How to Use Classic Icons or Thumbnail Previews with ALT+TAB Keyboard Shortcut
Information
Normally, you could press and hold right Alt key, press left Alt+Tab keys, tap Tab key to select a window, and release right Alt key to switch to the window in Classic Windows Switcher.
This will show you how to ether have classic icons or the default thumbnails previews of opened windows and programs always displayed when you use the ALT+TAB keyboard shortcut in Windows 7 or Vista.
Note
When your press ALT+TAB, press the TAB key to cycle through the open windows and programs. The selected item (icon or thumbail preview) is what will be displayed on the desktop when you release the keys.
EXAMPLE: ALT+TAB with Classic Icons or Thumbnail Previews
Option One
Using a REG File Download
1. To Have ALT+TAB with Classic Icons
A) Click on the Download button below to download the file below.
B) Go to step 3.
2. To Have ALT+TAB with Thumbnail Previews
NOTE: This is the default setting.
A) Click on the Download button below to download the file below.
Alt+Tab_Thumbnail_Previews.reg
3. Click on
Save, and save the
.reg file to the
desktop.
4. Right click 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 to apply the changes.
7.When done, you can delete the downloaded
.reg files on the desktop if you like.
Option Two
Manually in Registry Editor
1. Open the Start Menu, then type
regedit in the search boxand press
Enter.
2. If prompted by
UAC, click on
Yes.
3. In regedit, go to the location below. (see screenshot below)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
4. To Have ALT+TAB with Classic Icons
A) In the right pane of
Explorer, right click on a empty space and click on
New and
DWORD (32-bit) Value. (see screenshot below)
B) Type in
AltTabSettings and press enter. Right click on
AltTabSettings and click on
Modify. (see screenshot below)
C) Type in
1 and click on
OK. (see screenshot below)
D) Go to step 6.
5. To Have ALT+TAB with Thumbnail Previews
NOTE: This is the default setting.
A) In the right pane of
Explorer, right click on
AltTabSettings and click on
Delete. (see screenshot below)
B) Click on
Yes to confirm deletion. (see screenshot below)
6. Close regedit.
7. Log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply the changes.
That's it,
Shawn