Set Preview as your default image viewer in three steps

To make Preview the default app for opening images on your Mac, select any image file, open its information window, and tell macOS to always open that file type with Preview. The change applies to all images of the same format — so setting it for one JPEG makes Preview the default for all JPEGs, but you may need to repeat the process for PNG, GIF, and other formats if you want Preview as the default across all image types.

This is useful if you've accidentally set another app as default (like Photos or an internet browser) and want the lightweight Preview app back, or if you prefer Preview's simpler interface for quick image viewing and editing.

Key Takeaways

  • You set a default app separately for each image format, so a JPEG and a PNG may open in different apps unless you change both.
  • The fastest method is right-clicking an image file, choosing "Open With," selecting Preview, then clicking "Change All."
  • You can also change defaults through the image file's Get Info window or through System Settings if you want to see all available apps at once.
  • Preview is built into macOS and cannot be removed, so it will always be available as an option.

Right-click method: the quickest route

Find any image file on your Mac in Finder — a screenshot, a photo, anything. Right-click (or Control-click) the file and hover over "Open With" to see a list of apps that can open images. Preview should appear in this list.

Click "Preview" to open the image. Then look for a button or option that says "Change All" or "Always Open With" — the exact wording varies by macOS version, but it will be near the bottom of the menu. Click it, and macOS will set Preview as the default for all files of that type.

Repeat this process for each image format you use regularly: JPEG, PNG, GIF, HEIC, and so on. Each format has its own default app setting, so changing one does not change the others.

Get Info method: more control over the choice

If the right-click menu does not show a "Change All" option on your version of macOS, use the Get Info window instead. Right-click an image file and select "Get Info" (or press Command-I with the file selected).

In the window that opens, find the section labeled "Open With" and click the dropdown menu. Select "Preview" from the list. Below that dropdown, you will see a button labeled "Change All" — click it to set Preview as the default for all files of that type.

Close the Get Info window and the change takes effect immediately. The next time you double-click an image of that format, it will open in Preview.

System Settings method: see all available apps

Open System Settings (or System Preferences on older Macs) and navigate to "General" in the sidebar. Look for a section called "Default Apps" or "File Associations" — the name depends on your macOS version.

Find "Image Viewer" or search for the specific image format you want to change (JPEG, PNG, etc.). Click the current default app and select Preview from the dropdown. If you do not see Preview listed, click "Other Apps" or "Browse" to find it.

This method shows you all apps capable of opening images, which is useful if you want to understand what other options exist. However, it is slower than the right-click method if you just want to switch back to Preview quickly.

What happens when you change the default

Once you set Preview as the default, double-clicking any image file of that type will open it in Preview instead of whatever app was opening it before. This applies to images you double-click in Finder, images in email attachments (when you double-click them), and images downloaded to your Downloads folder.

The change does not affect images opened through other apps — if you open an image from within Photos or a web browser, it will still open in that app. The default only controls what happens when you double-click a file directly.

If you change your mind later, you can reverse this by following the same steps and selecting a different app, or by right-clicking an image and choosing "Open With" to pick a different app just once without changing the default.

Why Preview might not be showing as an option

Preview is built into macOS and should always appear in the "Open With" menu for image files. If it does not show up, restart your Mac — sometimes the app list does not refresh until you restart. After restarting, try the right-click method again.

If Preview still does not appear, check that you are right-clicking an actual image file (JPEG, PNG, GIF, HEIC, TIFF, or similar), not a document or other file type. Preview only opens images, not PDFs or other formats. If you are trying to set Preview as the default for PDFs, you will need to use a different app.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set Preview as the default for all image types at once?

No — macOS requires you to set a default app separately for each file format. You will need to repeat the process for JPEG, PNG, GIF, HEIC, and any other formats you use. The quickest way is to right-click one file of each type and select "Change All" for each one.

What if I want different apps for different image types?

You can do this by following the same steps for each format and selecting a different app. For example, you could set Preview as the default for JPEG but keep Photos as the default for HEIC. Each format has its own independent setting.

Will changing the default affect images I already have open?

No — the change only affects images you open after making the change. Images already open in another app will stay in that app. Close and reopen the image to see it in Preview.

Can I undo this change if I do not like Preview as the default?

Yes — follow the same steps and select a different app, or right-click an image and choose "Open With" to pick a different app just for that one file. There is no permanent lock-in.