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How to Customize the Alt + Tab Switcher in Windows 10

You sure do switch tabs a lot using the Alt + Tab Switcher, but did you have any idea that you can customize the Alt + Tab on Windows 10?

Customize the Alt + Tab

The Alt + Tab switcher is a window management feature in Windows 10. It helps to switch between open windows by using the keyboard shortcuts Alt and Tab.

Windows 10 offers some customization options for the Alt + Tab switcher too. You can change the order of items, set the size of icons, and even change the way they are sorted.

The default order of items in the Alt + Tab switcher is alphabetical order from A to Z. But there are many other ways you can customize it to suit your needs better:

  • Sort by most recently used first or last used first
  • Sort by active window only or all windows together
  • Show desktop icons only or show all open application icons

Here, in this article, we will look at the different ways to customize the Alt + Tab Switcher on Windows 10.

1. Changing What Thumbnails Task Switcher Shows via Settings

The Alt + Tab is a keyboard shortcut that switches between the open windows on your screen. Windows 10 has a number of features to customize the Alt + Tab experience, including changing what the thumbnails show.

windows 10 alt tab switcher

Changing What Thumbnails Task Switcher Shows via Settings:

1. Navigate to Settings > System > Multitasking and start typing “Alt” in the search field in the top right corner of the window. Select “Adjust how to preview thumbnails are shown” from the list of results.

2. Under "Show preview thumbnails for," select "Only windows I'm using." This only displays thumbnail previews for windows you're using, rather than all open windows on your desktop, which can be helpful if your desktop is cluttered with open windows that you don't want to look at when using Alt+Tab.

2. Customizing Transparency and Desktop Dimming for the Alt + Tab Switcher

In Windows 10, the Alt + Tab switcher is a way to switch between open windows. It lists all the open windows and provides previews of the windows when they are selected.

Customize the Alt + Tab

There are a few steps that need to be followed in order to customize transparency and desktop dimming for the Alt + Tab switcher:

  1. Open Settings from the Start Menu
  2. Click on System
  3. Click on Display
  4. Click on Advanced display settings
  5. Scroll down and click on Make all my displays look the same
  6. Choose your preferred settings for transparency and desktop dimming

3. Using the Winaero Tweaker

Winaero Tweaker is a free and small application that can be used to customize Windows 10.

Winaero Tweaker

Customizing the Alt + Tab switcher can be done by following these steps:

1) Open Winaero Tweaker and click on the Windows 7 Style tab.

2) Select the option for Transparency and Desktop Dimming

3) Click on the Customize button next to Transparency Level. From there, you can adjust the transparency level to your liking.

4) Click on Apply in order to make changes permanent.

Conclusion

On Windows 10, there aren’t many customization settings available for the Alt + Tab Switcher. That being said, you can configure the transparency level that it has and add background dimming. You can also select whether it shows Edge tabs according to your preferences.

You can also check out some of the third-party software packages available that help you customize the Alt + Tab switcher.

Related Questions

1. What are the default settings for the Alt + Tab switcher?

The default settings for the Alt + Tab switcher are not always the same. Some people might have it set to show only the windows of the current user or to show all windows.

Some people might also have it set to show all windows and then when they press the tab, it cycles through each window alphabetically.

Others might have it set so that when they press the tab, it cycles through each window in the order they were opened.

2. How do I customize the Alt + Tab switcher?

Customizing the Alt + Tab switcher is a relatively simple process. It can be done by following the steps below:

1. Go to Settings > System > Multitasking

2. Under “Swipe between pages”, select “On Swipe” or “On Tap”

3. Select your preferred action when you tap on an app in the switcher

4. Select your preferred action for when you swipe on an app in the switcher

3. How do I set up my own custom shortcuts for the Alt + Tab switcher?

The Alt + Tab switcher is a built-in Windows feature that allows you to switch between open applications.

There are many ways to customize the Alt + Tab switcher, and in this article, we will show you how to set up your own custom shortcuts for it.

The first step is to find the right shortcut keys for your desired function. You can do this by pressing the Windows key + X and then selecting "Ease of Access Center". Once there, select "Make it easier to focus on tasks" and then click on "Set up a shortcut for switching between open programs". Now follow the instructions on the screen.

4. How do I change the order of applications in the Alt + Tab switcher?

The order of the applications in the Alt + Tab switcher is usually determined by the order in which they were opened. However, you can change this order by right-clicking on any of the open applications and selecting “Move to front” or “Move to back”.

5. What is AeroSnap and how does it work with the Alt + Tab switcher?

AeroSnap is a window management feature that allows you to snap windows to the sides of the screen. This feature is available on Windows 7 and later versions.

The AeroSnap window management feature allows you to snap windows to the sides of your screen without any manual intervention. This is done by pressing and holding down the Alt key and then pressing the Tab key to cycle through all open windows. Once you have found the window that you want, release both keys and it will be snapped in place.

AeroSnap does not work with other applications like browsers or video players which are not windowed programs, so if you want to use AeroSnap with these programs, then it may not work as expected.



About the author:
Expert technical writer who simplifies complex technological concepts for lay audiences. Focused on providing insightful analysis and entertaining listicles on a wide variety of topics in the technology sector.