Thumbs.db: Prevent Windows from Creating the Thumbnail Cache

Contributed by AlexTheBeast June 19, 2004  
Tagged: Windows

Thumbs.dl files are everywhere. If you do not want windows to save the thumbnail cache, you can adjust it.

When a folder is in the thumbnail view, windows creates a thumbnail cache in order to function in this view. This cache is saved so windows does not have to regenerate these thumbnail files everytime somebody views the folder.

Some users find this creation of thumbs.dl files very painful. Windows sometimes will automatically change the default view for a folder if it contains the thumbs.db file.

Here’s how to turn off the thumbnail cache and thus the creation of the thumbs.db files:

1. Navigate to the Control Panel
2. Select Folder Options
3. Click the View tab
4. Under advanced settings select Do Not Cache Thumbnails
5. Click OK