Windows 7 - Taskbar Thumbnail Previews - Enable or Disable

**Brink**

How to Enable or Disable the Windows 7 Taskbar Thumbnail Previews

Information

The usual method used in Vista to disable the taskbar thumbnail previews does not work in Windows 7. This will show you how to disable the thumbnail previews of pinned or open items on the Windows 7 taskbar.

Warning

You will need to have a Aero Theme selected and not one of the Basic and High Contrast Themes for taskbar thumbnail previews to display.

Aero Requirements to be Enabled in Windows 7

NOTE: If Aero is not enabled, then taskbar thumbnail previews will not display even when enabled.

1 GHz 32-bit or 64-bit processor
1 GB of system memory
Support for DirectX 9 graphics with 128 MB memory (in order to enable Aero theme)
You must be have True Color (32 bit) set instead of High Color (16 bit).
The desktop composition and Animate controls and elements inside windows options need to be enabled in Visual Effects.
The Desktop Window Manager Session Manager and Themes Services need to be set as Started and Automatic.
Refresh or update your WEI score. You will need an WEI score minimum of 2.0 in both Graphics & Gaming graphics in order for Aero to be activated.

EXAMPLE: Taskbar Thumbnail Preview

OPTION ONE

Through a Program

NOTE: This will allow you to enable or disable the taskbar thumbnail previews and list mode using a free program called 7 Taskbar Tweaker. It is a standalone EXE file, so there is nothing to install. You just run the exe file. The download for it is in a RAR file, so you will also need a program like 7-Zip to open the RAR file and extract the EXE file since Windows 7 does not support opening RAR files by default.

1. Download the 7 Taskbar Tweaker RAR file for your 32-bit or 64-bit Windows 7.

2. Extract and run the 7 Taskbar Tweaker exe file.

3. To Disable Taskbar Thumbnail Previews
A) Under Miscellaneous (at bottom), check the Disable thumbnail preview on mouse hover box. (see screenshot below)

4. To Enable Taskbar Thumbnail Previews again

A) Under Miscellaneous (at bottom), uncheck the Disable thumbnail preview on mouse hover box. (see screenshot above)

5. Close 7 Taskbar Tweaker.

OPTION TWO

Change Taskbar Thumbnail and List Mode Threshold

NOTE: Changing the threshold (NumThumbnails value) to 0 will disable taskbar thumbnails, and allow you to still use a Aero theme with a list (list mode) of open windows.

1. For how, see: Change the Windows 7 Taskbar Thumbnail and List Mode Threshold

OPTION THREE

Change Theme

Note

PRO: Taskbar thumbnail previews disabled, and you have a list of opened windows for the taskbar item instead.

CON: No Aero theme.

1. To Enable Taskbar Thumbnail Previews in Windows 7
NOTE: If you still want to use a Aero theme and have taskbar thumbnails previews disabled, then see OPTION TWO or OPTION FOUR instead.
A) Select a Aero Theme in Personalization. (see screenshot below)

2. To Disable Taskbar Thumbnail Previews in Windows 7
A) Select one of the Basic and High Contrast Themes in Personalization. (see screenshot below)

OPTION FOUR

Change Thumbnail Display Delay Time

Note

This is more of a workaround instead by setting the taskbar thumbnail preview display time to a long delay time that would effectively be the same as disabling them.

PRO: Taskbar thumbnail previews disabled, and you can have a Aero theme.

CON: You will not even have a list of opened windows for the taskbar items.

1. To Enable Taskbar Thumbnail Previews in Windows 7
A) Click on the download button below to download the file below.
Default_Taskbar_Thumbnail_Delay_Time.reg

B) Go to step 3.

2. To Disable Taskbar Thumbnail Previews in Windows 7
NOTE: This sets the delay time to 100000 ms (1000 milliseconds = 1 second) to effectively disable them.
A) Click on the download button below to download the file below.
100000ms_Taskbar_Thumbnail_Delay_Time.reg

3. Click on Save, and save the .reg file to the desktop.

4.Right click on the downloaded .reg file and click on Merge.

5. Click on Run, Yes, Yes, and OK when prompted.

6. Log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply the changes.

7. When done, you can delete the downloaded .reg and .zip files if you like.

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

**Venths** · 01-03-2010

Thank you. A great Option, many of us and myself have been waiting

**Brink** · 01-03-2010

You're welcome Venths.

**derekimo** · 01-04-2010

Thank you Shawn, This has been needed quite a bit lately.

**Brink** · 01-04-2010

You're welcome Derek.

**ickymay** · 01-18-2010

This can also be done in GPedit :

Click on Start button and type GPEdit.msc in Search text box, then hit Enter.
Navigate to User Config -> Administrative Templates -> Start Menu and Taskbar in left pane of Local Group Policy Editor.
Scroll down to and double click on Turn off taskbar thumbnails in right pane of Local Group Policy editor.
pick enabled button and click OK to make the change effective.
Logoff and logon again or restart computer if needed.
To re-enable Taskbar preview feature in Windows 7, just set the value to Disabled or Not Configured.

**Brink** · 01-18-2010

Quote: Originally Posted by ickymay

This can also be done in GPedit :

Click on Start button and type GPEdit.msc in Search text box, then hit Enter.
Navigate to User Config -> Administrative Templates -> Start Menu and Taskbar in left pane of Local Group Policy Editor.
Scroll down to and double click on Turn off taskbar thumbnails in right pane of Local Group Policy editor.
pick enabled button and click OK to make the change effective.
Logoff and logon again or restart computer if needed.
To re-enable Taskbar preview feature in Windows 7, just set the value to Disabled or Not Configured.

Hello Ickymay,

Sorry, but this option in gpedit.msc no longer works in Windows 7 even though it is still there.

**ickymay** · 01-18-2010

Quote: Originally Posted by Brink

Quote: Originally Posted by ickymay

This can also be done in GPedit :

Click on Start button and type GPEdit.msc in Search text box, then hit Enter.
Navigate to User Config -> Administrative Templates -> Start Menu and Taskbar in left pane of Local Group Policy Editor.
Scroll down to and double click on Turn off taskbar thumbnails in right pane of Local Group Policy editor.
pick enabled button and click OK to make the change effective.
Logoff and logon again or restart computer if needed.
To re-enable Taskbar preview feature in Windows 7, just set the value to Disabled or Not Configured.

Hello Ickymay,

Sorry, but this option in gpedit.msc no longer works in Windows 7 even though it is still there.

oops yes kinda obvious really when it says "supported in Vista only" in the configuration window ! DOH

Oh well there goes my moment of glory

**Brink** · 01-18-2010

LOL, no problem.

**desolator4u** · 01-20-2010

Didn't seem to work for me. By default, when i hover my cursor over the items in my taskbar, I see the full name of that window with an X beside it to close it. I do not get the thumbnail preview. I downloaded and merged the reg file, restarted, nothing changed. I also checked in the registry location, and the ExtendedUIHoverTime key was not added. Could this be because my onboard gfx doesn't support Aero?

~Des

Windows 7 - Taskbar Thumbnail Previews - Enable or Disable

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