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
    2014-07-08T18:25:43+00:00

    Hi Shenan,

    When you want the charms bar (since yours sounds reluctant to appear, the exact opposite of the problem so many of us have had), use the Windows + C keys. For the rest of us, disabling edge swipes in the Mouse properties can disable the charms bar, but we can also use the Windows + C keystrokes to bring it up if we so desire, so we've lost no functionality by disabling the hot corners & edge swipes. (Those functions were unnecessary to me anyway.)

    Also, just as an aside, for all of the cheerleaders for 8/8.1, I've tried using the Netflix app: the English subtitles don't work, even when I have clearly selected that option in a movie. On one film, I then stopped watching, went to Netflix in my desktop on the browser and picked up the movie where I left off: and there were the English subtitles. So, no, these new "apps" are not necessarily better/faster than the programs/methods we were already using. Some other apps are also useless (Bing weather, for example).

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-07-08T18:31:28+00:00

    Not to put too fine of a point on it, but if changing a setting in the driver/software for your touchpad is what fixed the issue you were having with the CHARMS, it is not an operating system issue, but a touchpad driver/software issue.  :-)  After all - there are dozens (likely more) features you have likely not used in any version of any operating system you ever used - if they are made to appear because of some option in some other software (driver) that you use/have installed - and can be fixed by changing an option in said software (driver) - that's not an operating system issue, eh?  (Just because the operating system presents that option, if something else is forcing it in your face, is that the fault of the operating system for having the option available or the fault of the driver/software for how they chose to implement that option?)

    The driver update for the touchpad should be yours to install only if you WANT to - if you follow the decade plus of advice given in this forum and those like it of controlling your own updates and always getting hardware device drivers from those who manufactured the hardware device(s) in question.  :-)

    Having pointed that out - it is great that you have re-iterated another option that may need to be represented for those who have the CHARMS popping up on them when they do not wish it.  Thanks!

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