Hitting a “Not Implemented” error when trying to open images with the Photos App can be super frustrating. Usually, it stems from missing components or a corrupted app install that got broken after a Windows update. It’s kind of annoying how Windows sometimes just refuses to open your pictures, especially after updates. These fixes might help you get around that dead-end and see your photos again without waiting for Microsoft to push a patch.
Before diving into stuff, a quick restart doesn’t hurt—sometimes, a simple reboot can clear out minor glitches or stuck processes that are causing the problem. If that doesn’t do the trick, these steps are worth trying out. They range from switching to classic viewers to reinstalling parts of Windows—whatever it takes to get your pics showing again.
How to Fix “Not Implemented” Error When Opening Photos in Windows
Microsoft Photo Legacy or Classic Photo Viewer Might Save the Day
This is a straightforward fix that’s worked for a few folks. Basically, replacing or bypassing the broken Photos app by installing an older, more reliable viewer can solve the issue. It’s especially handy if the Photos app got corrupted during an update.
- First, hop into the Microsoft Store, search for Microsoft Photo Legacy (or find an alternative classic viewer if you prefer) and install it.
- Want a quick way to avoid Photos altogether? You can switch over to Windows Photo Viewer, which is more stable but a little tucked away. You’ll need to run a small registry file that switches default viewers.
- Download the file, then double-click to run. If Windows prompts you, click Run, and confirm with Yes if UAC shows up.
- After it runs, right-click on the taskbar, open Task Manager, find Windows Explorer, right-click and choose Restart. This refreshes your UI without a full reboot.
- Finally, find your image, right-click it, hover over Open with, then pick Windows Photo Viewer. Now, you should be able to open images without the “Not Implemented” error.
When to Try Installing Important Windows Updates – Why It Helps
If your system is missing some updates, especially optional ones, that might break component integrations like Photos. Updates often include bug fixes or security patches that repair broken parts, so installing them can fix underlying issues. Plus, this might resolve the problem if some system files or libraries got corrupted or are out of date.
- Press the Win key, type Check for updates, and hit Enter. This opens Windows Update Settings.
- Navigate to Advanced Options, then click on Optional Updates under Additional Options.
- Select all available updates—both optional and critical ones—and click Download and Install. Sometimes, multiple reboots are needed after these updates, so keep an eye out for prompts.
Pro tip: if everything else fails, uninstall the latest Windows update and see if that restores proper photo viewing. It’s a bit drastic but sometimes necessary after problematic updates.
Reinstall the Microsoft Photos App
If the Photos app’s files went bad or got corrupted, reinstalling it can give a clean slate. This is kind of a “refresh” for the app itself, fixing missing or broken files.
- Use Windows PowerShell: press the Win key, type Windows PowerShell, right-click, then choose Run as administrator.
- Type the command
Get-AppxPackage *Microsoft. Windows. Photos* | Remove-AppxPackageand hit Enter. It uninstalls the Photos app. - Open the Microsoft Store, search for “Photos, ” and reinstall it from there. It’s usually straightforward, just make sure you get the latest version.
- After reinstalling, double-click an image to check if it opens normally now.
Using an Emergency Workaround Until Official Fixes Drop
If nothing else works, a temporary fix is to open images in a different way—by right-clicking, choosing Edit with Photos. Then, clicking Cancel in the editor usually lets the image display normally. Yeah, it’s kinda weird, but it works for now. It’s like a weird hack, but if you’re in a pinch, it’s better than nothing.
Last Resort: System Restore
This is the nuclear option—if you’ve just installed a Windows update and suddenly everything went sideways, restoring your system to a previous state might help. You’d need a restore point made before the issue showed up.
- Press Win + R, type
rstrui, and hit Enter. This opens System Restore. - Follow the prompts to select a restore point, then confirm to start the process. Be aware, it will undo recent changes—so don’t do it unless you’re okay with rolling back updates or app installs.
Because of course, Windows has to make it harder than necessary.
If the issue persists after all these steps, chances are Microsoft will roll out a fix in the next update. Until then, trying alternative viewers like Winhance or using the classic Photo Viewer might be the best workaround. Sometimes, just switching the default app temporarily does the trick.
Summary
- Install or switch to a different photo viewer, like Windows Photo Viewer.
- Update Windows fully, including optional updates.
- Reinstall the Photos app if it’s broken.
- Use quick workarounds like “Edit with Photos”.
- As a last resort, restore Windows to a previous point before the update.
Wrap-up
Dealing with Windows photo errors can be a pain, but these methods are pretty reliable, at least in some setups. It’s kind of a hit or miss—sometimes a simple reinstall sorts it, other times, messing with updates is necessary. Hopefully, this shaves off a few hours for someone. Fingers crossed this helps.