P |
| Copy multiple images | Select in thumbnail bar → Ctrl + C |
Deleting Images
Remove unwanted images:| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Delete to Recycle Bin | Delete |
| Permanently delete | Shift + Delete |
Opening Image Location
Quickly access the folder containing the current image:- Press
Ctrl + Lor click Menu → Open location - This opens Windows Explorer with the current image selected
Editing Images
Open images in external editors:- Press
Eor click Menu → Edit image - Select your preferred image editor (Photoshop, GIMP, Paint.NET, etc.)
- The image opens in the selected application
Keyboard Shortcuts Cheat Sheet
Here are the most essential shortcuts to remember:Navigation
Right Arrow/Left Arrow- Next/Previous imagePage Down/Page Up- Next/Previous imageHome/End- First/Last imageCtrl + G- Go to specific image
Viewing
Ctrl + =/Ctrl + -- Zoom in/outCtrl + 0- Actual size (100%)F11- Full screenF12- SlideshowSpace- Play/Pause animation
Window
T- Toggle thumbnail barI- Toggle image infoCtrl + T- Toggle toolbarF- Window fit to image
Actions
Ctrl + O- Open fileCtrl + V- Paste from clipboardCtrl + C- Copy imageDelete- Delete to Recycle BinE- Edit in external appCtrl + ,- Settings
Multiple Windows and Instances
ImageGlass can run multiple instances for comparing images or working with different folders:Enabling Multiple Instances
Opening New Windows
Once enabled:- Press
Ctrl + Nto open the current image in a new window - Launch ImageGlass multiple times from the Start menu
- Open different images from Windows Explorer
Performance Tips
Startup Boost
Enable faster launching:- Go to Settings → General
- Enable “Enable startup boost”
- ImageGlass preloads in the background for instant launches
Image Loading
For faster navigation with large images:- Go to Settings → Image loading
- Enable “Use async image loading” for smoother transitions
- Adjust “Auto-scale down large images” to improve performance with huge files
Memory Management
ImageGlass automatically manages memory, but you can:- Reduce image cache size in Settings → Image loading → Cache
- Enable “Unload image data after displaying” for lower memory usage
Getting Help
If you need assistance:- Press
F1to view keyboard shortcuts - Visit Menu → About to check your version
- Check the full documentation for detailed guides
- Report issues on GitHub
- Join the Discord community for support
Next Steps
Now that you know the basics, explore more advanced features:Supported Formats
See the complete list of supported image formats
Keyboard Shortcuts
Master all available keyboard shortcuts
Customization
Learn advanced configuration options
Features
Discover all ImageGlass features