Taskbar List or Thumbnail Previews Mode - Change

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    Taskbar List or Thumbnail Previews Mode - Change

    Taskbar List or Thumbnail Previews Mode - Change

    How to Change Taskbar Thumbnail and List Mode Threshold in Windows 7 and Windows 8
    Published by
    Designer Media Ltd


    How to Change Taskbar Thumbnail and List Mode Threshold in Windows 7 and Windows 8


       Information
    By default, the taskbar will show thumbnail previews of open windows and programs when you hover the mouse pointer over it's taskbar icon while using a Aero theme.

    When you are using a Basic or High Contrast theme, the taskbar will only show a list of tabs (list mode) for the open windows and programs (ex: Internet Explorer) when you hover the mouse pointer over it's taskbar icon, and never any thumbnail previews.

    While still using a Aero theme, this will show you how to change the number of thumbnail previews that will display for a icon on the taskbar before it switches to list mode instead in Windows 7.
       Note
    If the taskbar thumbnail previews of multiple windows/tabs opened for a icon go past your screen's edge, then they will automatically be displayed in list mode instead of thumbnail preview mode.

    For example, if your screen resolution is 1200x800, and say you have more than 15 tabs open in IE, then it will display in list mode when you hover over IE's icon on the taskbar.

    Limits before list mode examples:
    1920x1080 = 15 tabs or windows open for a icon
    1200x800 = 10 tabs or windows open for a icon

    EXAMPLE: Taskbar Thumbnail Previews Mode
    Taskbar List or Thumbnail Previews Mode - Change-default.jpg
    EXAMPLE: Taskbar List Mode
    Taskbar List or Thumbnail Previews Mode - Change-list-mode.jpg



    OPTION ONE

    Change Taskbar Thumbnail and List Mode Threshold using REG File


    1. To Always Have Taskbar List Mode
    NOTE: This sets the NumThumbnails value to 0 in OPTION TWO below.
    A) Click on the download button below to download the file below.
    Taskbar_Always_List_Mode.reg
    B) Go to step 3.
    2. To Have Taskbar Thumbnail Previews Mode
    NOTE: This deletes the NumThumbnails value in OPTION TWO below. This is the default setting.
    A) Click on the download button below to download the file below.
    Taskbar_Thumbnail_Previews_Mode.reg
    3. Save the .reg file to your desktop.

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

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


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

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






    OPTION TWO

    Change Taskbar Thumbnail and List Mode Threshold in Registry Editor


    1. Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog, type regedit, and click/tap on OK.

    2. In regedit, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below step 3A)
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Taskband
    3. To Change Thumbnail Previews Threshold Before Switching to List Mode
    A) In the right pane, right click on a empty space and click on New and DWORD (32-bit) Value. (see screenshot below)
    Taskbar List or Thumbnail Previews Mode - Change-step1.jpg
    B) Type NumThumbnails and press enter. (see screenshot below)
    Taskbar List or Thumbnail Previews Mode - Change-step2.jpg
    C) In the right pane, double click on NumThumbnails. (see screenshot above)
    D) Type in how many thumbail previews you want to have display so that it will switch to list mode after this number, then click on OK. (see screenshot below)
    NOTE: Typing in 0 will result in always being in list mode.
    Taskbar List or Thumbnail Previews Mode - Change-step3.jpg
    E) Go to step 5.
    4. To Restore Taskbar Thumbnail Previews Mode
    NOTE: This is the default setting.
    A) In the right pane, right click on NumThumbnails and click on Delete. (see screenshot below step 3B)

    B) Click on Yes to confirm. (see screenshot below)
    Taskbar List or Thumbnail Previews Mode - Change-delete.jpg
    5. Close regedit.

    6. Log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply the changes.
    That's it,
    Shawn









  1. Posts : 300
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit 7601 Multiprocessor Free Service Pack 1
       #1

    You are very talented, Brink! How did you learn to do all this stuff? Is there any video training available so that I can learn some "programming", particularly VB Scripting for Outlook? [I need video training, becaue I have a cognitive deficit which makes it hard for me to read and learn things.]

    Thank you so much for doing this! You're awesome!

    ~Antonio
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 17,322
    Win 10 Pro x64
       #2

    Another amazing tutorial Shawn, Thanks.:)
    Derek
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 71,977
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Thank you guys, and you're both most welcome.

    From what you had posted here Antonio, I had just picked it up from there to make it easier for everyone to do. There's all sorts of training available out on the net for programming and scripting, but I'm afraid that I'm not much of a programmer and do not have anything that I could recommend.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 300
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit 7601 Multiprocessor Free Service Pack 1
       #4

    Brink,

    Thanks for the reply. As I said, I appreciate the great formatting job you did with the instructions. Did you use HTML, or another language or something else? THAT is what I would like to learn. As well, I would like to learn a common programming language, but I do not know where to start. Is Visual Basic a good place to begin learning application programming?

    Best,

    ~Antonio
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 71,977
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #5

    I had just used the built in BB codes for vBulletin that's based on HTML.

    Vista Forums - BB Code List
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 18
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
       #6

    Thank you very much for this one too Brink :)

    By the way. I miss a "Thanks" button for posts in the forum.

    Laurus
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 71,977
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #7

    You're most welcome Laurus. :)
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 1
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
       #8

    It doesn't work for me
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 71,977
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #9

    Hello Kathleen, and welcome to Seven Forums.

    Could you give more details and screenshots of what you are trying to do and what's not working with it?
      My Computer


 
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