Looking for one free tool to browse, fix and batch-rename your photos? FastStone Image Viewer combines an Explorer-style thumbnail browser with a full-screen viewer, editing tools, and batch processing for photo collections stored on disk.
Folder browser and full-screen viewer
Browse a folder’s thumbnails, select files, and open an image for a larger view. In full-screen mode, moving the pointer to a screen edge reveals panels for tools such as the thumbnail browser and EXIF information, keeping controls close while the image fills the display.
A magnifier provides a one-click close-up, and zoom controls switch between a fitted view and the image’s actual size. The browser also supports file tagging, star ratings, and drag-and-drop copying, moving, or rearranging. For a quick cull, the Compare Images view places as many as four pictures side by side.
Photo adjustments and annotations
Make common changes within the viewer: crop, resize, rotate, flip, sharpen, blur, and adjust lighting, colors, curves, or levels. Resizing offers several resampling algorithms. Color effects include grayscale and sepia; special effects include framing, drop shadows, sketch, and oil painting.
The drawing tools add text, lines, highlights, shapes, and callouts to an image. Clone Stamp and Healing Brush handle retouching, while red-eye correction addresses flash-related discoloration. Multi-level undo and redo lets you step back through editing changes.
Batch work, slideshows, and output
Batch Convert/Rename applies conversion or filename changes across selected images. A Save As interface compares image quality while controlling the generated file size.
Build a slideshow with transition effects and music, or create contact sheets and image montages. Printing includes page-layout controls, and the scanner tool can batch-scan straight to PDF or image files. Screen capture and email attachment preparation are also built in.
Formats and image details
The viewer handles common formats such as JPEG, PNG, GIF, TIFF, WebP, HEIC, PDF, PSD, and SVG, along with camera RAW formats including CR2, NEF, ARW, and DNG. It displays EXIF metadata and allows comment editing for JPEG images. A histogram with a color counter provides another way to inspect an image’s tones and colors.
Pros
- Compares up to four images side by side
- Batch converts and renames image collections
- Includes EXIF details, file tags, and ratings
- Creates music-backed slideshows with transition effects
Cons
- HEIC support depends on the Windows HEIF codecs
Can FastStone Image Viewer compare several photos at once?
Yes. Compare Images displays up to four images side by side, which can help identify preferred shots.
Can it rename or convert many images in one operation?
Yes. Batch Convert/Rename processes selected groups of images and can convert formats or change filenames.
Does it show camera information stored in photos?
Yes. It displays EXIF metadata, including information embedded by digital cameras.