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
    2013-05-20T23:47:40+00:00

    On Mon, 20 May 2013 20:39:02 +0000, AliceBriana wrote:

    The charms bar is so unbelievably annoying!  At this point, I feel my only option is to put an old version of windows on my brand new computer. The charms bar is the most obnoxious thing ever. It constantly shows up when I am trying to surf the web and I have to click to close it.  It makes everything I do take longer.  It is not making anything faster, it is reducing my ability to surf the web, and use my computer efficiently.  Next computer is going to be a MAC.

    Let me point out something that you perhaps don't realize: Windows 8
    has two interfaces; the Modern/Metro Interface (which may be all
    you've looked at) and the traditional Desktop Interface. That
    traditional  Desktop Interface is almost identical to Windows 7's
    interface; the biggest difference is that there is no Start Orb to
    click to bring up the Start menu. But note that you can get the Start
    Orb back by using one of several third-party programs, either free or
    very inexpensive (Classic Shell at
    http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/ and Start8 at
    http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/; my personal preference is
    Start8, but they are both very good). 
    And going from one interface to  the other is very easy; there are
    several ways, but simply pressing the Windows key is perhaps the
    easiest. Simply installing one of those two and using the traditional
    desktop  interface may be a better choice for you than going to
    Windows 7.
    I use Windows 8, almost exclusively with the traditional desktop
    interface, and with Start 8 installed. If you were to look at and use
    my computer, you would have a hard time realizing that it's not
    Windows 7.
    And another new third-party program that I like and you might want is
    the $4.99 ModernMix at http://www.stardock.com/products/modernmix/

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-05-21T02:54:56+00:00

    If you were to look at and use  my computer, you would have a hard time realizing that it's not

    Windows 7.

    Do you use a Touchpad with Touch Gestures enabled or a real mouse?   <eg>

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