Switching Applications with a Single Click on the Windows Taskbar Thumbnail
The Windows operating system allows users to quickly switch between open applications using the taskbar. By default, the taskbar is located at the bottom of the screen and displays icons for each open application. One of the useful features of the taskbar is the ability to preview open windows for a particular application by hovering the mouse over the application's icon. This preview is known as a thumbnail.
Enabling Thumbnail Previews
Thumbnail previews are enabled by default in Windows. However, if for some reason they are disabled, they can be re-enabled by right-clicking on the taskbar, selecting "Properties," and then checking the box next to "Use small taskbar buttons" under the "Taskbar" tab. This will enable the thumbnail previews when hovering over an application's icon on the taskbar.
Switching Applications with a Single Click
Once the thumbnail previews are enabled, switching between open applications is as simple as clicking on the desired thumbnail preview. This will bring the selected application to the foreground, allowing the user to continue working in that application. This feature can be especially useful when working with multiple applications at once, as it eliminates the need to minimize or close other applications in order to access the desired one.
Customizing Thumbnail Previews
Windows allows users to customize the appearance of thumbnail previews by right-clicking on the taskbar, selecting "Properties," and then clicking on the "Taskbar and Start Menu Properties" button. From here, users can adjust the size of the thumbnail previews, as well as choose whether to display the window title and/or the application's icon in the thumbnail preview.
Keyboard Shortcuts
For users who prefer to use keyboard shortcuts, Windows also allows for switching between open applications using the "Alt + Tab" keyboard shortcut. This will display a list of open applications, and the user can continue pressing the "Tab" key to cycle through the list. Releasing the "Alt" key will bring the selected application to the foreground.
The ability to switch between open applications with a single click on the Windows taskbar thumbnail preview is a convenient feature that can help improve productivity and streamline workflows. By enabling thumbnail previews and customizing their appearance, users can quickly and easily access the applications they need to get their work done.
References
- Microsoft. (n.d.). Taskbar and Start menu properties.
- Microsoft. (n.d.). Use the Alt+Tab keyboard shortcut to switch between open apps.