Windows 10: Change Taskbar Thumbnail Threshold to Show List in Windows 10

How to: Change Taskbar Thumbnail Threshold to Show List in Windows 10

How to Change Threshold of Taskbar Thumbnails to Show List in Windows 10


When you hover over the icon or button on the taskbar of opened items, it will show either thumbnail previews or a list of the opened windows or tabs for that item.

The taskbar will only show thumbnails of so many opened windows or tabs for an item (ex: Internet Explorer) before the threshold is reached and will then automatically show a list afterwards for that item.

The taskbar threshold limit will vary depending on what you have set for your DPI scaling level.

Here are some default threshold limits based on screen resolution using default DPI:

• 800x600 = 7 tabs or windows open for threshold
• 1024x768 = 10 tabs or windows open for threshold
• 1920x1080 = 16 tabs or windows open for threshold

This tutorial will show you how to change the threshold after which taskbar thumbnails of opened items show as a list instead for your account in Windows 10.

EXAMPLE: Taskbar showing thumbnail previews and list









Here's How:

1. Press the Win+R keys to open the Run dialog, type regedit, and click/tap on OK to open Registry Editor.

2. In the left pane of the Registry Editor, browse to the location below. (see screenshot below)
*Arrow HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Taskband





3. Do step 4 (change) or step 5 (default) below for what you would like to do.


4. To Change Taskbar Thumbnail Threshold
A) In the right pane of the Taskband key, double click/tap on the NumThumbnails DWORD to modify it. (see screenshot below step 2)

*note If you don't have a NumThumbnails DWORD, then right click or press and hold on an empty area in the right pane of the Taskband key, click/tap on New and DWORD (32-bit) Value, type NumThumbnails, and press Enter.

B) Select (dot) Decimal, type a number you want for the taskbar thumbnail threshold, click/tap on OK, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot below)

*note If you type 0 (zero) it will be the same as 1 to show in list mode after you open two instances. 0 will no longer disable thumbnails.





5. To Restore Default Taskbar Thumbnail Threshold
A) In the right pane of the Taskband key, right click or press and hold on the NumThumbnails DWORD, and click/tap on Delete. (see screenshot below step 2)

B) Click/tap on Yes to confirm, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot below)





6. Close Registry Editor.

7. sign in to apply.


That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to Change Delay Time to Show Taskbar Thumbnails in Windows 10
• How to Change the Size of Taskbar Thumbnails in Windows 10
• How to Change Height or Width Size of Taskbar in Windows 10
• How to Enable or Disable Save Taskbar Thumbnail Previews to Cache in Windows

:)

 

Taskbar not showing popup icons for multiple windows

I found out how to fix this. There is setting where you can change the maximum number of thumbnails it shows before going into list view. Look at this site if anyone else has the same problem: Change Taskbar Thumbnail Threshold to Show List in Windows 10

 

Windows 10 Live Preview not WORK

the list is what shows if you have more than a specific number of tabs of the same program are open.

Here is how you can change it:

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/20989-chang...

 

Thank you! It works before but when I create and log in by a new account. It does not showlist anymore

 

Hello snminhduc, and welcome to Ten Forums. *Smile

This is not a global setting that is applied to all users. It needs to be set per account.

Is it not showing for the new account what you meant?

 

Hello! it's work before for the old account, but when I create a new DWORD for new windows account, it does not work anymore. I have tried restart explorer, even restart my computer

 

I just tested in build 14915, and it appears that this option may no longer work to change the taskbar thumbnail threshold.

I'll keep testing and playing to see if I may be able to figure something out.

 

Brilliant, works for me on a notepad running win 10.

 

When I only have 1 instance of a task open, hovering shows a taskbar icon rather than a list, even though I followed your instructions above. When there are 2 or more, it shows the list as expected. Is there a way to make hovering always show a list? (I'm using Windows 10 Home 1709.)

 

Hello Eddo,

It appears this has changed now in Windows 10. Setting "0" will no longer disable taskbar thumbnails. *Sad

"0" now behaves the same as "1".