Pop-up Descriptions - Enable or Disable

How to Enable or Disable Pop-up Descriptions in Windows 7 and Windows 8​

   Information

This will show you how to enable or disable pop-up descriptions that display file information when you hover the mouse pointer over files, folders, or drives, on the desktop and in Windows Explorer in Windows 7 and Windows 8.

   Note

This does not affect pop-up descriptions for items on the taskbar like the Start Menu button and notification area icons, or the pop up when you are scrolling using the vertical scroll bar in Windows Explorer.

EXAMPLE: Pop-up Descriptions

OPTION ONE

To Enable or Disable Pop-up Descriptions in Folder Options

1. Open Folder Options in Windows 7 or Windows 8.

2. Click/tap on the View tab. (See screenshot below)

3. To Disable Pop-up Descriptions
A) Unheck Show pop-up description for folder and desktop items, then click/tap on OK. (See screenshot above)
4. To Enable Pop-up Descriptions
NOTE: This is the default setting.
A) Check the Show pop-up description for folder and desktop items, then click/tap on OK. (See screenshot below step 2)

OPTION TWO

To Enable or Disable Pop-up Descriptions using a REG File

1. To Disable Pop-up Descriptions
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 3 below.
Disable_Pop-Up_Descriptions.reg


Download




2. To Enable Pop-up Descriptions
NOTE: This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 3 below.
Enable_Pop-Up_Descriptions.reg


Download



3. Save the .reg file to your desktop.

4. Double click/tap on the .reg file to merge it.

5. If prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

6. When done, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.

OPTION THREE

To Enable or Disable Pop-up Descriptions in Registry Editor

1. Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog, type regedit, and press Enter.

2. If prompted by UAC, then click/tap on Yes.

3. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

4. In the right pane, double click/tap on ShowInfoTip to modify it. (See screenshot above)

5. To Enable Pop-up Descriptions
NOTE: This is the default setting.
A) Type 1, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (See screenshot below)

6. To Disable Pop-up Descriptions
A) Type 0 (number zero), click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (See screenshot above)
7. Close regedit.

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Change Start Menu Descriptive Text Pop-up Information in Vista and Windows 7
• How to Enable or Disable Explorer Thumbnail Previews in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Enable or Disable Windows 7 Balloon Notifications
• How to Speed up the Menu Show Delay Time in Windows 7
• How to Change the Mouse Hover Time before Pop-up Displays in Windows 7
• How to Enable or Disable Pop-up Help Tips in Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1

 

[tom lumsden]

Disable pop-ups when mouse hovers over hyperlinks/icons

Have changed the registry, changed the file view options, all to no avail. Why does windows 7 not recognize the changes made and work properly?

 

[Brink]

Hello Tom,

Could you post a screenshot of this so that we can see exactly what you are seeing and at what location this is at?

 

[NoN]

Hi Brink, again need your skill!

I do want to get rid of the pop ups only in the taskbar and the start menu. When i disable by uncheck "show pop-up description for folder and desktop items in the "folder option", it naturally disable it inside the explorer menu, but i do need pop-up inside explorer to browse the weight/dates of the files.

Is there a trick in to set this correctly? Kind of dword "ShowInfoTipInExplorer" only?

I might try that if it works...

Thanks, Ar.

edit:
Well, disable it doesn't turn off onto the taskbar...but inside explorer even when checked "display info pop up size inside folder"

and adding in the registry doesn't seems working aswell!

 

[Brink]

Hello NoN,

This does not affect pop-up descriptions for items on the taskbar like the Start Menu button and notification area icons, or the pop up when you are scrolling using the vertical scroll bar in Windows Explorer.

Sorry, but this tutorial will not work for that.

I have not found a way to do this yet.

 

[NoN]

Hello NoN,

This does not affect pop-up descriptions for items on the taskbar like the Start Menu button and notification area icons, or the pop up when you are scrolling using the vertical scroll bar in Windows Explorer.

Sorry, but this tutorial will not work for that.

I have not found a way to do this yet.

I saw that...

The two exemple pictures under the "note box" that's what it wanted to have....in explorer.

For the taskar bar, well it not so annoying as on my screen the pop up are not so big...

It was only in the start menu on the right side, where pop up windows are oversized....

Thanks.

 

[Andy123]

Hi Shawn,

I used Option 1 but its only partly working. It works alright for files showing 3 to 4 lines of info,
when I hover the mouse over a file. But with Folders it only shows Date Created:

Please let me know what can I do to get the info as shown in your pic..

I also need Folder is empty.. tip on empty folders. It shows Date Created
even on empty folders.

Thanks.

 

[Brink]

Hello Andy,

Using step 4 in OPTION ONE should allow you to have the folder details pop-up when you hover the pointer over a folder like that. It may vary from folder to folder for what you will see in it's details pop-up. Does this happen on some folders, or all folders? Even the same on in the screenshot?

 

[Andy123]

Hi Brink

Thanks for replying. This is happening to all the folder irrespective of its content.

 

[Brink]

Could you post a screenshot of this on your computer to see if anything may stand out as a reason why?

In the mean time, you might see if running a sfc /scannow command may help.

 

[Andy123]

Sure.

Program files...

A Music folder...

An Empty Folder...

File tips, on the other hand, work as they should...

 

[Brink]

Andy,

I must admit, that I'm not sure why it's doing this. Has it always done this, and not show the full details? If not, then you could do a system restore using a restore point (if available) dated before it stopped showing the full details.

 

[Andy123]

Brink, I have only recently installed Windows 7. While tweaking it (by following the numerous tutorials on this & other websites) I had turned off pop-up tips in folder options. When I realized that after few days of working on the comp, I tried turning them back on but this was the result. Thereafter I came here seeking a solution. I have no idea how it behaved after fresh installation.
(I have turned off System Restore)

 

[Brink]

Did you already run the sfc/ scannow command to see if it may help?

 

[Andy123]

Hi Brink. No, I haven't run that command. Does it fix system files? I have tweaked several (following those tuts I mentioned & more). I wouldn't want the system behaving weirdly because Windows fixed stuff that was deliberately changed.

 

[Brink]

If the tweaks modified any actual system files themselves, then a SFC scan would affect them. If it's just a registry or setting change, then SFC will not affect it.

 

[Andy123]

Hi Brink. In that case, I will ask a friend to check on it so as to not screw up the system inadvertently. Will let you know. Thanks for the help, buddy

 

[Brink]

Wish I could help more. Please let us know how it went.