Can we disable the charms bar in Windows 8?

Anonymous
2013-01-22T14:37:05+00:00

Old Title: when I move the mouse around the right hand side bar keeps appearing, when I don't want it to.

I recently bought a new computer with Windows 8 and have managed to work with it OK.  The thing is that when I move the mouse around, the right hand sidebar with the Search, Share, Start, Devices and Settings buttons (and the date and time, bottom left),  keeps appearing.  It is so frustrating as I keep having to click to get rid of it. Ironically, when I am ready to close the computer down, I have to fiddle around with the mouse trying to get the damn bar to appear so that I can get the settings button to shut it down. Are there any solutions for this?

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Anonymous
2013-06-05T09:31:15+00:00

"I am sorry to inform you that we do not have any option to disable the Charms Bar in Windows 8."

OMG, when I pay hundreds of my hard-earned dollars, especially in this economy, I expect to customize my product after purchasing. Did Microsoft have regular people try Win 8 for awhile before releasing it?

Got it!!! Its simple, go to control panel, synaptics touchpad and disable side swipe function, simples. it was really beginning to annoy me.

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Anonymous
2013-01-23T10:24:36+00:00

Hi Deborah,

Thank you for choosing Windows 8 and posting your query on Microsoft Community Forums.

It seems that you are not happy with the “Charms Bar” in Windows 8 as it always appears when you move the mouse pointer to the right hand side of your computer screen and would like to know if we can disable it.

I am sorry to inform you that we do not have any option to disable the Charms Bar in Windows 8. I can definitely forward your suggestions to the concerned department.

Microsoft has designed it for making things faster and easier. The charms bar help you do the things you do most often, like search, share links and photos, connect devices, and change settings without any difficulties.

For more information, please check this link:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/charms#1TC=t1

Hope this information is helpful.

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Anonymous
2013-07-31T18:02:19+00:00

"I am sorry to inform you that we do not have any option to disable the Charms Bar in Windows 8."

OMG, when I pay hundreds of my hard-earned dollars, especially in this economy, I expect to customize my product after purchasing. Did Microsoft have regular people try Win 8 for awhile before releasing it?

Got it!!! Its simple, go to control panel, synaptics touchpad and disable side swipe function, simples. it was really beginning to annoy me.

This issue was driving me crazy with my new week old inspiron 7720 windows 8.  I even spent time on the phone with tech support who suggested using an external mouse. I followed your suggestion to disable side swipe function and it worked perfectly.  Thank you.

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-06-17T04:15:50+00:00

    I hate to burst the bubble of negativity some try to propagate but...

    IF, one uses the good ole Desktop, one can have whatever icons on it including, the This PC (My Computer) icon.  Plus, IF, one uses the Desktop Toolbar, now one can navigate or drill down to anything, anywhere from said toolbar and not have the desktop icons even show & cover up pretty wallpapers.

    Please, don't be saying stuff to make people who don't know any better think Win8 is weird or difficult... it is not.  Fundamentally, basically, it's just another version of Windows... better & easier than any before but, no re-invention of the wheel.

    Yes, one may do things a little differently in 8 OR one can do them almost the same though, easier, faster & w/ fewer clicks & less digging than previously possible.

    Did y'all know one can stay permanently on Desktop & still, access everything & anything w/out ever changing screens or leaving Desktop?  Then there are many other people who really, really, use Start & heaps of APPS and think it's all just terrific.

    Also, one can have Desktop & 1 or 2 APPS all share the screen.  There is a lot of flexibility in Win8.

    A lot of how one feels towards Win8, over time, depends on the attitude at the onset w/ it.

    As for Charms, rather than fussing over it, don't use it, regardless of how serviceable it is... certainly, there are other paths (that did & still exist) to get at what is in the Charms Bar.

    Cheers,

    Drew

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-06-17T03:40:26+00:00

    Windows 8 slowed me down so bad that I moved to the Mac and have loved it since the day I bought it. I have never gotten so much work done and had such a great experience. Windows 8 was a sandbox dropped on the public and the charms bar was a huge mess up. Funny how they still feel it is so good. That is why you have to change it from default and disable, etc and that is the fix. No, rather than applying the fix by having the stupid thing disabled from the start they have it the other way around because they cannot admit it is dumb.

    I liked to have the My Computer icon on the desktop and access certain drives and create shortcuts. While it is all still possible you have to do things differently in win8 versus older OS. Win7 was the last good OS MS wrote and I stand behind the current Mac and Win7 Pro. But Win8 slowed me down so bad. I am back to normal with a Mac. I love it!

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