ArcThumb

ArcThumb 0.12.0

Windows Explorer thumbnail and preview handler for archive files and ebooks.

  • By citrussoda-com
  • Open Source
  • Updated Oct 5, 2026
Download for Windows

About ArcThumb

ArcThumb is a Windows Shell Extension that adds thumbnail icons and preview-pane previews to Windows Explorer for archive files and ebooks. When a supported file contains images, ArcThumb decodes the first one and shows it as the file's thumbnail; the preview pane renders a larger version. Supported containers: ZIP, 7Z, RAR, TAR and their media variants (CBZ, CB7, CBR, CBT), plus ebooks in EPUB, FB2, MOBI, AZW, and AZW3. Images inside are decoded from JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP, TIFF, ICO, and WebP. Optional JPEG XL support is available in custom builds. ArcThumb is a Rust-based successor to CBX Shell and DarkThumbs. A bundled configuration GUI lets you toggle formats, set decode limits, and register or unregister the extension. Installs per-user by default with no administrator privileges; running the installer elevated registers the extension machine-wide instead, which is required when Explorer runs at high integrity (such as Windows Sandbox). Requires Windows 10 or later on x64.

Technical details

Publishercitrussoda-com
AuthorCitrusSoda
Version0.12.0
Release date2026-10-05
LicenseMIT OR Apache-2.0
Installer typeinno
Architecturex64
Package IDCitrusSoda.ArcThumb

Install ArcThumb from the command line

Install with Windows Package Manager
winget install --id=CitrusSoda.ArcThumb -e
Update to the latest version
winget upgrade --id=CitrusSoda.ArcThumb -e
Uninstall
winget uninstall --id=CitrusSoda.ArcThumb -e
Silent install with the offline installer
"ArcThumb-Setup.exe" /VERYSILENT /SUPPRESSMSGBOXES /NORESTART /SP-

ebook-thumbnailspreviewfile-explorerfileexplorershell-extensionarchivesebookzipepubcbzcbxshelldarkthumbs

ArcThumb version history

  • 0.11.0
  • 0.10.1
  • 0.10.0
  • 0.9.0
  • 0.8.0
  • 0.7.3
  • 0.7.2
  • 0.7.1

Frequently asked questions

Is ArcThumb free?

Yes. ArcThumb is free and open-source software released under the MIT OR Apache-2.0 license.

What is the latest version of ArcThumb?

The latest version is 0.12.0, released on Oct 5, 2026.

Is it safe to download ArcThumb?

The download button links to the official installer published on github.com, the same file Windows Package Manager installs. You can verify the downloaded file by comparing its SHA-256 checksum with a7c8d9438bec90aab87bd67b7c77b4a93ea4cbf79babafe8462d3f912309147e.

Which Windows versions does ArcThumb support?

ArcThumb runs on Windows and is available for 64-bit (x64) systems.

How do I install ArcThumb silently?

Run the offline installer with "ArcThumb-Setup.exe" /VERYSILENT /SUPPRESSMSGBOXES /NORESTART /SP-, or install it with Windows Package Manager: winget install --id=CitrusSoda.ArcThumb -e --silent.

How do I uninstall ArcThumb?

Open Settings › Apps › Installed apps, find ArcThumb and select Uninstall. From the command line, run winget uninstall --id=CitrusSoda.ArcThumb -e.