File Previews
A preview is a larger look at whatever you have selected: a photo, a video, a folder, a document, and more. Phials picks the right preview for each file automatically, so you can inspect files without opening another app.
Where previews appear
Previews can show up in three places, depending on the file type and your layout:
- Preview sidebar: a panel beside your file list that updates as you click around. This is the most common spot.
- Preview tab: a full center tab with more room and preview-specific controls like zoom and playback. Double-clicking a file usually opens it here, and many previews have an Open in fullscreen button that does the same. The same file always maps to a single preview tab, so you never end up with duplicates.
- Fullscreen: an edge-to-edge view for formats that work well with the extra space.
Selection drives the preview: click another file and the preview switches to match. When more than one preview could apply to a file, Phials chooses the most specific one. For example, a Git repository folder gets the repository summary instead of the plain folder preview, and an image with AI generation metadata gets the AI image preview instead of the generic one.
If nothing more specific fits, you see the default preview.
The info panel
Beside a large preview, Phials can show an optional info panel with the file’s metadata, and for AI-generated images, the generation details. It is off by default, and Phials remembers whether you had it open.
Previews by file type
| Preview | What it’s for |
|---|---|
| Text & code | Syntax-highlighted source and config files |
| Markdown | Live rendered Markdown, with a raw mode |
| Image | Viewing, fullscreen, and light editing |
| Video | Inline and fullscreen playback |
| Audio | Audio playback |
| Spreadsheet | CSV, TSV, Excel, and OpenDocument tables |
| Database | Read-only browsing of SQLite files |
| 3D model | glTF, OBJ, STL, and other 3D formats |
| Font | Type specimens |
| Folder | Folder contents and statistics |
| Git repository | Branch, remote, and working-tree summary |
| AI image | Images with embedded generation metadata |
| macOS app | .app bundles |
| Disk image (DMG) | macOS disk images |
| Default | The fallback when no specific preview fits |
Related
- View Modes: Gallery view shows a large preview inline
- Default Behaviors: what double-click does, and video playback
- File & Metadata Caches: thumbnails and cached file details