Get macOS-Style File Previews on Windows with QuickLook

If you've ever used a Mac, you've probably gotten used to a killer feature: hitting the spacebar to instantly preview a file. No waiting for an application to launch, no commitment to opening it—just a quick, clean look at the content. For Windows users, that simple workflow has always felt like a distant dream. Until now.

QuickLook is an open-source project that brings that exact functionality to Windows. It’s one of those utilities that feels so natural, you’ll wonder how you ever worked without it.

What It Does

In a nutshell, QuickLook adds a spacebar-preview feature to Windows File Explorer. Select any file—a PDF, image, video, code file, you name it—and press the spacebar. A window pops up immediately showing you the file's contents. Press spacebar again, and it disappears. It’s that simple. It’s not opening the file in its default program; it’s a genuine, lightweight preview.

Why It's Cool

The magic of QuickLook isn't just in the idea, but in the execution. It’s incredibly fast and lightweight, so it doesn’t bog down your system. The real technical win is its extensibility. The core application handles common file types, but its plugin architecture means the community can add support for almost anything.

Found a niche file format it doesn't support? Someone has probably built a plugin for it, or you can build your own. This open-source approach has led to a rich ecosystem of plugins, making it far more powerful than any first-party solution Microsoft might build.

For developers, this is a huge win. You can quickly peek into JSON configs, source code files, or even archives without breaking your flow. It cuts out the constant alt-tabbing and application switching that can fragment your focus.

How to Try It

Getting started with QuickLook is straightforward. The easiest way is to install it via WinGet, the Windows package manager. Just fire up your command line and run:

winget install QL-Win.QuickLook

Prefer a direct download? You can grab the latest installer from the Releases page on GitHub.

After installation, it runs quietly in your system tray. The first time you press spacebar on a file, it might ask for permission to run—accept it, and you're good to go. Select a file, press your spacebar, and enjoy your new superpower.

Final Thoughts

QuickLook is one of those rare utilities that genuinely improves your daily interaction with your computer. It’s a perfect example of the open-source community identifying a gap in the Windows experience and filling it elegantly. It’s not a bloated suite of tools; it does one thing and does it exceptionally well.

As a developer, it’s a small quality-of-life improvement that pays off many times over. It’s definitely worth the minute it takes to install.

Check out the project on GitHub to report issues, contribute, or see the growing list of plugins: github.com/QL-Win/QuickLook

— Follow @githubprojects for more cool projects