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How To View Classic Alt + Tab In Windows 7 Aero Theme

Posted August 31, 2009 – 5:56 pm in: Windows 7 Guides
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Here is an interesting thing that I came across in Windows 7 very recently. I have been using the good old Alt + Tab feature in Windows Vista & Windows 7 as well. Last evening, when I was playing with some Windows 7 feature, I came to know that the classic Alt + tab can be viewed in Windows 7 with Aero theme enabled as well.

Windows 7

If you have used Windows 7 Alt + Tab feature, then you might know that how the alt + tab bar looks like with the Windows aero enabled. While Windows 7 Aero displays the default aero enabled Alt + tab bar, one can also view the Alt + Tab in classic style without disabling the Aero feature.

 

Here is how it works:

1. Open Windows explorer & a few applications so that you can start using Alt + Tab feature.

 

2. First, press Alt + Tab keys to view the Alt + Tab bar.

alt tab very new

3. Next, to see the classic Alt + Tab bar, hold another Alt key (say the right-side one)& don’t release the first Alt key. Now you will not be able to see the Alt + Tab bar. That’s fine.

 

4. Again, hold the Alt + Tab bar to see the classic Alt + Tab bar.

class alt tab with aero

5. That’s it.

 

I know, there is no use with this trick, but it’s good to know that Windows 7 Aero supports classic Alt + Tab!

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7 Comments

  1. Greg
    Posted January 20, 2010 at 8:54 pm | Permalink

    Good find. You can also see the classic Alt+Tab menu immediately on launch by doing this:

    ALT + (tap the other ALT key) + TAB

    To make it default, see here:

  2. Andreas
    Posted April 16, 2010 at 1:00 pm | Permalink

    Nice tip!
    But how can I restore it to Windows 7 default?

  3. Ramin
    Posted September 27, 2011 at 12:35 am | Permalink

    To see Classic AlT+TAB like Windows XP to switch between running applications:
    Hold ALT + press and release the other ALT key + TAB

    To permanently change the view, you need to change Registry data.

    To get the classic Alt Tab feature in Windows 7 from registry editor:

    1. Go to start, type regedit and press Enter.
    2. Navigate to the following path HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
    3. In right-side pane, create a new DWORD value AltTabSettings and set its value to 1.
    4. Now whenever you’ll press “Alt+Tab” keys together, it’ll show Windows XP styled classic “Alt+Tab” Switcher screen instead of the new screen.
    5. To restore default Aero enabled “Alt+Tab” Switcher screen, simply delete the AltTabSettings DWORD value created in step 3. Log off and login again to take effect.

  4. Katja
    Posted December 15, 2011 at 12:36 am | Permalink

    Ramin, thaaaaaaaaaaanks a lot. that really help to work much quicker as I have not to watch all the changes in the back.

  5. Gü Bosch
    Posted February 19, 2012 at 3:47 pm | Permalink

    Ramin, thanks a lot. Good work

  6. Cherok
    Posted June 18, 2012 at 7:47 pm | Permalink

    Ramin, thnx!!!! It works, instantly! And that with supermodern Win7 :) I’m no longer slave of a nanny OS. Wow.

    I use a 64bit version of Win7, but here too, done as Ramin wrote and it works.

  7. Nick
    Posted July 18, 2012 at 9:49 pm | Permalink

    Ramin: another thanks for your hint!

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