Switch Between Windows - Flip 3D Shortcut

How to Create a Flip 3D Switch Between Windows Shortcut in Windows 7​

   Information

This will show you how to create a Switch Between Windows, also known as Flip 3D, shortcut in Windows 7.

   Note

Keyboard Shortcut Keys for Flip 3D

NOTE: Press the key combinations below in blue to activate.

• Windows Key + Tab = Press and hold Windows Key, then press Tab (or roll mouse scroll wheel) to scroll through the open windows. Choose the open window you want by releasing the Windows Key when the window is at the front.
• Ctrl + Windows Key + Tab = Scroll through the open windows by pressing the Tab key, arrow keys, or roll the mouse scroll wheel. Click on the window you want to see, or press Enter when it is up front.

If you would like to assign your own keyboard shortcut to the shortcut in this tutorial, then for how, see: How to Create a Keyboard Shortcut for a Program in Vista and Windows 7

   Tip

To pin this shortcut to the taskbar, you will need to have Recent Programs turned on.

   Warning

Aero Requirements to be Enabled in Windows 7:

NOTE: If Aero is not enabled, then Switch Between Windows - Flip 3D - will not work.

• 1 GHz 32-bit or 64-bit processor
• 1 GB of system memory
• A graphics card with support for DirectX 9 graphics with at least 128 MB of memory.
• The graphics card must support Pixel Shader 2.0 and the Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM).
• 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 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.
• Using a Aero theme.

This shortcut will not work in Windows 7 Starter and Windows 7 Home Basic editions since they do not include the Aero feature.

EXAMPLE: Switch Between Windows - Flip-3D

OPTION ONE

To Download a Flip 3D Shortcut

1. Click on the Download button below to download the file below.
Switch_Between_Windows.zip

Download


2. Click on Save, and save the .zip file to the desktop.

3. Open the .zip file and extract the Switch Between Windows shortcut to the desktop.

4. Right click on the Switch Between Windows shortcut, and click on Properties, General tab, and on the Unblock button. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: If you do not have a Unblock button under the General tab, then the shortcut is already unblocked and you can continue on to step 5.

5. You can now Pin to Taskbar or Pin to Start Menu this shortcut, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move it where you like for easy use.

6. When done, you can delete the downloaded .zip file on the desktop if you like.

OPTION TWO

To Manually Create a Flip 3D Shortcut

1. Right click on a empty area on desktop, and click on New and Shortcut. (See screenshot below)

2. Copy and paste the path below into the location area, and click on the Next button. (See screenshot below)
%windir%\system32\rundll32.exe DwmApi #105

3. Type Switch Between Windows for the name, and click on the Finish button. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: You can name this anything you would like though. For example, Flip 3D.

4. Right click on the new Switch Between Windows shortcut on the Desktop and click on Properties. (See screenshot below)

5. Click on the Change Icon button. (See screenshot below)

6. In the line under "Look for icons in this file", copy and paste the path below and press Enter. (See screenshot below)
%SystemRoot%\System32\imageres.dll

7. Select the Flip-3D icon in blue below and click on OK. (See screenshot above)

8. Click on OK. (See screenshot below)

9. You can now Pin to Taskbar or Pin to Start Menu this shortcut, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move it where you like for easy use.

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• Download Flip 2D Shortcut to Open CTRL+ALT+TAB in Windows
• How to Change the Number of Windows Displayed in Flip 3D
• How to Use Classic Icons or Thumbnail Previews with ALT+TAB Keyboard Shortcut
• How to Add Flip 3D to the Context Menu in Vista and Windows 7
• How to Enable or Disable Flip 3D in Vista and Windows 7

 

[Evermore]

You're welcome Won, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Shawn

Dear Brink,

Thanks for your handy tutorial.

But how to create a ALT+TAB shortcut in Windows 7?

 

[Brink]

Hello Evermore and Ede, and welcome to Seven Forums.

The only way that I know of is to use the same shortcut, but without the Windows Aero color theme selected.

Sorry,
Shawn

 

[fongwen]

Thanks for the tip , now I wonder is it possible to replace the Show desktop / Aero peek at the bottom right corner with the Flip-3D?

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Fonfwen, and welcome to Seven Forums. Sorry, but the Aero Peek button cannot be replaced by Flip-3D or anything else.

 

[Element7]

Thanks. I was looking everywhere for how to do this!
Marc

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Marc.

 

[siramic]

Brink, I wish I could remember what else you had helped me, us, with that was a gem like this, (let alone all the other helps) but for now, thank you for another excellent step by step tutorial in getting us back our 3D Flip option in Windows 7.

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Siramic.

 

[strollin]

Thanks for this! I've been wanting to try Flip 3-D but the keyboard I use (IBM Model M circa 1986 (best keyboard , ever!)) doesn't have a Windows key! I tried Ctrl-Esc-Tab but that didn't work to invoke Flip 3-D. I have been looking for an alternate method to invoke Flip 3-D and you provided it. Thanks!

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Strollin.

 

[chazcon]

Great tip and very handy - but I wonder if I could map this to my Razer mouse key?

 

[Brink]

Hello Chazcon,

You might look through it's options to see if it my already have one for something similar to Flip-3D that you can select to use for one of the mouse button (ex: middle click button or mouse wheel). If your mouse supports assigning to run a program when a button is clicked, then you could have it run this shortcut.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Ozirus]

Awesome! Very few people know about the "3D-Flip" feature. Especially those who went from Windows XP to 7.

I used 3D-Flip all the time on VISTA, and was dissapointed, believing that it wasn't in Windows 7. I found a similar tutorial on another website.

I just use the "WinKey + TAB" and "Ctrl + WinKey + TAB" shortcuts, since it doesn't display in my recently used programs list.

 

[gamepoint]

wicked!!!
i never know this features exist..thanx brink

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Ozirus and Gamepoint.

 

[Flopo79]

thanks
great tutorial

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Flopo.

 

[G4b1t]

Ty very much for the info. I'm new to 7 and i was wondering if that function had a shortcut ( cause its cool anyway ), or if i could bind it on mouse wheel click. But the k/b shortcut its better cause i use wheel click for new tabs.

Peace.

 

[jarp53]

i have a microsoft keyboard and try the flip key and it work but only one time, but flip works with all the other conbination keys, so you think my new board went bad all ready, this is my only problem with it so far

 

[Brink]

Ty very much for the info. I'm new to 7 and i was wondering if that function had a shortcut ( cause its cool anyway ), or if i could bind it on mouse wheel click. But the k/b shortcut its better cause i use wheel click for new tabs.

Peace.

Hello G4b1t, and welcome to Seven Forums.

This can help show you how to assign your own keyboard shortcut to this shortcut.

Keyboard Shortcut - Vista Forums

Hope this helps,
Shawn

i have a microsoft keyboard and try the flip key and it work but only one time, but flip works with all the other conbination keys, so you think my new board went bad all ready, this is my only problem with it so far

Hello Jarp,

It may just be a setting in your Keyboard settings in the Control Panel that needs to be set properly. Did you install the latest version of your keyboard driver software? If you have done both of these, then restarting the computer may allow it to work properly again as well.

Hope this helps,
Shawn