Ways to Fix the Windows Photo Viewer Not Enough Memory

Some people still choose to use Windows Photo Viewer, even though it is no longer included by default in Windows 10/11. But, you can get the annoying warning notice "Windows Photo Viewer can't display this picture; not enough memory" when trying to access your favorite photos with it. 

Don't worry! We'll walk you through six quick fixes in this post so you may continue to enjoy your photo collection without any hassles. Come along and bid the error "Windows Photo Viewer not enough memory" farewell.

Part 1: Why Can’t Windows Photo Viewer Display This Picture?

In actuality, the error message "Windows Photo Viewer not enough memory" may be deceptive as there may be other factors at play in addition to system memory. The following are a few possible reasons:

File format not supported

unusually big file size

corrupted system files, damaged picture files

incorrect color management settings

outdated Windows Photo Viewer version

Your Windows Photo Viewer may not be functioning for a number of reasons, so it's worth trying some possible fixes to see if one of them works. 

Part 2: Things before Windows Photo Viewer Not EEnough Memory Repair

Obviously, if the photo file is corrupted, Windows Photo Viewer will not be able to view this image. Numerous things, such as corrupted sectors on the storage medium, failed transfers, system crashes, and more, can result in corrupted files. 

In situations like these, the robust and intuitive 4DDiG Photo Repair tool can save your life. This powerful program can handle up to 3,000 damaged images at once and has a high success rate in repairing different kinds of image corruption. Additionally, it is capable of fixing a wide range of image formats, such as JPG, JPEG, PNG, RAW, CRW, HEIC, and others.

Here’s how to use 4DDiG Photo Repair to fix damaged photos in just three steps:

Step 1: Launch the 4DDiG File Repair tool and navigate to the Photo Repair section. Then, choose ‘Fix Photo Errors’ among the available options.

Step 2: Import your damaged photos either by clicking on the “Add photo(s)” button or by dragging and dropping them onto the designated section. Then, hit the “Start Repair” button to proceed.

Step 3: This tool allows you to preview the restored photos before saving them to your computer. If you are satisfied with the repair results, click on the “Export” button to complete the process.

Part 3: Rapid Fixes for the ‘Windows Photo Viewer Not Enough Memory’ Error

After ensuring the file integrity, let’s look at possible ways to fix the ‘Windows Photo Viewer can’t display this picture not enough memory’ problem.

Option A: Free up system resources

As stated in the error message, if Windows Photo Viewer can’t display this image due to insufficient memory, you first need to close all unnecessary running processes or consider adding more memory to your PC. To do so, follow these steps:

Step 1: Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys together and navigate to the “Processes” tab. 

Step 2: Click on the “Memory” column to sort the processes by memory usage.

Step 3: Close unnecessary processes by right-clicking on them and selecting “End Task.”

Option B: Try another photo viewer

Some users on online forums mention that the ‘Windows Photo Viewer not enough memory’ problem is specific to Windows Photo Viewer. When you open the problematic image file through other applications, such as “Photos,” the issue tends to resolve itself. Compared to Windows Photo Viewer, these alternative utilities are capable of handling large images more efficiently and have better memory management. Here are some popular options:

Photos

IrfanView

FastStone Image Viewer

Adobe Lightroom

Option C: Convert to a compatible format

Another Windows Photo Viewer not enough memory fix is to convert the problematic file to a compatible format. You can’t blame Windows Photo Viewer for its inability to open the latest photo formats, as it hasn’t been updated for a long time. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Right-click on the image file. Then, choose “Open with” and select “Paint.”

Step 2: Go to the “File” ＞ “Save As.”

Step 3: Select a common format for the image, such as JPEG, PNG, or BMP. 

Step 4: Finally, choose a location and click “Save.”

Option D: Resize your photos

In addition to converting file formats, reducing the image resolution or dimensions can also be helpful. The aim is to minimize the file size as much as possible, thereby avoiding the ‘Windows Photo Viewer not enough memory’ error. Here is how to resize your images in PhotoShop:

Step 1: Import the problematic photo(s) into Photshop.

Step 2: Go to “Image” in the top menu and select “Image Size.”

Step 3: Adjust the width and height of the image. Then, adjust the resolution to reduce the file size.

Step 4: After resizing, save the image using “File” > “Save As” and choose an appropriate format (e.g., JPEG) that supports compression.

Option E: Decrypt your image files

Sometimes, Windows Photo Viewer may fail to open photos or other digital media files imported from a smartphone. You have to disable the encryption feature for image files to resolve this issue. Here is the method:

Step 1: Start by right-clicking on the problematic image file, and then select the “Properties” option.

Step 2: In the General tab, opt for “Advanced.”

Step 3: Uncheck the option that says “Encrypt contents to secure data.”

Step 4: Save the changes by selecting OK.

Part 4: Advanced Solutions to Fix the ‘Windows Photo Viewer Not Enough Memory’ Error

Option F: Adjust color settings

If the ‘Windows Photo Viewer not enough memory’ error persists, it’s likely due to corrupted or incorrect color profile metadata embedded in JPG images. Tech-savvy users can utilize specialized metadata editing tools, such as ExifTool, to access and edit the damaged ICC profile file directly. Or, you may consider trying the following steps to fix the problem:

Step 1: Press Windows + S on your keyboard and type “Color Management” into the search box. Hit Enter to open it.

Step 2: Under the Devices tab, remove each ICC profile (if present).

Step 3: Go to the Advanced section. Then, opt for “Agfa: Swop Standard” from the “Device profile” drop-down list.

Option G: Repair corrupted system files

You may receive the error message ‘Windows Photo Viewer can’t display this picture due to not having enough memory’ when system files are corrupted or missing. In such cases, all you have to do is:

Step 1: Type cmd after pressing Windows+ S. Right-click on “Command Prompt” in the search results and select “Run as administrator.”

Step 2: Type the sfc /scannow command and hit Enter to run it.

Step 3: Once the scan is complete, restart your computer.

In conclusion, it is frequently feasible and simple to resolve the "Windows Photo Viewer not enough memory" issue. Remember to select the appropriate course of action depending on your particular circumstance, whether that means looking into alternate photo viewers or fixing broken system data. Should file damage prevent Windows Photo Viewer from displaying this image, 4DDiG File Repair is your most reliable helper.