Hello,

Can somebody PLEASE figure out how to disable the charms bar? This bar has been annoying me a lot and any hints would be appreciated.

Many times it shows automatically when I move my mouse cursor to top-right corner to close a program window. It's very annoying because we don't want to access it but it appears automatically. Microsoft should provide an option to turn it on/off.

I am using Windows 8 RP.

Hi Windows,

Welcome to this Windows 8 forums.

The charms bar cannot be disabled. It's supposed to take the functions of start menu.

No way to disable Charms. This is a basic function of Win 8. It's just something to get used to, and sometimes use.

Windows Fan,

You've obviously missed the whole point of "Beta Testing". It's not to post your gripes here, but to send them to Microsoft. Have you sent anything to Microsoft yet?

We can only discuss things here. We can't fix or change anything. OK?

The Charms bar is one quick way to get to "Search" for instance.

Cheers Mate!
TechnoMage :cool:

I do not use Charms Bar often, but it is a quick access to Settings, Change PC Settings. And as TM says, Search. It just takes a little getting used to, after all this is an entirely new OS. Yes it's beta and still in flux, but it is getting close to RTM when the code will be fixed and just updates. If you want to use Win 8 you will have to get used to certain features. Who knows, perhaps you will start using it more and find it's very useful.

Mousing, especially, to the corners has improved from CP to RP. Maybe, don't have windows sitting quite so tight into or close to the corner. Charms cannot be disabled. It is, also, quite needed; please, try harder to adjust to it or make use of it. Often a very good way, if not the only way, to reach many things.

Cheers,
Drew

I guess I'm just getting tired of being politically correct in these Forums, so excuse my next rant!


Get over these things. This is an entirely new OS. Yes it's different, it's supposed to be different. That's the whole point of a new OS. Why would anyone, let alone MS, put out a new piece of software that was the same as the last piece of Software. Get over it and learn to use the features of this new OS. Or go back to whatever OS you were using when you decided to install this new, free OS. Yes it is new, but it is not free. It's a beta OS for gosh sakes. It has some problems. Get over it!

Thanks I needed to vent my feelings about all the griping about some of the new features and the fact that by default this OS does not work with every piece of S/W and H/W ever made, no matter how old.

Gosh I guess the rant wasn't quite over yet, sorry.

Notice to readers:

Many of us, who respond to posts on this forum also work other forums as well, so besides reading all the complaints here, we also read the same things on many different forums. It can get pretty OLD after a while.

I've said this before, but I'll say it again.....
If you don't understand what Beta Testing is all about, then you shouldn't be doing it.

You're supposed to first follow MS's instructions and install the Beta Test versions properly. It's no big mystery...they tell you exactly how to do it. (and we've repeated those instructions, over and over again, all over this forum)

Then you're supposed to evaluate the OS and report your findings, complaints, etc., back to Microsoft, not here.

We're just discussing Win-8 here, not fixing it and not being a shoulder to cry on for those who don't know what they are doing and those who have destroyed their Legal OS in the process.

:cool:

Which is exactly what we on this forum, and the MS download site for Win 8 CP & RP stated in the Q&A's. Either do a Full Disk image of your installed OS, including the recovery partition (if installed), or have a recovery disk set burned, or other install media available, Prior to beginning Beta Testing.

Look under "Uninstalling" for more info.

Windows 8 Release Preview: frequently asked questions (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/faq#)

And read the whole set of instructions while there, there are risks with running a beta OS. Some users may need frequent maintenance, some may need none at all, most will need some. The OS, being a Beta, should be backed up more often than normally, due to frequent updates/changes that may adversely affect your install.

One last thing, these Beta versions of Windows 8 are NOT Free Open Source Software (FOSS) to do extensive modifications to meet a particular need. Some customization is allowed, but to remove/disable the Charms Bar, which is an exclusive feature of the OS? The answer is NO, one cannot/should not attempt this.

Once you've used Win 8 CP awhile, as many of us here has, you'll become to like many of the new features of the OS. If not, my only suggestion would be to go back to the OS you were using. Charms, like Metro, is the future of Windows & is going nowhere.

Cat

But, Cat, why don't you tell us how you, really, feel? ;) ;) Nudge, nudge, say no more, say no more, know what I mean, eh? Know what I mean?

Drew
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Would do ya think of me Monty Python impression? Pretty good, init?

