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
    2014-04-06T12:50:22+00:00

    Thanks Shenan,

    Most helpful. You are right, I hadn't fully read it, I was not in a good frame of mind as Windows8 tends to get me frustrated trying to do the simplest of things. I have actually been using it at work for a few months and, although it is still frustrating, it is better than at home for some reason. I suspect that the IT department made it more friendly. For example, it still has the good old 'start' button for access to programmes and shutting down. 

    Some other things that troubled me but I have now found work arounds:

    If I plug an SD card into the slot on my new machine I then have to go and look for it whereas my old XP machine would open a window to ask me what I wanted to do.

    The biggest gripe was shutting programmes down. I know now that 'alt/F4' does this but what was wrong with a cross in the top corner? I have my hand on the mouse all the time so this was quick and easy, finding and pressing two keys is unnecesarily cumbersome. I know it's not much but it's still a backward step, like three steps to shut down (as my computer is set now, and it includes the step of trying to activate the charm bar that won't come on now you need it but was coming on all the time when all you wanted to do was scroll down before) when two did it before and I thought that was one too many.

    It is probably all down to me being an old fuddy duddy. I would claim to be quite tech savvy and open to new ideas but computers do seem to be designed by geeks for geeks and if they can spend half an hour tapping away to achieve precisely nothing they are happy. I on the other hand want to do what I switched the computer on for in the minimum time so when it takes 3 minutes to start up and another ten to work out how to do something, this is not good.

    Tim (AKA Grumbly Tim).

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-04-05T21:37:53+00:00

    What did that have to do with my response to NikonTim's question:

    "On several devices I have owned and on my current phone (Android) programmes save as they go along so you do not need to worry about this if things suddenly go wrong. Would it be something Microsoft could adopt?"

    *grin*

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