Minimize Desktop Windows With One Click of the Mouse

Do you ever find your desktop inundated with an overwhelming number of open windows as a result of multi-tasking or just powering through your workload without closing any tabs along the way?

To start, look to the bottom right of your computer, where the clock, date and other icons are located on the taskbar. To the farthest right, you will find a rectangular button—technically called the Show Desktop button—that may only appear when you hover your cursor over it, depending on your version of Windows. Initially, hovering your cursor over the Show Desktop button should make all the windows appear translucent so that you can see through them to your desktop. When you left-click the button, however, all those open windows cluttering your screen and blocking your desktop will become minimized. Click it again, and you will once again be returned to all previously open windows.

The Aero Peek feature is particularly useful if you have opened numerous programs. If you are trying to get back to a particular one, clicking the Show Desktop button can quickly give you a clean slate. You won’t close out of the other windows or have to save any information, but then you quickly access the program you wanted.

The Aero Peek feature is Windows-specific, and not available to Mac users. It was introduced for Windows 7 and also is included in Windows 10, although the “button” itself has been reduced to a mere sliver. However, placing your cursor over the area will still activate the same options. Windows 8 is the only system in which Aero Peek is not on by default.

If you are having difficulty using the Aero Peek feature, it could have been disabled. You should be able to enable or re-activate the feature in Windows 7 by clicking the taskbar tab under “Properties,” and then checking the “Use Aero Peek to preview the desktop” box. For Windows 10, you can right-click a space on the taskbar itself and go to “Properties” that way. From there, you should find an option at the bottom that says “Use Peek to preview the desktop when you move your mouse to the Show Desktop button at the end of the taskbar.” Check the box to the left.

Computer consultants in Colorado Springs, such as those at Colorado Computer Support, are dedicated to helping you make the most of your personal computer and other devices. From offering user tips to providing complete IT management services, Colorado Computer Support’s experts are equipped to help you leverage technology to achieve success.