Disable Large Icon when Drag/Drop Files to New Location

rontokyo · Feb 21, 2010

A large thumbnail appears when a file or folder is selected in the right pane of explorer and moved to another location. Aero view only -- no problem when in "classic" view. Help on how to disable this icon much appreciated.

jfar · Feb 21, 2010

Which horrible large folder or file icon are you talking about.?

rontokyo · Feb 21, 2010

In Aero view, when I click on any file or folder in the right pane of explorer and start to move it, a large thumbnail appears as I move the file/folder. Very annoying . . . and unnecessary. Disabling that function should be easy [hopefully].

This situation does not exist when in "basic/classic" view, by the way.

iClone · Feb 23, 2010

try shrinking all the icons in explorer.exe to the normal size,
maybe it would help

CarlTR6 · Feb 23, 2010

If I understand what you are asking, right click on your computer icon and click on Properties. Select the Advanced tab and click on Settings under Performance. Click on the Custom radio button. Look down the list and uncheck Show window contents while dragging.

rontokyo · Feb 24, 2010

Thanks guys, but neither suggestion solved the problem. I've given up on Aero view and returned to Classic view . . . and no large icon problem.

Jonathan_King · Feb 24, 2010

Do you think somehow you could take a picture of the problem and post it so we can see what the problem is?

gladson1976 · Feb 24, 2010

Jonathan_King said:
Do you think somehow you could take a picture of the problem and post it so we can see what the problem is?

I think this is what he is referring to

CarlTR6 · Feb 24, 2010

I don't see that when I am dragging and dropping. I assume you are in Explorer when you see this?

gladson1976 · Feb 24, 2010

CarlTR6 said:
I don't see that when I am dragging and dropping. I assume you are in Explorer when you see this?

in explorer when you drag files to move them, you get this

CarlTR6 · Feb 24, 2010

Got it. Thanks.

rontokyo · Feb 25, 2010

gladson1976 said:
Jonathan_King said:

Do you think somehow you could take a picture of the problem and post it so we can see what the problem is?

Click to expand...

I think this is what he is referring to

View attachment 56320

Yes, that is what I'm referring to. Can that large icon view be disabled?? Thanks !

MeVII · Jul 10, 2011

Greetings:

As old as this issue is, has a solution ever been discovered? I'm dealing with the same thing.

There are very few hits for this on a web search, and the few found are dead ends.

This seems to be the most official answer out there, but the same as the individual that posted there, I find it hard to believe.

Anyone else know anything else?

Thanks!

MeVII

rontokyo · Jul 11, 2011

Hi. I started this thread. And like you, I find the large icon d*mned unnecessary and annoying -- and as there isn't a solution or workaround available anywhere, we may be the only two people on the planet who feel this way. But should you find anything, *please* post an update on this thread. Good luck!

MeVII · Jul 11, 2011

Greetings RonTokyo!

I have only recently bought and installed Win7 (64bU), so have only been personalizing it for the last few days. I find it odd that such an obvious and obnoxious problem as having a giant icon near center itself over your cursor was overlooked in development, and that there is not a bigger call for a solution on the web. Searching for the answer is made extra difficult by people desiring to "disable drag and drop", or "undo drag and drop", and those clutter the search for what we are trying to disable.
At any rate Im pretty persistent, when I find something Ill post it here for you.

MeVII

MeVII · Jul 11, 2011

Update / Clue

For anyone that has more understanding or knowledge than I, I have noticed something about the behavior of this issue that may be a clue as to how a solution can be devised.

On my PC, picking up items in folders creates the large icon. However, items first picked up on the actual desktop (not the desktop folder), do not generate the large icon, even if carrying them over to other folders.

I am assuming since it is behaving differently in two different areas, there are Registry keys somewhere that could be edited, so that the icon behavior is the same for folders, as it is for items coming from the desktop.

Thats all I have for now ...

MeVII

rontokyo · Jul 12, 2011

And hi to you, MeVII !

My research into this problem also turned up complaints from Vista users, probably because Vista also incorporated the Aero view [??]. The large icon problem doesn't exist in Classic view, nor does it occur [as you noted] when dragging a file/folder from the desktop to Windows Explorer. [And yes, querries entitled "disable drag and drop" do clutter the search results and make finding a solution more difficult.]

Whereas the large icon is annoying, I can live with it when I'm dragging an item to a destination with a longish title as the large icon doesn't cover up the destination folder and I can see where I'm going. It's a real bitch, however, when dragging to a destination folder with a short title as it becomes all but impossible to see where I'm going.

This is an example of MS design staff overthinking and creating something totally unnessary, but doing so only because it could be done + it looks "cool."

I sure wish you luck coming up with a solution, but I'm not terribly hopeful. But we'll see . . . .

lypscratch · Jun 11, 2015

Just got on a new version of Windows 7 with the new GUI. Gak. I've spent the last day trying to find the settings to turn off all these "helpful" new UI options. I don't even know why the UI is so different. The two versions appear to be the same. Grrrr!

I hate the giant Move icon so much. Stunning that of all the personalization, this isn't one. I'd almost call it an Accessibility issue.

Just chiming in so you know you're not alone.

bowtiebill · Jun 22, 2016

Just installed Win 7 on a new machine, with most recent updates. Also having this issue, it seems ridiculous - the large drag thumbnail makes it harder to see where you're dragging something to. (screenshot: http://i.imgur.com/hUqVZIg.gif)

Any news on how to make it a small thumbnail, or something else less obtrusive?

rontokyo · Jun 27, 2016

I'm the op and no, I never came up with anything. Weird, huh?

Disable Large Icon when Drag/Drop Files to New Location

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