That's cool Drew! Yeah I know what you mean.

Cat

Hi all,

Thank you for suggestions. I will try to accept and love the charms bar as it can't be disabled.

That's great! Give it a week or two, you won't even notice it any longer. Once one uses an OS for an extended length of time, one gets used to new features & many comes to appreciate them.

Cat

OR the doing & using becomes 'automatic'. Bit like being reluctant to learn a manual transmission... 'til one realizes things are being done w/out a thought or concern.

Most of the time, myself, I think I forget the Charms is there then, oh yeah...

Cheers,
Drew

We just had a thread where a member could not perform a certain activity from the Desktop, and found that using the Charms Bar was an easy way to get to the area in More PC Settings to solve his problem.

If you're not going to use the new "Classic Shell", then the charms bar does have its purposes, like doing a file or function search or setting file associations, etc.

I don't need it (much) since I DO use the Classic Shell, so I'm learning how to avoid it, like a gopher hole I don't want to step in. :rolleyes:

TM :cool:

I haven't messed with the Classic Shell, the option for making an explorer shortcut (pinned to Taskbar) that Drew gave us serves me well. As does the Logoff, Restart & Shutdown options that Ted posted awhile back.

I'm trying to keep other customization to a minimum, as Windows 8 RP is serving my needs, except one minor issue that I'm sure will be fixed by Retail availability. The Charms bar does serve a good purpose though, much better than "Search" from prior versions of Windows. Same function (only faster), different look.

Cat

.... the charms bar? Many times it shows automatically when I move my mouse cursor to top-right corner to close a program window. It's very annoying because we don't want to access it but it appears automatically. Microsoft should provide an option to turn it on/off.
I am using Windows 8 RP.

As we become accustomed to grabbing the top of an app and dragging it all the way down to the bottom of the screen to close the app (works quite well using a finger on a touch screen), closing other apps/programs [with the old red X in top right corner] the same way will come naturally without thinking about it. Try it - it works now.
Janice

Janice, Welcome to our Forum.

I do not like to allow too many apps to run in the background either as everything consumes some resources. Even though I have a goodly amount of resources available, I do not wish to slow things down any more than necessary. Thanks for mentioning the various ways to close apps. I am sure not everyone is familiar with this.

Also, if, windows are not positioned close to the corners (mine allow room for the Taskbar @ the side) then the 'conflict doesn't exist or happen. Just a wee tip...

Cheers,
Drew

this charm bar is also annoying me , , i wish windows 8 would give us the option off disableling it

u can disable the charms bar i found , , just google **betanews . com disabling the charms bar** & there is an article and directions on how to do it

or google **Skip Metro Suite**

Or use "Classic Shell" (which I use). There, one has the option to have a Start Menu & skip the Modern UI (formerly known as Metro).

Welcome to Classic Shell (http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/)

There are three skins to use, I use the Classic (XP/2000 type) one, there's also a Win 7/Vista type, & another.

Cat

This will fix it so you don't 'bump into' or pop out Charms accidentally:
You will use Win+C OR go to a Right side corner & along the right edge but, it will no longer come out when not intended. This better than actually disabling it... this way it can be useful when wanted but, not annoying.

1. Press "WIN+R" key combination to launch RUN dialog box then type regedit and press Enter. It'll open Registry Editor and go to following key:


HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\ImmersiveShell\

2. Under ImmersiveShell key, create a new key EdgeUI.

3. Now select newly created key "EdgeUI" and in right-side pane, create a new DWORD DisableCharmsHint and set its value to 1

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4. That's it. It'll immediately disable Charms Bar hint feature. You'll not need to log off or restart the system.

NOTE: If you want to enable the Charms Bar hint feature again, simply delete the DWORD "DisableCharmsHint" or set its value to 0

PS: If you don't want to modify registry and want a ready-made registry script to do the task automatically, download following ZIP file, extract it and run the extracted REG file. It'll ask for confirmation, accept it:

Download Registry Script
http://media.askvg.com/downloads/2012/08/Disable-Charms-Bar-Hint-Feature-in-Windows-8.zip

Cheers,
Drew
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Does this take one straight to desktop?

Cat

Cat,

It makes Charms so it is not prone to being hit & popping out accidentally, instead of only when actually wanted.

To go to Desktop, either click on the Desktop Tile, hit Win+D OR put the Desktop Tile @ Top-Left & from then on just hit ENTER.

