> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/d2phap/ImageGlass/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# 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.

<Note>
  If you haven't installed ImageGlass yet, check out the [Installation Guide](/installation) first.
</Note>

## 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:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Set ImageGlass as Default">
    If you set ImageGlass as your default image viewer during installation, simply double-click any image file in Windows Explorer.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open with ImageGlass">
    If ImageGlass isn't your default viewer, right-click an image file, select **Open with → ImageGlass**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

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

<Note>
  You can drag entire folders onto ImageGlass to load all images from that folder.
</Note>

### Method 3: Use the File Menu

Open images from within ImageGlass:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Launch ImageGlass">
    Start ImageGlass from the Start menu or desktop shortcut.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open File Dialog">
    Click **Menu → Open file** (or press `Ctrl + O`).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select Image">
    Browse to your image file, select it, and click **Open**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### 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) |

<Tip>
  The arrow keys work both for navigation and for panning when you're zoomed in. ImageGlass intelligently switches between modes.
</Tip>

### 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`                              |

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

### 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`           |

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

## Essential Features

### Image Information

View detailed information about the current image:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Image Info">
    Press `I` or click **Menu → Image info** to open the information panel.
  </Step>

  <Step title="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)
  </Step>
</Steps>

### 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

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

## 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)

<Steps>
  <Step title="Right-click an Image">
    Find any image file in Windows Explorer and right-click it.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose Default App">
    Select **Open with → Choose another app**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select ImageGlass">
    Choose **ImageGlass** from the list.

    Check the box **"Always use this app to open .jpg files"** (or whatever extension it is).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Apply">
    Click **OK** to set ImageGlass as the default.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Using ImageGlass Settings

Set default associations for multiple formats at once:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Settings">
    In ImageGlass, click **Menu → Settings** or press `Ctrl + ,`.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Navigate to File Associations">
    Click on **File associations** in the left sidebar.
  </Step>

  <Step title="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.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Apply Changes">
    Click **Set as default** to register ImageGlass for the selected formats.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  You may need to restart Windows Explorer or log out and back in for changes to take effect.
</Note>

## Customizing Your Experience

### Changing Themes

Personalize ImageGlass with different themes:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Settings">
    Press `Ctrl + ,` or click **Menu → Settings**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select Theme">
    Go to **Appearance → Theme**.

    Choose from built-in themes:

    * **Kobe** (default light theme)
    * Dark themes for low-light viewing
    * Other community themes
  </Step>

  <Step title="Apply">
    Click **Apply** to preview the theme.

    Click **OK** to save your choice.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### 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` |

<Warning>
  `Shift + Delete` permanently deletes the file without sending it to the Recycle Bin. Use with caution!
</Warning>

### 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

<Tip>
  You can configure your default image editor in **Settings → Tools → Image editing app**.
</Tip>

## 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

<Tip>
  View all keyboard shortcuts in ImageGlass by pressing `F1` or going to **Menu → Keyboard shortcuts**.
</Tip>

## Multiple Windows and Instances

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

### Enabling Multiple Instances

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Settings">
    Press `Ctrl + ,` to open Settings.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enable Option">
    Go to **General → Multi-instance**.

    Check **"Allow multiple instances of ImageGlass"**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Apply">
    Click **OK** to save.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### 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

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

## 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](https://imageglass.org/docs) for detailed guides
* Report issues on [GitHub](https://github.com/d2phap/ImageGlass/issues)
* Join the [Discord community](https://discord.gg/tWjbynH2X8) for support

## Next Steps

Now that you know the basics, explore more advanced features:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Supported Formats" icon="images" href="/guide/supported-formats">
    See the complete list of supported image formats
  </Card>

  <Card title="Keyboard Shortcuts" icon="keyboard" href="/guide/keyboard-shortcuts">
    Master all available keyboard shortcuts
  </Card>

  <Card title="Customization" icon="sliders" href="/configuration/settings-overview">
    Learn advanced configuration options
  </Card>

  <Card title="Features" icon="star" href="/guide/features">
    Discover all ImageGlass features
  </Card>
</CardGroup>