XnView: What It Is and How to Use It for Viewing and Batch-Processing Images
XnView is a free image viewer, organizer, and converter for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Install XnView MP if you want the current cross-platform version with the broadest format support and batch tools built in; choose XnView Classic only if you specifically want the older Windows-only viewer. Both open the major formats listed on the site — JPEG, TIFF, PNG, GIF, WEBP, JPEG-XL, AVIF, HEIC, PSD, JPEG2000, OpenEXR, camera RAW, PDF, DNG, and CR2 — and both include color adjustment, resizing, cropping, screen capture, and IPTC/XMP metadata editing.
Which version to install
| Version | Platform | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| XnView MP 1.11.7 | Windows, macOS, Linux | Most users. Successor to Classic, with the explorer-like browser, batch rename, batch converter, duplicate finder, image compare, contact sheets, and slideshow. |
| XnView Classic 2.52.7 | Windows only | Users who want the long-standing Windows viewer/organizer/converter without switching to MP. |
| XnConvert 1.116.0 | Windows, macOS, Linux | Batch conversion only — convert, resize, watermark, add text, enhance, and filter across many files. |
| XnResize 1.11 | Desktop | Batch resizing only. |
| XnShell Extension 4.2.5 | Windows | Right-click shell integration for quick actions from Explorer. |
The site describes XnView and XnConvert as free for private (non-commercial) use. If you plan to use them commercially, check the license terms on the download page before relying on them.
Viewing and organizing images
The core workflow is an explorer-like interface: a folder tree on one side, thumbnails in the middle, and a preview pane. From there you can:
- Browse and sort a folder of mixed formats without opening each file separately.
- Batch rename files using patterns rather than renaming one at a time.
- Find duplicate images across a collection.
- Compare images side by side.
- Generate contact sheets to review a whole shoot on one page.
- Run a slideshow for quick review.
This is the part that makes XnView more than a double-click viewer — it replaces the file manager for image-heavy folders.
Batch processing with XnConvert
XnConvert handles the repetitive jobs. The pattern is the same for each operation:
- Add input — drag in a folder or a set of files.
- Choose an action — convert format, resize, watermark, add text, enhance, or apply a filter.
- Set output — target format and destination folder.
- Run — the batch processes every file with the same settings.
The site also offers an Online Convert option for batch resizing and converting from a web browser, useful when you don't want to install anything. XnResize is the narrower tool if resizing is the only thing you need.
Editing and metadata
For individual files, XnView MP covers the common adjustments: color adjusting, cropping, and image resizing, plus screen capture. Metadata editing supports IPTC and XMP, which matters if you need to embed captions, keywords, or copyright into files before delivering them.
Common issues
- A format won't open. Confirm you're on XnView MP, which carries the widest format list including HEIC, AVIF, JPEG-XL, and camera RAW. Very new or vendor-specific RAW files may still need a codec or a newer release.
- Slow browsing on large folders. Thumbnail generation on first visit to a big directory is the usual cause; let it finish once and subsequent visits are faster.
- Batch job produced unexpected output. Re-check the action order in XnConvert — operations apply in sequence, so resizing before watermarking gives a different result than the reverse.
Where to start
Download XnView MP from xnview.com for viewing, organizing, and light editing. Add XnConvert if batch conversion is a regular task, or use the online converter for one-off jobs.