Navigating the nuances of your computer system can often feel like a journey of discovery, especially when you uncover the myriad of customizable features nestled within. A particularly nifty, albeit commonly overlooked feature in Windows, is the thumbnail live preview that gets triggered when you hover your mouse cursor over an application icon on the taskbar. By default, this hover action brings up a sneak peek of the active window of that particular application, offering users a swift way to discern which window they might want to switch to. The magic doesn’t just stop at this preview; Windows 10 and 11 have imbued users with the power to modify the duration it takes for this live preview to appear post-hover. While set at a default of 0 milliseconds, meaning it pops up instantaneously, those wishing for a slight delay can recalibrate this time. Fancy a 1-second delay? Or perhaps a quicker 100-millisecond preview? Thanks to a simple Registry tweak, customizing this becomes child’s play. Ready to delve into the steps and personalize this feature to your liking? Let’s get started.
How to Change Mouse Hover Time to Display Taskbar Thumbnail Live Preview in Windows 11 and 10?
Worth mentioning, if you input an extended delay duration, the functionality that allows a live preview by mousing over an application icon on the taskbar will be deactivated. Furthermore, this adjustment won’t take effect if you’ve turned off the peek preview (or show desktop) in Windows 10 or the “show desktop” feature in Windows 11.
To modify the mouse hover duration for displaying the Taskbar Thumbnail Live Preview in Windows 11 or 10, follow the steps below:-
Step 1: To Begin, open Registry Editor.
Step 2: In the Windows Registry Editor window, browse to the following key in the left sidebar:-
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Soft ware\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
Step 3: After this, you need to right-click on the Advanced folder and go to New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
Step 4: Name the newly created REG_DWORD as ThumbnailLivePreviewHoverTime.
Step 5: Now, double-click on the ThumbnailLivePreviewHoverTime REG_DWORD and select the Decimal as Base. Now, enter the delay time in the Value data text field, such as 100, 200, 500, etc.
Step 6: Click OK and restart your system to apply the changes.
After completing the aforementioned steps, hover your mouse cursor over the thumbnail preview of an application (like File Explorer, Notepad, and so on). You’ll then observe the delay time set for the live preview of that specific application.
And that concludes the process.
Conclusion
Tailoring the nuances of your operating system to cater to personal preferences enhances the overall user experience. By adjusting the mouse hover time for the taskbar thumbnail live preview in Windows 10 or 11, you get to decide the rhythm of your workflow, be it an instantaneous preview or a slight delay. Remember, while this feature adds a touch of customization, always be cautious when tinkering with the Registry Editor, ensuring you follow the provided steps accurately.
