The main cause is a Windows 11 update or upgrade breaking the Photos app’s setup, with other factors including damaged files or unsupported metadata.
1. Change Default Application
First, make sure Windows is set to open your images with the correct app. Windows assigns a default app for each file type. If no default is set, Windows may prompt you to choose one, and it’s easy to miss that prompt.
2. Run SFC Scan
If photos or videos still won’t open, the issue might be caused by corrupted system files. When Windows system files are damaged, apps may not work properly. You can repair them with a built-in tool called System File Checker (SFC).
3. Reset Photos App
In some cases, the issue comes from the Photos app itself. If Photos is having problems, it may not open files at all. Resetting the app clears its data and settings (not your pictures), which often solves the problem.
4. Reinstall Photos App
If none of the methods above worked, the Photos app installation might be damaged. In that case, uninstalling and reinstalling the app should help. You can’t remove Photos from the Settings app, so we’ll use PowerShell and then install it again from Microsoft Store.
