mirage as a Linux alternative to Windows Photo Viewer
Updated
Our verdict
Mirage is a good replacement for Windows Photo Viewer if you want a fast, no-frills image viewer on Linux. It starts quickly, uses little memory, and handles common formats reliably. The interface is clean and stays out of the way, focusing on single images without importing them into a library. Keyboard navigation works well with arrow keys and spacebar, and slideshow mode is functional. It won’t appeal to users needing photo management or editing, but for basic viewing, it’s solid and dependable.
- License
- GPL-2.0
- Price
- Free
- Latest version
- 0.11.2
- Rating
- —
What works the same
- Fast startup and low memory usage
- Supports JPEG, PNG, BMP, GIF, and TIFF
- Simple fullscreen and zoom controls
- Keyboard navigation with arrow keys and spacebar
- Basic slideshow functionality with adjustable delay
What is different
- Mirage shows basic EXIF data, which Windows Photo Viewer does not
- Customizable background color in Mirage
- Mirage has command-line support for scripting
- Windows Photo Viewer has slightly simpler UI with fewer visible controls
- Mirage lacks direct printing support found in Windows Photo Viewer
Opening your Windows Photo Viewer files
Mirage can open all common image formats used by Windows Photo Viewer, including JPEG, PNG, BMP, and GIF. TIFF support is also included, which goes beyond the original Windows tool. You won’t need to convert files for compatibility. Mirage displays images as-is and doesn’t modify or export them by default—viewing is the primary function. If you receive photos from Windows users, Mirage handles them without issues.
Switching from Windows Photo Viewer to mirage, step by step
- Install Mirage using your distribution's package manager (e.g., 'sudo apt install mirage' on Debian/Ubuntu)
- Set Mirage as the default image viewer in your system settings
- Use the keyboard (arrow keys, spacebar) to navigate images in fullscreen
- Enable slideshow mode from the menu or via command line with --slideshow
- Customize background color in Preferences if desired
Key features of mirage
- Supports common image formats (JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP, TIFF)
- Simple fullscreen and zoom controls
- Image navigation with keyboard or mouse
- Slideshow mode with customizable delay
- Basic EXIF data display
- Lightweight and fast startup
- Customizable background color
- Command-line support for scripting
How to install mirage on Linux
sudo apt install miragesudo apt install miragesudo dnf install mirageFrequently asked questions
Can Mirage open HEIC or WebP files?
Not by default. Support depends on your system's GDK-Pixbuf plugins. You may need to install additional packages for HEIC or WebP.
Does Mirage support printing?
No, Mirage does not include a print function. You’ll need to use another application or command-line tool to print images.
Is Mirage actively maintained?
Yes, Mirage is actively developed and packaged in major distributions like Debian, Fedora, and Ubuntu.
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