Displaying thumbnails of 3ds Max files
Last Updated on 10/04/2026
Displaying thumbnails of 3ds Max files in Windows Explorer helps much more to navigate to the files you work with. Thumbnail handlers allow displaying thumbnails in Explorer, which can be created by third-party developers, as in the case of the .max files.
If instead of thumbnails in Windows Explorer, .max files are displayed as icons, the following solution should help you.
If you install multiple versions of 3ds Max simultaneously, you can achieve that thumbnails are not displayed. The fact of the matter is that the 3ds Max installer fails to register the MaxThumbnailShellExt.dll file that is responsible for displaying thumbnails in Windows Explorer. This file is in the root folder of 3ds Max, starting with version 2014+.
So, to solve this problem, you should register MaxThumbnailShellExt.dll manually (use Run as Administrator):
Runregsvr32 "X:\3ds Max root folder\MaxThumbnailShellExt.dll"
example for 3ds Max 2027:regsvr32 "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2027\MaxThumbnailShellExt.dll"
If the operation is successful, you will see the following message in the window.- Perhaps you may have to restart the system and clean the thumbnail cache to get it to work.
I actively use several more thumbnail handlers to view previews of the video files and images in Windows Explorer. I recommend you get acquainted with them:
Related
The string works. If you can’t make it work just create a .bat file, put it into it and save. Run as admin.
Its working for me, thanks a lot
Hi!
This solution works with my 3dsmax 2014 on windows 7 x64. Thank you very much. Just learning modelling and it was annoying to not be able to preview the files from within explorer.
You are welcome 🙂
I tried it for max 2016 it’s not working, can you please explain to me how to run the maxthumbnail?
Thanx for the info. Curious, is it possible to change the generic exe overlay icon of max thumbnails. I know 3dsmax.exe doesn’t have any icons, all of them are in external ico files.
I did not succeed change icon for preview 🙁 .
Actually 3dsmax.exe (2017) does have the stylish icons, but in second place. And this ugly meaningless generic exe icon takes first place, that’s because Windows uses it as a default icon. So I did it in barbarian style: I just changed the first icon in the exe with the stylish one and overwrite the exe. Dumb but works.
Found the solution! There’s a branch in the registry, here: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\SystemFileAssociations\. So if you add .max extension to it, then add String Value “TypeOverlay” and add a path to 3ds max icon (for 2017 it’s here: C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2017\Icons\icon_main.ico), the overlay icons for max files will be changed. Maybe you need to rebuild the icon cache for this patch to work.
Thanks for the tip. It doesn’t works for me 🙁 . I’ll try to dig why it not works for me.
Perhaps my explanation wasn’t clear. Here’s the reg file (my system is Win 7 x64).
http://rgho.st/8h89tpqdn
Thank I’ve tried not the most successful
Video shows possible explanation
no 3DMax 2017 funciona com a linha no pronpet de comando como administrador
I’m on Windows 10 with 3ds 2017, and I’m still running into some issues with this. I was able to get it to register successfully, but it still is not loading the icons. I’ve cleared my thumbnail cache and have restarted multiple times. Any thoughts?
I can’t help because I do not have Windows 10 🙁 Sorry.
It works if you resave the files, not sure if that would need to work like that
for windows 8.1 users or higher who had the proplem that the file was loaded but the call to DllRegisterServer failed with error code 0x8007005 >open the command prompet as administrator and type the same line and it should work >thanks a ton
Not sure if this helps any of you however I work with “Mystic Thumbs” from mysticcoder.net. A really great little and inexpensive program that displays thumbnails for .max, .psd, .hdr,….and many other file formats. Even .txt files. Couldn’t live without it!
Hi,
I am with Windows 8.1 and I get the following error message from RegSvr32: “regsvr32 “C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2016\MaxThumbnailShellExt.dll” was loaded but the call to DllRegisterServer failed with error code 0x8007005.” Can you please advise how to get past this issue?
Hello! Sadly I don’t have Windows 8.1 so I can’t say exactly. Anyway check this thread with related problem, maybe it can help you. https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/71037d62-d842-44a3-86df-6ed74df6fc39/0x80070005-error-trying-to-register-dll
Thanks a lot, now it works!…. a had to run the CMD as administrator 🙂
Thanks a lot to this article as well as the awesome Emo reply
Ty for this awesome information, but i got too low resolutyion. Any one got some ideas?
If you mean that thumbnails in “Extra Large Icons” mode where thumbnail size equal 256×256 displayed with low reasolution it is because that 3ds max saves thumbnails 130×130 pixels and you can’t enlarge it.
Please vote at autodesk site for an increase .max thumbnail size :
http://3dsmaxfeedback.autodesk.com/forums/76763-small-feature-requests/suggestions/6404525-thumbnails-in-max-files
OMG! Big thanks!
Your welcome 🙂
How to remove logo from bottom right corner of thumbnail?
Hello Juri!
I think you can switch of overlayed icons only for all files in folder.
Windows explorer -> Folder options -> View -> Display file icon on thumbnail
p.s. 3dsmax.exe file doesn’t have beautiful icon and Windows Explorer shows only icon that is in .exe file.
curious – what exactly does this do? I have the same issue and am interested in this but haven’t dug into the registry much. seems your approach is simple. do i just open CMD and type in : c:\regsvr32 C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max Design 2014\MaxThumnailShellExt.dll or do i need the “” marks? also is this different for a 64bit? Thanks
Hello John. This points Explorer use MaxThumnailShellExt.dll for display .max’s thumbnails. Sure, you can use CMD. You need “” mark because path name contain spaces. This solution works well with x64.