diff --git a/src/__tests__/renderer/utils/fileExplorer.test.ts b/src/__tests__/renderer/utils/fileExplorer.test.ts
index 845da367..6d4346ba 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/renderer/utils/fileExplorer.test.ts
+++ b/src/__tests__/renderer/utils/fileExplorer.test.ts
@@ -94,6 +94,38 @@ describe('fileExplorer utils', () => {
       });
     });
 
+    describe('image files (previewable inline)', () => {
+      it('returns false for PNG files (previewable)', () => {
+        expect(shouldOpenExternally('image.png')).toBe(false);
+        expect(shouldOpenExternally('screenshot.PNG')).toBe(false);
+      });
+
+      it('returns false for SVG files (previewable)', () => {
+        expect(shouldOpenExternally('icon.svg')).toBe(false);
+        expect(shouldOpenExternally('logo.SVG')).toBe(false);
+      });
+
+      it('returns false for JPEG files (previewable)', () => {
+        expect(shouldOpenExternally('photo.jpg')).toBe(false);
+        expect(shouldOpenExternally('photo.jpeg')).toBe(false);
+        expect(shouldOpenExternally('photo.JPEG')).toBe(false);
+      });
+
+      it('returns false for other previewable image formats', () => {
+        expect(shouldOpenExternally('image.gif')).toBe(false);
+        expect(shouldOpenExternally('image.webp')).toBe(false);
+        expect(shouldOpenExternally('image.bmp')).toBe(false);
+        expect(shouldOpenExternally('favicon.ico')).toBe(false);
+      });
+
+      it('returns true for non-previewable image formats', () => {
+        expect(shouldOpenExternally('photo.tiff')).toBe(true);
+        expect(shouldOpenExternally('photo.tif')).toBe(true);
+        expect(shouldOpenExternally('photo.heic')).toBe(true);
+        expect(shouldOpenExternally('photo.heif')).toBe(true);
+      });
+    });
+
     describe('code and text files', () => {
       it('returns false for TypeScript files', () => {
         expect(shouldOpenExternally('app.ts')).toBe(false);
diff --git a/src/renderer/utils/fileExplorer.ts b/src/renderer/utils/fileExplorer.ts
index 850cbcc1..2b518811 100644
--- a/src/renderer/utils/fileExplorer.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/utils/fileExplorer.ts
@@ -2,18 +2,24 @@ import {
   getAllFolderPaths as getAllFolderPathsShared,
   walkTreePartitioned,
 } from '../../shared/treeUtils';
+import { isImageFile } from '../../shared/gitUtils';
 
 /**
  * Check if a file should be opened in external app based on extension
  */
 export function shouldOpenExternally(filename: string): boolean {
+  // Images that can be previewed inline should NOT open externally
+  if (isImageFile(filename)) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
   const ext = filename.split('.').pop()?.toLowerCase();
   // File types that should open in default system app
   const externalExtensions = [
     // Documents
     'pdf', 'doc', 'docx', 'xls', 'xlsx', 'ppt', 'pptx',
-    // Images (handled separately for preview, but open externally if double-clicked from file tree)
-    'png', 'jpg', 'jpeg', 'gif', 'bmp', 'svg', 'webp', 'tiff', 'tif', 'heic', 'heif',
+    // Images that can't be previewed inline (raw formats, etc.)
+    'tiff', 'tif', 'heic', 'heif',
     // macOS/iOS specific
     'icns', 'car', 'actool',
     // Design files