What is FastStone Image Viewer?
You can view graphic files on your computer using both built-in and third-party tools. One of the most functional and popular programs in this area is FastStone Image Viewer, which can be downloaded for free for Windows.
Description
FastStone Image Viewer is a program for viewing, analyzing, and making minor edits to photos and any images on your computer. The first version of the application was released back in 2004. The application deeply integrates with the system, and when opening any file associated with this utility, the photo appears almost instantly, fitting into the PC screen. The "Start" menu and other elements are hidden, allowing the user to focus on viewing.
When you press "Enter," the main FastStone Image Viewer window appears, which is an image browser stored on the computer. The tree of directories and preview panel are located on the left side. The main part of the window is occupied by the list of photos. The program is controlled with the help of two tool panels.
Capabilities
Despite the fact that FastStone Image Viewer (FSIV) can be downloaded for free, it has rich capabilities:
- quick full-screen image viewing when opening from Explorer;
- support for various formats - from JPEG and PNG to PSD and EPS;
- working with RAW images from digital cameras;
- changing photos with several keys at once - left and right arrows, as well as Page Up/Down and "Space"/BackSpace;
- continuous viewing with automatic transition to the previous or next folder containing photos;
- support for listening to music (starting from version 7.5) and viewing video files (starting from version 6.3);
- automatic slide show mode with 156 effects and background music;
- built-in editor that allows you to adjust brightness, contrast, color, and hue;
- tools for noise suppression, sharpness enhancement, and image stylization;
- rating and tagging system for files;
- tool for importing photos and videos from memory cards, CDs and DVDs, as well as smartphones, digital cameras, and tablets;
- customizable scanning and printing of images using MFPs;
- rotation of JPEG files without quality loss;
- tool for merging images.
Pros:
This photo viewer in Windows has many advantages, including:
- low system requirements (from 256 MB of RAM, Windows XP and newer, the model of the processor is not of particular importance);
- fast startup;
- built-in thumbnail database, also increasing the convenience of using the program;
- a decent set of effects and tools for correcting images;
- good multimedia capabilities (rewind of audio-video files, auto-transition to the next clip or composition, volume control, etc.);
- control over the quality of the picture during saving;
- support for all popular multimedia formats;
- smoothing for clearer preview and full-screen viewing;
- convenient keyboard shortcuts;
- rich customization options for the viewer;
- availability of a portable version.
Cons:
The only insignificant drawback of FastStone Image Viewer is the need to purchase a license for commercial use.
Summary
FastStone Image Viewer is a convenient program for viewing photos on a computer, expanding the functionality of the standard Windows viewer. You can download the latest version (2024) of the program from the official website by following the link below.
