Aero Peek - Turn On or Off

How to Turn Aero Peek On or Off in Windows 7​

   Information

This will show you how to turn Windows 7 Aero Peek, also known as Desktop Preview, On or Off to temporarily make all open windows on the desktop transparent when you place the mouse pointer on the button at the far right end of the taskbar.

   Warning

• When turned on, Desktop Preview will only work if you have more than one window opened.
• You will need to have a Aero Theme selected and not one of the Basic and High Contrast Themes for Desktop Preview to work.

Aero Requirements to be Enabled in Windows 7

NOTE: If Aero is not enabled, then Aero Peek will not work even when turned on.

• Aero is not included in Windows 7 Home Basic or Windows 7 Starter editions.
• 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 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.
• The desktop composition and Animate controls and elements inside windows options need to be enabled in Visual Effects.

EXAMPLE: Aero Peek
NOTE: This is before (left screenshot) and after (right screenshot) hovering the mouse pointer over the Show Desktop button on the taskbar, or pressing the Windows Key + Spacebar.

OPTION ONE

Turn Aero Peek On or Off in Taskbar and Start Menu Properties

1. Right click on the Start button and click on Properties. A) Go to step 3.
OR

2. Right click on a empty area on the taskbar and click on Properties.

3. Click on the Taskbar tab. (See screenshot below)
4. To Turn Off Aero Peek A) Uncheck the Use Aero Peek to preview the desktop box. (See screenshot above)

B) Go to step 6.
5. To Turn On Aero Peek
NOTE: By default, Desktop is turned on in Windows 7. A) Check the Use Aero Peek to preview the desktop box. (See screenshot below step 3)
6. Click on OK. (See screenshot below step 3)

OPTION TWO

Turn Aero Peek On or Off with Show Desktop Button on Taskbar

1. Right click on the button at the far right of the taskbar. (See screenshot below)
2. To Turn Off Aero Peek A) Right click on the far right taskbar button and select Peek at desktop to uncheck it. (See screenshot above)
3. To Turn On Aero Peek
NOTE: By default, Preview desktop is checked in Windows 7. A) Right click on the far right taskbar button and select Peek at desktop to check it. (See screenshot below step 1)

OPTION THREE

Turn Aero Peek On or Off in Visual Effects

NOTE: This option will also enable or disable taskbar thumbnail live previews. 1. Open the Visual Effects settings.

2. To Enable Areo Peek A) Check the Enable Aero Peek box. (See screenshot below step 4)

B) Go to step 4.
3. To Disable Areo Peek
NOTE: This will gray out the settings in OPTION ONE and OPTION TWO above. A) Uncheck the Enable Aero Peek box. (See screenshot below step 4)
4. Click on OK.

OPTION FOUR

Turn Aero Peek On or Off Using a REG File Download

NOTE: This option will not work if Aero Peek was disabled using OPTION THREE above. 1. To Enable Aero Peek A) Click on the Download button below to download the file below. Enabled_Aero_Peek.reg

Download


B) Go to step 3.
2. To Disable Aero Peek A) Click on the Download button below to download the file below. Disabled_Aero_Peek.reg


Download


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.

7. When done, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Use Show Desktop in Windows 7
• How to Create a Show Desktop Shortcut in Windows 7
• How to Clear the Desktop with Aero Shake in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Change the Windows 7 Desktop Background
• How to Create a Desktop Slideshow in Windows 7
• How to Add or Remove a Default Desktop Icon in Windows 7
• How to Hide or Show Desktop Icons in Windows 7
• How to Change the Windows 7 Aero Peek Mouse Hover Delay Time to Preview Desktop
• How to Turn Aero Snap and Aero Shake On or Off in Windows 7
• How to Enable or Disable Aero Shake in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Enable Aero in Unsupported Editions of Windows 7
• How to Create a Taskbar Properties Shortcut in Windows 7
• How to Enable or Disable Taskbar Thumbnail Live Previews in Windows 7

 

[ucraiova77]

i have the same problem as Kryptonit3, and i have a aero theme selected and it still doesn't work.plz help me

 

[Brink]

Hello Ucraiova77, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Like him, do you have a Windows Aero theme running and not one of the Ease of Access themes?

