a method , system and computer program product for modifying a standard windows image viewer , including loading an image editing module into an address space of the standard image viewer that does not support plug - ins with added toolbars ; integrating the image editing module into the standard image viewer ; and displaying a toolbar of the image editing module to a user . the toolbar can include any of the following functions : red eye remover , color correction , caricature effects , lighting effects , retouching , re - sizing , cropping , removal of artifacts . an instance of the image editing module can be loaded for each instance of the standard image viewer . the image editing module maintains modality with the standard image viewer . a file name and file extension corresponding to an image being viewed can be displayed based on a file properties dialog window , or based on a current folder of the image being viewed . the standard windows image editor can be forced to display the most current edited version of the image . the image editing module can maintain a scale factor of an edited image to correspond to a scale factor of an original image . the integrating step utilizes windows hook mechanism .