How to Enable or Disable Peek in Windows 11

What is Peek?

Peek is a handy Windows feature that lets you quickly see your desktop or check what’s happening in your open apps. When you move your mouse to the far right of the taskbar, your windows become see-through, showing your desktop. You can also hover over an app icon to see a live preview.

• When you move your mouse to the very right edge of 🖥️ your taskbar, your open windows become see-through. This lets you quickly see your desktop.
• You can also hover your mouse over an app’s icon 🖥️ on the taskbar. A small picture, or preview, of that app will show up. If you hover over that preview, it becomes a larger, live view of the app.

It’s like getting a quick look without actually switching to the window.

There are two main ways to manage Peek: through Windows settings or by editing the Registry. We’ll start with the most straightforward method.

Option 1Use Visual Effects Settings

Windows has a settings area that controls how Windows looks and how well it runs. Peek is found in this area.

Step 1Open Performance Options

To adjust how Windows looks and runs, you need to open the Performance Options window. The quickest way is to press the Windows key and the R key on your keyboard at the same time. This opens a small box where you can type a command to get to the right settings.

1. Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard. This opens a small box called the Run dialog.
2. In the box, type SystemPropertiesPerformance.exe and then press Enter or click the OK button.

The "Taskbar behaviors" window offers many options, but you only need to focus on the "Peek" setting to control how Windows 11 shows you a preview of the desktop when you hover your mouse over the show desktop button.

Step 2Find and Adjust the Peek Setting

Inside the Performance Options window, go to the Visual Effects tab. Here, you’ll find a list of options. Look for the checkbox labeled ‘Enable Peek’ or something similar, like ‘Allow transparent glass.’ Checking this box turns Peek on, and unchecking it turns Peek off.

Scan through the list of checkboxes. You are looking for an option that says something like “Enable Peek” or “Allow transparent glass.”

• To Turn Peek On: Make sure the box next to “Enable Peek” (or a similar phrase) has a checkmark in it. This is usually the default setting.
• To Turn Peek Off: Remove the checkmark from the box next to “Enable Peek.”

Step 3Apply Your Changes

To save your Peek setting, click the OK button in the Performance Options window. Windows immediately applies your chosen setting, and you can test Peek by moving your mouse to the right edge of 🖥️ the taskbar.

1. Click the OK button at the bottom of the Performance Options window.

Windows will apply your setting right away. You can test it by moving your mouse to the far right corner of 🖥️ your taskbar. If you turned Peek on, your open windows should become see-through. If you turned it off, nothing should happen.

Option 2Manage Peek with Registry Editor

If you’re comfortable making more advanced changes or the usual setting isn’t working, you can manage Peek using the Registry Editor. This tool lets you change Windows’ core settings. Be careful when editing the registry, as mistakes can cause computer problems, so only proceed if you’re comfortable.

Editing the Windows Registry carries risks. If you are uncomfortable editing the registry, please use Option One. Always back up your registry before making changes. This website assumes no responsibility for problems arising from registry edits.

Step 1Open Registry Editor

To begin editing the Windows Registry, you first need to open the Registry Editor tool. Press the Windows key and R together to bring up the Run box. Then, type ‘regedit’ into the box and press Enter or click OK. You might need to click ‘Yes’ on a User Account Control prompt.

1. Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type regedit and press Enter or click OK.
3. If a User Account Control (UAC) box appears asking for permission, click Yes to let the Registry Editor make changes.

Step 2Go to the Correct Registry Location

The Registry Editor organizes settings in a folder-like structure. To find the setting for Peek, you need to navigate to a specific location. In the left panel of the Registry Editor window, click through the folders until you reach this exact path: 🗝️HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\DWMcopy.

In the left side of the Registry Editor window, click on the folders to open them until you reach this path:HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\DWM

To get there, you might need to click the arrow next to folders to expand them. For example, click the arrow next to HKEY_CURRENT_USER, then find and click Software, then Microsoft, and finally Windows. When you click on Windows, look for the DWM folder in the list and click on it.

Step 3Change the EnableAeroPeek Setting

You can control the Peek feature in Windows 11 from the DWM folder. In the list of settings on the right side, find the setting named 'EnableAeroPeek.' Double-click 'EnableAeroPeek' to open its settings. To turn Peek on, change the 'Value data' to 1. To turn Peek off, change the 'Value data' to 0.

To Turn Peek On (Set Value to 1):

1. In the right side of the window, look for a setting named EnableAeroPeek.
2. If you see it, double-click on it.
3. A window will pop up. In the “Value data” box, change the number from 0 to 1.
4. Click OK.

If EnableAeroPeek does not exist:

1. 🖱️ Right-click on an empty spot in the right side of the window.
2. Choose New, then choose DWORD (32-bit) Value.
3. Name the new setting exactly EnableAeroPeek.
4. Double-click the new EnableAeroPeek setting you just created.
5. Set its “Value data” to 1.
6. Click OK.

To Turn Peek Off (Set Value to 0):

1. In the right side of the window, look for a setting named EnableAeroPeek.
2. If you see it, double-click on it.
3. In the pop-up window, change the “Value data” from 1 to 0.
4. Click OK.

If “EnableAeroPeek” doesn’t exist, you typically don’t need to do anything to turn Peek off. If it’s missing or set to 0, it’s typically off by default. However, if you want to be sure it’s off, you can create it as described above and set its value to 0.

Step 4Apply the Changes

🔄 Restart your computer after closing the Registry Editor for registry changes to fully take effect. Once your computer has restarted, test the Peek feature by moving your mouse to the right side of 🖥️ the taskbar. The Peek feature should now work as you set the Peek feature in the registry.

1. Close the Registry Editor.
2. 🔄 Restart your computer.

After your computer restarts, test the Peek feature. It should now work according to the setting you changed in the Registry.

Summary

Peek is a Windows feature for quickly previewing your desktop or apps. You can easily turn Peek on or off using the Visual Effects settings by checking or unchecking the ‘Enable Peek’ box. For advanced users, Peek can also be managed by changing the ‘EnableAeroPeek’ value in the Registry Editor.