IrfanView in your browser — with your own copy Viewer works; plugins & video iffy
Guide updated July 2026 · Runs via Wine 1.7.55 (Win32) + WebAssembly · Requires your own copy
IrfanView is the fast, tiny image viewer a whole generation grew up using — flick through a folder of photos, convert a batch of files from one format to another, crop and resize, all in a window that opens before you've let go of the mouse. This page is a compatibility guide, and IrfanView passes it well: because it's a small, classic 32-bit Win32 app built on plain Windows graphics (not DirectX or .NET), you can boot Wine in the browser, load your own copy of IrfanView along with some images, and use the real interface — no install on the machine you're sitting at. The honest caveat: core viewing and conversion work nicely, but IrfanView's optional plugin pack, video/animation playback, and its installer can be hit-or-miss under the emulated engine, so this is a "works for the everyday stuff" page, not a "100% of features" one.
Runs in your browser tab with WebAssembly + Wine — nothing is uploaded. Click the screen to capture input; press Esc to release the mouse.
IrfanView is freeware, but not ours to hand out. It's free for personal, educational, and charity use, but its license explicitly forbids redistribution without the author's written permission — so ExeBrowser can't host the program for you, and you'll need to bring your own copy. Download it from the official site, irfanview.com. If you use IrfanView at work or for commercial purposes, the license requires a paid registration. We never link to cracks, "free full version" repacks, or dubious abandonware mirrors.
How it works & what to expect
ExeBrowser runs a 32-bit x86 build of Wine compiled to WebAssembly, so it can execute a real i_view32.exe right in the browser tab. The whole virtual C:\ drive lives in your browser's memory — nothing uploads to a server — which means IrfanView can only see images you bring into that virtual disk. The practical workflow: put the IrfanView program files and the photos you want to view into one folder on your computer, then load the whole folder at once. IrfanView opens, you point it at your pictures, and everything happens locally. Expect roughly 10–40% of native speed; for an image viewer that's typically fine for browsing, zooming, cropping, resizing, and format conversion.
| App | IrfanView (i_view32.exe), 32-bit |
|---|---|
| Best Wine variant | Win32 (default) |
| Which version | An older 32-bit release (the 4.x line works well in Wine) is most reliable; modern 64-bit builds won't load |
| How to load | Put the IrfanView folder and your images together, then pick that folder |
| Getting results out | Use "Download files written by this app" after you convert or save |
The trick: bundle IrfanView with your images
Because the browser-side filesystem starts empty, IrfanView has nothing to open unless you supply it. The cleanest approach is to create one folder containing the unpacked IrfanView program files (i_view32.exe plus its DLLs and any plugin files) and the images you want to work on, then use the pick a folder option so it all lands on the virtual C:\ together. From inside IrfanView you can then browse that folder, open images, batch-convert them to another format, and save the output. When you're done, click Download files written by this app to pull your converted or edited files back out as a zip.
Tip: IrfanView's installer can be finicky under Wine (it historically wants MFC42.DLL present), so it's often easier to install IrfanView once on a real Windows PC, copy the resulting program folder, and upload that pre-installed folder rather than trying to run the setup .exe in the browser.
What works, and what to skip
Works well: opening and browsing common image formats (JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP, TIFF), zoom and pan, crop/resize/rotate, color adjustments, the thumbnail browser, and batch conversion/rename — the bread-and-butter reasons people open IrfanView. These rely on standard Windows GDI calls that the emulated Wine handles reliably.
- Plugins: the separate IrfanView PlugIns pack adds extra formats and effects. Some load fine; others (especially ones that hook into media playback) may fail or crash. Treat plugins as bonus, not guaranteed.
- Video, audio & animation: IrfanView can play media via system codecs, but the WebAssembly Wine has no real multimedia/DirectShow stack. Don't expect video clips or MP3 previews to work.
- RAW camera files & very large images: may be slow or memory-hungry given the browser sandbox; small-to-medium photos are the sweet spot.
- Scanning, printing, and "set as wallpaper": these reach for real OS hardware/services that aren't there in the sandbox.
Frequently asked questions
Is IrfanView free, and can I download it from ExeBrowser?
IrfanView is freeware for personal, educational, and charity use — but its license forbids redistribution, so we can't host it. Grab it from the official site, irfanview.com, and bring your own copy. Business/commercial use requires a paid registration.
Does IrfanView actually run in the browser?
The core viewer does. IrfanView is a small 32-bit Win32 app built on standard Windows graphics, which is exactly what ExeBrowser's Wine + WebAssembly engine handles best. Viewing, zooming, cropping, resizing, and batch format conversion work well. Plugins, video/audio playback, scanning, and printing are unreliable or unavailable in the sandbox.
Which version of IrfanView should I use?
Use a 32-bit build — the emulated engine is 32-bit only and won't load the 64-bit version. Older 4.x releases are known to behave well under Wine. If the installer gives you trouble, install IrfanView on a real Windows PC first, then copy and upload the resulting program folder.
How do I open my own photos and get converted files back?
Put the IrfanView program folder and your images in one folder on your computer, then use 'pick a folder' so everything loads into the in-browser C:\ drive together. Convert or edit inside IrfanView, then click 'Download files written by this app' to retrieve the output as a zip. Nothing uploads to a server — it all stays in your browser.
Can IrfanView play videos or use its plugins here?
Not reliably. The browser Wine has no real multimedia/DirectShow stack, so video and audio playback generally won't work, and some IrfanView PlugIns (especially media-related ones) may fail or crash. Stick to still-image viewing, editing, and conversion for a smooth experience.