How to Change Taskbar Thumbnail Live Preview Delay Time in Windows 7 and Windows 8

   Information
This tutorial will show you how to change the delay time for how long it takes to open an Aero Peek live preview of an open window when you hover the mouse pointer on it's taskbar thumbnail preview in Windows 7 and Windows 8.

   Note
Taskbar thumbnail previews will only work if you are using a Aero Theme. This feature is not available in the Windows 7 Starter edition.


EXAMPLE: Taskbar Thumbnail Live Preview
NOTE: The thumbnail live preview (Aero Peek) in this example is the main window seen in the background when hovering on the taskbar thumbnail preview of a taskbar button.
Taskbar Thumbnail Live Preview - Change Delay Time-taskbar_live_thumbnai_preview.jpg

Taskbar Thumbnail Live Preview - Change Delay Time-taskbar_live_thumbnai_preview2.jpg



OPTION ONE

Change Taskbar Thumbnail Live Preview Delay Time using a REG File

1. To Restore the Default Taskbar Thumbnail Live Preview Delay Time
A) Click/tap on the download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Default_Taskbar_Live_Preview_Delay_Time.reg
2. To Have a 1 Second Taskbar Thumbnail Live Preview Delay Time
A) Click/tap on the download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
1_Sec_Taskbar_Live_Preview_Delay_Time.reg
3. To Have a 1000 Second Taskbar Thumbnail Live Preview Delay Time
NOTE: This will basically be the same as disabling all taskbar thumbnail live previews.
A) Click/tap on the download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
1000_Sec_Taskbar_Live_Preview_Delay_Time.reg
4. Save the .reg file to your desktop.

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

6. Click
/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK when prompted.

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

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




OPTION TWO

Change Taskbar Thumbnail Live Preview Delay Time in Registry Editor

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

2. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below step 4A)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

Taskbar Thumbnail Live Preview - Change Delay Time-step1.jpg
3. Do step 4 or 5 below for what you would like to do.

4. To Change the Default Taskbar Thumbnail Live Preview Delay Time
A) In the right pane of Advanced, right click on a empty space, and click on New and DWORD (32-bit) Value. Type ThumbnailLivePreviewHoverTime and press enter. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: If you already have the ThumbnailLivePreviewHoverTime DWORD, then skip this step.
Taskbar Thumbnail Live Preview - Change Delay Time-reg1.jpg
B) In the right pane of Advanced, double click/tap on ThumbnailLivePreviewHoverTime to modify it. (See screenshot below)
Taskbar Thumbnail Live Preview - Change Delay Time-reg2.jpg
C) Select (dot) Decimal, type in how many milliseconds (1000 milliseconds = 1 second) you want the delay time to be, and click/tap on OK. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: 1000 milliseconds may be a good delay time, but adjust the delay time to meet your needs though.
Taskbar Thumbnail Live Preview - Change Delay Time-modify.jpg
D) You will now see the time changed now in the registry, and go to step 6 below. (See screenshot below)
Taskbar Thumbnail Live Preview - Change Delay Time-reg3.jpg
5. To Restore the Default Taskbar Thumbnail Live Preview Delay Time
A) In the right pane, right click on ThumbnailLivePreviewHoverTime,and click/tap on Delete. (See screenshot below step 4D)

B) Click/tap on Yes to confirm, and go to step 6 below. (See screenshot below)
Taskbar Thumbnail Live Preview - Change Delay Time-delete.jpg
6. Close regedit.

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