Is Aero enabled on your computer. Check the Warning box at the top of the tutorial for how to check and see.

Hope this helps for now,
Shawn

 

[ucraiova77]

Hello Ucraiova77, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Like him, do you have a Windows Aero theme running and not one of the Ease of Access themes?

Is Aero enabled on your computer. Check the Warning box at the top of the tutorial for how to check and see.

Hope this helps for now,
Shawn

i think it's because i have an old video card. it is an ati radeon xpress 200m with 64mb and i didn't find a driver for vista or 7 .i uesd the one for xp since it was the only one that could work. i am so sad because i can't make this work. and i alos get a blue screen error and i heard that it apears because of the same problem with the driver.i want to make this work so bad because i love windows 7 and i don't whant to go back to the old XP

 

[Brink]

Ucraiova77,

Could be. Post continued here to keep this thread on topic.

http://www.sevenforums.com/graphic-...catalyst-driver-windows-7-a-14.html#post57841

 

[Dinesh]

Hi Shawn, looking at the step 3 image, mine looks different. Any reason?

 

[Brink]

Hi Dinesh,

If you are using one of the older builds (ex: 7000), then that is what you will see instead of what is in the tutorial. The one in the tutorial has been updated for the newer builds, but it still functions the same though.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Dinesh]

This is my download speed. It'll take ages to download any new win 7 builds hence i m sticking to build 7000.
I wish i could have tried the new build 7100.

 

[Brink]

I don't blame you. :shock:

 

[xgman]

I've also had the aero peak issue not working even though it is clearly switched on, and an aero theme is on, as the two users above. has anyone found out why this sometimes happens. I'm now on 7100 from 7077.

 

[Brink]

Hello Xgman, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Have you double checked through everything in the WARNING box at the top of the tutorial already to make sure that you meet Aero requirements?

 

[xgman]

Yes, very carefully checked everything listed. I believe it may be the result of some errant and unknown registry change in the process of tweaking win 7 somewhere along the line. Everything else works perfectly and I even did the aero troubleshooting check and that was clean. I'm going to manually check Desktop Window manager service to ensure it is on auto. I've seen a couple reports like mine, unsolved, so there must be a dependent setting changed somewhere.

Mpre cases:

http://social.technet.microsoft.com...i/thread/d235603b-1a49-44ba-8470-71977e33a469

 

[Brink]

Xgman,

Doing a Repair install should be able to fix this for you without losing your current settings.

 

[xgman]

Xgman,

Doing a Repair install should be able to fix this for you without losing your current settings.

I did one better, I did an upgrade install to 7077 and now to 7100 and the problem carried over. Whatever did this is not being changed and overwritten on an upgrade. I guess whatever it is windows sees as a user preference and doesn't correct it. Oh well . . . . . I suppose a clean install would fix it, but whatever did this may reappear unless I figure out what did it.

 

[Brink]

Not sure what may have caused it to not work for. A clean install with the latest build may solve it for you though. I would wait until tomorrow for the official Windows 7 RC version to be released to the public and install it instead.

 

[xgman]

I think I'll live with it till RTM. It's not that big of a problem, but still the cause is driving me nuts and whatever it is I may inadvertently do it again on RTM for all I know unless I carefully check behind each and every thing I install or set. Maybe someone will figure it out. Thanks for your suggestions though.

 

[Brink]

You're welcome.

About the only way to find out for sure is after doing a clean install, check Aero Peak after you install and change any settings that you normally make to see if that was what caused it.

 

[egydarceyes]

Brink, not sure if this has been discussed or not.

I'm running the RC7100 version of W7 on Microsoft Virtual PC 2007 and haven't had luck with the "peek" feature either. It's been grayed out, so as of now this feature is not compatible with VPC software. I google looking for answers on a workaround but still no luck.

Figured I'd let you know maybe you've encountered another story like mine, below is a screen shot of the results when i clicked on Windows Experience Index.

 

[Brink]

Hello Egydarceyes, and welcomt to Seven Forums.

Sorry, but you will not be able to run the WEI or Aero features in a virtual computer.

Shawn

 

[egydarceyes]

Thanks for confirming Brink.
I figured it's worth asking anyways

 

[Brink]

You're welcome. Nope, never hurts to ask.