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

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments No comments
Answer accepted by question author
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

Was this answer helpful?

2 people found this answer helpful.
0 comments No comments

54 additional answers

Sort by: Most helpful
  1. Deleted

    This answer has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The answer was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.


    Comments have been turned off. Learn more

  2. Anonymous
    2012-02-13T20:35:57+00:00

    Hi Josh____,

    Thank you for visiting the Microsoft Windows Community site. In an effort to focus more attention on your particular situation create a new thread here.  This will mitigate confusion caused by more than one posting about similar   topics, allowing us to focus on each customer individually.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  3. Anonymous
    2012-02-13T04:13:46+00:00

    I have a similar issue when using my Samsung Series 7 Slate tablet PC. Often when I am viewing a fullscreen video (especially Youtube), when I go to click the fullscreen button in the bottom right, it also clicks the showdesktop button that is below it. I don't know if it is somehow registering a second click or not but it is very annoying to always be minimizing everything after exiting a fullscreen video.

    Please just let us easily move it or disable it.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  4. Anonymous
    2011-12-18T16:39:46+00:00

    I am starting to dislike Win 7 due to this one 'design' flaw.  I have been using windows since Win 3.1.  Yes that long.   Sometimes, I get in a loop where the cursor get stuck on the Show Desktop button and keeps minimizing my web browser and shows desktop to the point where I have to reboot my system. The only thing that is on my desktop is the Recycle Bin which I would pin to the task bar if I could, and remove from desktop.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments