# Issue with OpenFOAM Data Visualization in ParaView for Windows

**URL:** https://discourse.paraview.org/t/issue-with-openfoam-data-visualization-in-paraview-for-windows/16433
**Category:** ParaView Support
**Created:** [April 4, 2025, 4:48pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/issue-with-openfoam-data-visualization-in-paraview-for-windows/16433 "2025-04-04T16:48:11Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Luigui\_Augusto](https://discourse.paraview.org/user_avatar/discourse.paraview.org/luigui_augusto/32/16281_2.png) [@Luigui\_Augusto](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/Luigui_Augusto)
#### Post date: [April 4, 2025, 4:48pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/issue-with-openfoam-data-visualization-in-paraview-for-windows/16433/1 "2025-04-04T16:48:11Z")

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I am using OpenFOAM 12 along with ParaView 5.13.2 on Windows 11. I am experiencing difficulties visualizing specific OpenFOAM fields (such as `alpha.water` ) in ParaView for Windows, even though these fields display correctly when using `paraFoam` in WSL2 (Linux).

I suspect this might be related to missing specific plugins for OpenFOAM data visualization in the Windows version of ParaView, but I’m not entirely certain. Has anyone else experienced similar difficulties?

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### Author: ![mwestphal](https://discourse.paraview.org/user_avatar/discourse.paraview.org/mwestphal/32/17_2.png) [@mwestphal](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/mwestphal)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2025, 7:43am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/issue-with-openfoam-data-visualization-in-paraview-for-windows/16433/2 "2025-04-07T07:43:36Z")

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Please share your data.

> ough these fields display correctly when using paraFoam in WSL2 (Linux).

paraFOAM use a slightly different openFOAM reader than ParaView, that may explain it.

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### Author: ![Luigui\_Augusto](https://discourse.paraview.org/user_avatar/discourse.paraview.org/luigui_augusto/32/16281_2.png) [@Luigui\_Augusto](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/Luigui_Augusto)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2025, 2:31pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/issue-with-openfoam-data-visualization-in-paraview-for-windows/16433/3 "2025-04-07T14:31:19Z")

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Thank you for your response! I noticed that in **ParaView** , to visualize certain physical quantities, you first need to run the simulation so that the data is recorded and can be displayed. On the other hand, in **paraFoam** , it’s possible to visualize these quantities in the **initial conditions** , without having to fully run the simulation.

For my purposes, this isn’t an issue, and I can keep working this way without further complications.

Once again, thank you for your help!