XnView Software

I specified square thumbs in all places I could find:

Settings -> Thumbnail -> Appearance: width 200, height 200
Settings -> Catalog -> width 200, height 200

Yet, the aspect of the thumbs is always landscape (more width than height), example here: http://www.eigelb.at/forums/xnview2.jpg

The middle thumb fills the rectangle completely. But with a square aspect, the thumb to the left should fill it. This was no problem with Win 10, it may have to do with Win 11.

Interesting fact: In "Settings -> Catalog", when I click on "Get thumbnail size", it changes width to 223 and height to 184. Where do those numbers come from? Is it really not possible to have a square size and not forced landscape-orientation?

I would ask you a question (or two).

If your image itself is not a square aspect ratio (as some in your example clearly are not), what are you expecting XnViewMP to do with it? Squeeze it into a square by distorting it, or crop it into a square so you only see part of the image? It has to do something.

- xnview has a sort of "grid" for the thumbs
- my images have a certain aspect ratio
- of course when the aspect of the grid does not fit the aspect of an image, there is empty space. As is visible in my screenshot (I want neither squeezing nor cropping)
- my point is: why is the "grad" fixed to landscape (more width than height), even tough I specified SQUARE everywhere?

As I said, all that was no problem in earlier versions (or with Win 10). I used xnview excessivly for many years.

select 'Custom' in Browser>View>Thumbnails size
which you changed to 200x200 in Settings>Thumbnails>Appearance

There is no Browser>View.
I am using Version 1.9.3 which claims to be up-to-date.

In "Browser", I got:
- Tooltip
- ToolBar
- Tag
- Misc.

in Browser tab, not Browser section in Setting

Can't find it. Where should that be?: http://www.eigelb.at/forums/xnview3.jpg

Everything was fine before with Win 10.
Either I have become dumber or there is some problem with Win 11 and/or xnview MP.
Either way, I guess I will have to look for alternatives. I have spent too many hours trying to solve this thumbnail-topic already.
Thanks anyway...

paul_sch wrote: Thu Sep 25, 2025 9:02 am Can't find it. Where should that be?: http://www.eigelb.at/forums/xnview3.jpg

Look at your own screenshot.
http://www.eigelb.at/forums/xnview3.jpg

See up at the top where the menu bar has:
File Edit View Metadata Tools ...etc

That View is the View menu. Use the view menu.

Select View->Thumbnails size->Custom

Try that.

THANKS. That also solves my other issue which I will update.
But why on earth are there 3 places to specify the thumb-size? TWO in the settings, and ONE MORE in the menu? (and also as a 4th the slider at the bottom right)

Because the app allows you to set the current display size, the custom size, and the size stored in the cache all separately. It’s called granularity of control. The slider is a redundant control for those who can’t face numbers or choices or just want to do it by feel.

You would not like the consequences if there were only one setting.