Windows 10 gets a nifty Mac feature, thanks to QuickLook app

A nifty piece of macOS functionality that you might be familiar with – QuickLook – can now be enjoyed by Windows 10 users, thanks to a new app which has hit the Microsoft Store.

Mac users can select a file and simply tap the spacebar to invoke QuickLook and pop-up a quick preview of said file in a window, allowing them to, for example, have a closer look at a photo without having to fully open it in an app.

Spotted by The Verge, the QuickLook app is a free download from the Microsoft Store, and implements exactly the same kind of handy in-line previews when you’re working with files on the Windows 10 desktop (note that it doesn’t work with Windows 10 S).

Just like the macOS function, you tap the spacebar to view the preview of the file, and tap again to close it – or hit the Enter key to close the preview and open the file in an app. You can also zoom in or out of previewed images or documents by scrolling the mouse wheel while holding down the Ctrl key.

Known issue

So, this definitely seems like a smart little piece of software for Windows 10, given that it’s free, although note this is still a working version, as there is a somewhat irritating known issue, namely that previewing Microsoft Office files could crash the app.

Hopefully that will be a problem the developer can sort sooner rather than later.

Mac owners who use QuickLook should be aware that earlier this week, an exploit was revealed that could potentially spill your sensitive and encrypted data – read our report for the full details. Meanwhile, hopefully Apple will patch this particular vulnerability in macOS pronto.