23

Possible Duplicate:
Disable or delay alt-tab Aero Peek effect in Windows 7

I'm running Win7 on a laptop without aero and I much prefer the traditional Alt+Tab switcher where you just see the program icons and the Window title. The thumbnails in Vista / 7 are quite useless and look horrible - can I turn them off?

Community
  • 1
user9529
  • 331

9 Answers9

17

ALT + (tap the other ALT key) + TAB gives you the 'classic' preview, at least when using Aero.

To make it the default, check out barbudo's comment here.

golimar
  • 1,904
Seb
  • 281
10

Trick found on http://www.mattbrindley.com/developing/windows/windows-vista-win-tab-alt-tab:

Create a DWORD called "AltTabSettings" in \HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer and set it to 1. This will get you back your beloved classic (and super zippy) Windows XP AltTab.

9

Try this:

  1. Go to Control Panel > Performance Information and Tools;

  2. Click on Adjust visual effects;

  3. Uncheck Enable Desktop Composition.

It will affect other subtleties in Windows appearance, but I don't know another way to disable these thumbnails.

jpbochi
  • 201
4

VistaSwitcher is normally meant to improve the ALT-Tab hotkey, adding more features.

However, if you disable most of the "bells'n'whistles", you get a list of open windows and their icons, and nothing else!

alt text

Although it's called VistaSwitcher, it runs perfectly on Windows 7 and it's free!

Gareth
  • 19,080
Snark
  • 33,097
2

Maybe you're looking for Switcher ?

Switcher puts you in control of your windows. See all your windows on one screen, quickly search through them, even decorate them with your favorite colors and fonts.

It can also do multi-monitor.
You can view your windows in 3 views:

  • Dock view places all windows except the active one to the side
  • Grid view arranges the windows into a grid
  • Tile view shrinks the windows until you can see all of them

Here is an example:

image1

Gareth
  • 19,080
harrymc
  • 498,455
1

What I know is that Ctrl+Tab is only working in several applications to switch between tabs (i.e. Firefox). If you want just see the program icons and the window titles try ALT+Tab; this is working fine for me (running Win7 without Aero here).

C.Schmalzgruber
  • 342
1

You must really hate Vista's "Flip-3D" feature when you use Win+Tab!

An alternative to Alt+Tab that you could try is Alt+Esc, this cycles between the open Windows by just bringing each one to the front of view, no icon bar, thumbnail bar or anything like that.

There's an MSDN article on how Alt+Esc has maintained such a minimal interface when all the others have been 'jazzed up': Windows Confidential: The Forgotten Hotkey

GAThrawn
  • 4,360
0

There are a couple of ways to turn off the thumbnails, but, like the other posters, I don't know one that turns off just that feature.

However, if, like me, what annoys you most is the blinking in the background as W7 tries to be "smart" and let you preview the app, then that is a specific function: it's called "Aero Peek" and you can disable it by selecting "Custom" in "Visual Effects".

For me, disabling Aero Peek, and knowing the "tap right alt" feature for the occasions where the thumbnails confuse me, gives a good experience.

Peter S Magnusson
  • 613
0

This preview is a function of Windows Aero, and I don't believe it can be turned off without turning off Aero itself.

As far as I know, the only way to turn of Aero is to select a theme from "Basic and High Contrast Themes"

Basic and High Contrast Themes

  • Open Control Panel - under Appearance and Personalization select Change Theme
  • Scroll down and select Windows 7 Basic as the theme

A site that details the process is here: http://webtrickz.com/how-to-switch-to-windows-7-basic-theme-non-aero/

Gareth
  • 19,080
Christopher_G_Lewis
  • 321