Quick Start Guide

Get started with ImageGlass - learn the basics of viewing and navigating images in minutes

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:

1. Set ImageGlass as Default

   If you set ImageGlass as your default image viewer during installation, simply double-click any image file in Windows Explorer.

2. Open with ImageGlass

   If ImageGlass isn’t your default viewer, right-click an image file, select Open with → ImageGlass.

When you open an image this way, ImageGlass automatically loads all other images from the same folder, allowing you to browse through them seamlessly.

Method 2: Drag and Drop

Quickly view images by dragging them onto ImageGlass:

1. Open ImageGlass (it can be empty)
2. Drag one or more image files from Windows Explorer
3. 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:

1. Launch ImageGlass

   Start ImageGlass from the Start menu or desktop shortcut.

2. Open File Dialog

   Click Menu → Open file (or press Ctrl + O).

3. Select Image

   Browse to your image file, select it, and click Open.

Method 4: Clipboard Images

View images directly from your clipboard:

1. Copy an image to clipboard (from a website, screenshot, or another app)
2. Open ImageGlass or switch to an already-open window
3. Press Ctrl + V to 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)

The arrow keys work both for navigation and for panning when you’re zoomed in. ImageGlass intelligently switches between modes.

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 T to 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

When zoomed in, you can pan the image by dragging with the mouse or using arrow keys.

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

These transformations are temporary by default. To save rotations permanently, use Menu → Save image changes or enable auto-save in Settings.

Essential Features

Image Information

View detailed information about the current image:

1. Open Image Info

   Press I or click Menu → Image info to open the information panel.

2. View Details

   The panel displays:

   • File name, path, and size
   • Image dimensions and color space
   • EXIF data (for photos): camera model, ISO, exposure time, date taken
   • Frame information (for animated images)

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:

1. Press K to activate Color Picker mode
2. Move your mouse over the image
3. Click to copy the color value to clipboard
4. Press Esc to exit Color Picker mode

The color picker displays RGB, HEX, and other color values in real-time as you move the cursor.

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)

1. Right-click an Image

   Find any image file in Windows Explorer and right-click it.

2. Choose Default App

   Select Open with → Choose another app.

3. Select ImageGlass

   Choose ImageGlass from the list.

   Check the box “Always use this app to open .jpg files” (or whatever extension it is).

4. Apply

   Click OK to set ImageGlass as the default.

Using ImageGlass Settings

Set default associations for multiple formats at once:

1. Open Settings

   In ImageGlass, click Menu → Settings or press Ctrl + ,.

2. Navigate to File Associations

   Click on File associations in the left sidebar.

3. 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.
4. Apply Changes

   Click Set as default to register ImageGlass for the selected formats.

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:

1. Open Settings

   Press Ctrl + , or click Menu → Settings.

2. Select Theme

   Go to Appearance → Theme.

   Choose from built-in themes:

   • Kobe (default light theme)
   • Dark themes for low-light viewing
   • Other community themes
3. Apply

   Click Apply to preview the theme.

   Click OK to save your choice.

Customizing Toolbar

Show or hide toolbar buttons based on your needs:

1. Go to Settings → Toolbar
2. Check or uncheck buttons you want to show/hide
3. Drag buttons to reorder them
4. Click OK to save

Background and Colors

Adjust the viewing background:

1. Go to Settings → Appearance
2. Choose background color or pattern
3. Adjust checkerboard pattern for transparent images
4. 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

Shift + Delete permanently deletes the file without sending it to the Recycle Bin. Use with caution!

Opening Image Location

Quickly access the folder containing the current image:

• Press Ctrl + L or click Menu → Open location
• This opens Windows Explorer with the current image selected

Editing Images

Open images in external editors:

1. Press E or click Menu → Edit image
2. Select your preferred image editor (Photoshop, GIMP, Paint.NET, etc.)
3. The image opens in the selected application

You can configure your default image editor in Settings → Tools → Image editing app.

Keyboard Shortcuts Cheat Sheet

Here are the most essential shortcuts to remember:

Navigation

• Right Arrow / Left Arrow - Next/Previous image
• Page Down / Page Up - Next/Previous image
• Home / End - First/Last image
• Ctrl + G - Go to specific image

Viewing

• Ctrl + = / Ctrl + - - Zoom in/out
• Ctrl + 0 - Actual size (100%)
• F11 - Full screen
• F12 - Slideshow
• Space - Play/Pause animation

Window

• T - Toggle thumbnail bar
• I - Toggle image info
• Ctrl + T - Toggle toolbar
• F - Window fit to image

Actions

• Ctrl + O - Open file
• Ctrl + V - Paste from clipboard
• Ctrl + C - Copy image
• Delete - Delete to Recycle Bin
• E - Edit in external app
• Ctrl + , - Settings

View all keyboard shortcuts in ImageGlass by pressing F1 or going to Menu → Keyboard shortcuts.

Multiple Windows and Instances

ImageGlass can run multiple instances for comparing images or working with different folders:

Enabling Multiple Instances

1. Open Settings

   Press Ctrl + , to open Settings.

2. Enable Option

   Go to General → Multi-instance.

   Check “Allow multiple instances of ImageGlass”.

3. Apply

   Click OK to save.

Opening New Windows

Once enabled:

• Press Ctrl + N to open the current image in a new window
• Launch ImageGlass multiple times from the Start menu
• Open different images from Windows Explorer

Multiple instances are great for comparing images side-by-side or referencing one image while working in another application.

Performance Tips

Startup Boost

Enable faster launching:

1. Go to Settings → General
2. Enable “Enable startup boost”
3. ImageGlass preloads in the background for instant launches

Image Loading

For faster navigation with large images:

1. Go to Settings → Image loading
2. Enable “Use async image loading” for smoother transitions
3. 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 F1 to 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