I remind everyone, especially if the Desktop Toolbar is enabled, such things as Classic Shell are not needed. Some may think they want such things but, want & need are 2 different things. Win8 can be used very, very, nicely w/out adding such things. I, certainly, don't bother my clients w/ such stuff.

Personally, I hardly ever use Start & its Tiles for anything.. not cus there is anything wrong w/ it but, cus I just can't be bothered switching screens for things & just live on Desktop.

Cheers,
Drew
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I would not be a bit surprised if there were a reg hack to kill charms although (a) I have no desire to do such a thing, myself (b) most often blatant removal of a core function entails all sorts of things usually each much worse than the original issue. At least that has been my experience and that is why I am not going to look for any such thing....but if you guys find one pray pass it on I am a curious cat!

btw thanks for Drew's post, I might do that one, so as if charms do pop it will most likely because I asked them to...

"so as if charms do pop it will most likely because I asked them to... " Exactly, John. It is understandable not having pop out accidentally BUT, if actually disabled then, obviously & certainly, its useful functionality is gone.

People keep wanting to get rid of things in * whilst not realizing or appreciating that they are there & exist for good reasons.

Why undermine or complicate a well designed thing? Personally I feel (some) people are so busy trying to bash or find fault w/ Windows 8 they are not able, at the end of the day, to see the value or point to its design features. The are ways & reasoning to it that CAN make using it a real joy ( sorry it that sounds 'flowery'). Once it is allowed to be used, as is, and once one allows themselves to understand its methodology it all gels to make good sense. As I said to someone I recently set up w/ Windows 8 earlier today, there is a reason, even though I currently dual-boot 7 & 8, that I've not used 7 for the last 9 months. It's not just because Win8 is technically superior nor because of its feature set but, because it is easier & more fun (yes fun) to use & navigate than 7. And this is stated w/out using any (unnecessary) additions like Classic Shell or Start8.

BTW, there are many people using it w/ nothing but, the Desktop Tile on Start. There are ways one can get to everything, very nicely I might add, working 100% on or from desktop. Then, again, there are many others who use Start & Tiles & think it very cool.

Right now Win8 is outpacing Win7. 7 did 60 million licenses in its 1st 2 months. 8 has done 40 million in 1 month.

Cheers,
Drew
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i was more happier using windows 7 , , i miss it that much i now changed back to my original computer (windows7) & now im going to take the windows8 computer which i bought for $750 just the other day back to harvey norman tomorrow , , and im going to purchace a new computer with window7 installed on it , ,

Disable Charms Bar in Windows 8

Hit Win+R to open Run box and type regedit to open Registry Editor.
Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/ImmersiveShell.
Right click in the right-hand pane and create a new key called EdgeUI.
Select the key and in the right-hand pane create a new DWORD and call it DisableCharmsHint.
Right click the DWORD and select Modify.
Change the Value Data to 1.

Oh well, Windows 8 is, still, the better OS. Personally, I like/liked Win7 as it is very good but, 8 is better & easier to use.

May have been an idea to solicit some tips & info from folks, like myself & others, here in this Forum before labeling or thinking Windows 8 unlikeable. Just a wee thought...

Cheers,
Drew
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Fact is, most of those who has declared Windows 8 to be unusable or unlikeable, never has used the OS, at all. A few may possibly be paid opinions, while others are afraid of change.

The "change" that I've seen of Windows 8, so far, has been positive ones. I've yet to see one to steer me away. Besides, I've always been one to try & decide for myself.

The one exception to that rule are Apple computers. Not necessarily because of the OS, but because of the specs of the computers for the price paid. I can buy 2 decent Windows computers with equal or better specs over one entry level iMac. An i3 CPU, 4GB RAM, 512MB dedicated video card, with a 320GB standard HDD for $1,200 + tax + shipping = $1,300 or more.

No, thanks. It weren't propaganda articles or YouTube that made this decision for me, it was the actual Apple site itself. I don't have a bottomless pit of extra money to throw into the wind, for computers, phones & other gadgets. Most other Windows users doesn't, either.

Cat

I know everyone that I've turned on Windows 8 love it & are very impressed w/ it; like the Features, find it easy & fast to navigate & notice terrific performance.

But, of course, I'm giving them education, instruction & tips. So through (getting an) understanding they quickly come to appreciate Windows 8

Cheers,
Drew
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