Theresa from NY writes:
How do I disable the thumbnail preview that pops up when I hover the cursor over anything that is open on my taskbar?
Microsoft decided to include a “feature” (which for many is about as useful as a rock) that creates small pop-up previews of any window currently open when you roll your mouse over their taskbar icons at the bottom of the screen. Clicking the preview opens the window, but the pop-up also includes a button for closing the program, so you may end up accidentally opening or even exiting programs just by dragging your finger across your laptop’s touch pad.
Disabling these thumbnail previews in Windows 7 requires a bit of work, as you’ll need to access and edit the operating system’s registry. To prevent the previews from appearing you must create a new registry entry that delays the amount of time before the pop-up appears, and then set the delay to some absurdly high number, effectively preventing the preview from ever being created on the screen.
Note: This tip deals with editing your Windows Registry. It is recommended you consult a professional if you’re unsure of how to proceed. You have been warned.
To start the process, open the “Start” menu and type “Regedit” in the “Search” box at the bottom of the menu.
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Tags: disable thumbnails, pop-up previews, taskbar pop-up, thumbnail previews
