Windows 7: Remove Show Desktop Button

Anonymous
2009-11-24T19:11:46+00:00

Why does Microsoft insist on giving us useless features that we cant disable without going through x hours of troubleshooting and re-programming?  The current thing for me is the annoying Show Windows Desktop Button in Win 7 thats attached to the start bar and serves no practical function other than to look tacky. 

For those of you who don't know this already, the same function can be achieved by pressing the windows key+d. 

Personally, I find this feature to be inconvenient even for novice users due to its inconvenient location in the bottom right corner; essentially as far away from the start button as physically possible.

I'm a rather advanced user and I decided to switch back to Window$ from Ubuntu after 7 came out because of the performance improvement and support for adobe cs4.  (though thats another story entirely)

I suppose the question I have is where can this little 'feature' be found in the registry so I can remove it?  (or if there is an easier way to remove it i'd be interested in that as well, though Im nearly certain it doesn't exist)

Also as a side note to Microsoft:  Perhaps an update to make this icon movable and removable via gui would be nice, seeing as how im sure several other people do not like it and have less experience than I do in programming and customization.

Edit: Im not interested in 'disabling' the active feature of it, I want to remove it entirely.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Accessibility

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Anonymous
2011-02-22T00:45:20+00:00

Hello,

Unfortunately, this is by design.  However, there are 3rd party applications that would definitely accomplish the task at hand for you.  I apologize for any inconvenience.

Thank you,


Aaron

Microsoft Answers Support Engineer

Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-10-26T00:57:56+00:00

    Um what are you talking about, this button has always been there, it was just in a location and had an icon that made sense =.

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-06-08T00:58:53+00:00

    Okay I know I am a little late to post on this and it may not be allowed to post on something after a certain amount of time but I don't really care as I feel you deserve an answer no matter how long it's been. Okay this program I have found, I use it, removes the button but sadly leaves a space between the clock and the right side of the screen. If I were you I would wait a little bit for the guy to release the new version which allows you to move the clock and system tray over to the right to fill in the gap made once the button is removed. Anyways feel free to scan the file for viruses if you want buthere's the link. I have been using it for about a week and it doesn't seem to do anything but remove the button, I have run some Webroot scans after having removed the button with it and no viruses, trojans, keyloggers, or anything have been found. Once you remove the button you can delete the file and the button will stay gone, the only thing with it is that when you logon it will be there for a few seconds then it will disappear. Hope I helped, Justin.

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-01-08T21:45:26+00:00

    I just ran across this post and I hope you are still out there and maybe found a solution to remove the button.  I personally l;ike the idea of a button to clear the windows out and show the desk top but the problem is where it is located.  I have it set up so the task bar hides unless I have the mouse on top of the task bar.  The problem arises when I go to use the scroll down button and the task bar pops up and the window I'm working on is minimized and then I have to go find it again and open it.  Then after a few scroll clicks down it pops up again and it starts all over.  I love the hide task bar feature but you can't use the feature with a window at full screen.  If you have any idea of how to get around this issue I would very much like to hear from you.

    Bob Astrom

    ************

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  4. Anonymous
    2009-11-25T19:55:18+00:00

    Search/google for "aero peek" and you might find a way to turn that off. It does allow people to find things though, and if you use it in conjunction WITH the task bar, then it makes more sense.

    My lowest resolution monitor is 1680x1050 (even on a laptop) so this is not even something on my radar. it comes out to a few small pixels in an obscure place so it doesn't bother me, but I wish you luck.

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