Windows 7: How-to Hide the Libraries Icon and Window-Previews

On my new corporate computer installed with Windows 7 OS, these two things bugged me from the very beginning: how can I remove this unnecessary “Libraries” folder from the desktop (still didn’t figure out what it is for) and how I can disable these window preview hovers (because I know in which window I have what information).

It turned out that I am definitely not alone with both requests – at least that’s what Google told me when querying these topics. But more suprised I was about the fact, that both settings need to digg into the RegEdit and are not standard OS features.

Anyway, here’s what to do:

How-to hide the “Libraries” icon from the Windows 7 desktop?

1. Start RegEdit.exe as Administrator
   

2. Navigate to the following structure inside RegEdit
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
   > SOFTWARE
     > Microsoft
       > Windows
         > CurrentVersion
           > Explorer
             > Desktop
               > NameSpace

3. Right-click the sub-folder with name {031E4825-7B94-4dc3-B131-E946B44C8DD5}
4. Choose “Delete” from the dropdown-menu
   

5. Close RegEdit, Logoff and Logon to your Windows Account

How-to hide the window preview hovers in Windows 7?

FYI: it’s not possible to “hide” them completely, but you c an set a long delay until they show up.

1. Start RegEdit.exe as Administrator
   

2. Navigate to the following folder:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER
   > Software
     > Microsoft
       > Windows
         > CurrentVersion
           > Explorer
             > Advanced

3. Add a new DWORD key with the name “ExtendedUIHoverTime”
   

4. Double-click it and change the number to “Decimal” base and set the delay for hovers in Miliseconds
   (default is 400 milliseconds. Use something much higher like 30’000 = 30 seconds)
   

5. Close RegEdit, Logoff and Logon to your Windows Account

References used

• Technet.Microsoft.Com | Hide Libraries Icon from Desktop
• WinGeek.com | Adjust Taskbar Preview Hover Delay