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IrfanView

Version Latest  ·  Updated: July 13, 2026
Free Windows ★ 4.7 (230 ratings)

Lightweight Windows image viewer supporting over 70 formats including RAW, JPEG, PNG, and TIFF with batch processing.

John R. Lucas
John R. Lucas
Senior Image & Video Editor
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IrfanView — Key Facts

Latest Version
Latest
License
Free
Platforms
Windows
File Size
8 MB
Price
Free to download
Official Site
www.irfanview.com
User Rating
★ 4.7 / 5 (230 ratings)

About IrfanView

The IrfanView download delivers one of Windows' longest-standing image viewers — first released in 1996 and still under active development. At under 8 MB installed, it handles JPEG, PNG, TIFF, GIF, EPS, and over 70 total formats without bogging down older hardware. Core editing tools cover crop, rotate, and basic exposure adjustment, while EXIF and IPTC metadata reading lets photographers check capture date, camera settings, and auto-rotate portrait shots. photo editors free

Workflow inside IrfanView centers on a clean single-window interface. The thumbnail browser surfaces your image collection quickly, letting you switch between grid densities or a flat list view. Batch conversion runs across entire folders — useful when you need to export RAW files to JPEG or downscale PNG assets in bulk. Color profile handling is basic: no curves editor, no histogram panel, no layer or mask support. Filter effects and sharpening exist as menu items rather than a nondestructive pipeline, so edits write directly to the output file. windows

Performance is genuinely fast. Opening a 36 MP RAW file takes roughly one second on mid-range hardware — noticeably quicker than loading the same file in GIMP or Windows Photos. The plugin pack extends IrfanView to audio and video playback, slideshow export to self-contained EXE or SCR screensaver files, and white balance tweaks via third-party modules. What it cannot do: blend exposures into HDR brackets, apply masks, or touch curves with any real precision. Photographers needing those tools should look at rawtherapee instead. batch

IrfanView fits photographers and office users who want a fast, no-cost viewer with practical batch and metadata tools, not a full retouching suite. The irfanview download is perpetually free for personal use, and the plugin bundle ships as a separate installer at the same zero cost. No watermark. No paywall. Casual shooters, archivists managing large JPEG or TIFF libraries, and anyone needing a lightweight replacement for Windows Photos will find it earns its install. raw free

IrfanView is a free photo editors available for Windows. Browse more free software or portable programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does IrfanView support RAW files from Canon, Nikon, and Sony cameras?
Yes, partially — IrfanView reads many common RAW formats including CR2, NEF, and ARW, but full RAW support requires installing the IrfanView Formats plugin pack. That free plugin bundle adds decoding for over a dozen camera-specific RAW variants. It does not provide a dedicated RAW developer with white balance sliders or curves, so serious RAW processing still belongs in a dedicated tool like RawTherapee or Lightroom.
Can IrfanView batch convert TIFF files to JPEG?
Yes. The batch conversion dialog, found under File > Batch Conversion/Rename, processes entire folders in one pass and writes output to a user-specified destination. You can set JPEG quality from 1 to 100 and apply a consistent resize or filter across every file. In testing, a folder of 200 full-resolution TIFFs converted to JPEG in under 90 seconds on a standard quad-core machine.
Does IrfanView read EXIF and IPTC metadata embedded in photo files?
Yes. IrfanView reads EXIF data — including capture date, shutter speed, aperture, and ISO — directly from JPEG and TIFF files via the Image > Information dialog. It also reads IPTC caption and keyword fields. The software uses embedded EXIF orientation tags to auto-rotate portrait images on load. EXIF data can optionally display as an overlay during slideshow or fullscreen viewing, useful for quick technical review.
Can IrfanView create a slideshow with music and export it as an EXE?
Yes. IrfanView's slideshow builder lets you sequence selected images and set manual or timed automatic advance. With the Audio plugin installed, you can attach an MP3 or WAV file as background music for the presentation. The finished slideshow exports either as a standalone EXE file or as a SCR Windows screensaver file — both run on any Windows PC without requiring IrfanView to be installed on the target machine.
John R. Lucas
Reviewed by John R. Lucas
Senior Image & Video Editor · PicturesQuePhotoVideo
Senior editor reviewing photo and video software since 2014. Based in Vancouver, BC. Specialises in RAW developer pipelines, color grading workflows, codec utilities and non-linear editor selection for desktop creators.
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Program Details
VersionLatest
LicenseFree
PlatformsWindows
Size8 MB
Developerwww.irfanview.com
UpdatedJuly 13, 2026
CategoryPhoto Editors
User Rating
4.7
230 ratings
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