How to Delay or Disable Windows 11 Tooltips: GUI, Registry, and Taskbar

Tooltips — those little pop-up text boxes that appear when you hover over files, folders, desktop shortcuts, or taskbar icons — are designed to give quick context, but for many Windows 11 users they become intrusive and disruptive; this guide explains every practical method to delay, disable, or limit tooltips on Windows 11, shows the exact Registry edits and Settings toggles involved, and weighs the benefits and risks so you can choose the safest approach for your setup. (thewindowsclub.com)

Background / Overview​

Tooltips (also called infotips or pop-up descriptions) show metadata such as file size, creation date, or shortcut target when you hover the cursor over an item in File Explorer or on the desktop. Windows 11 also uses hover-driven UI elements elsewhere — most notably the taskbar hover cards and jump lists — which are controlled separately from Explorer tooltips.
Historically, these behaviors have been controlled by a mix of Folder Options (GUI) settings and Registry values. Some of the older GUI toggles have been moved or removed in recent Windows 11 builds, meaning Registry edits are sometimes the only reliable route to change tooltip behavior across versions. (ghacks.net) (elevenforum.com)

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What changes you can make (quick summary)​

• Disable Explorer tooltips (file/folder/desktop infotips) using File Explorer Options (Folder Options) — immediate and reversible. (thewindowsclub.com)
• Delay tooltip popups by changing the MouseHoverTime value (Registry) so tooltips appear only after a longer hover. (winaero.com)
• Remove file/folder tooltips entirely by setting ShowInfoTip to 0 in the Registry. (elevenforum.com)
• Disable taskbar hover cards (jump lists / inactive app previews) from Settings > Personalization > Taskbar or via the JumplistOnHover Registry value. (pureinfotech.com, elevenforum.com)

Each method targets a different hover UI: Explorer infotips, mouse hover sensitivity, or taskbar hover cards. The instructions below cover safety, step-by-step commands, and how to undo changes.

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Why tooltips can be a problem​

Tooltips are helpful for casual users and accessibility scenarios, but they can cause real issues for power users and creatives:

• They obscure interface elements and content when they appear frequently.
• They can trigger by accident during tight mouse movements, interrupting workflows.
• They reveal metadata or paths you may prefer not to display in shared screenshots or screen recordings.
• Changes in Windows 11’s Settings UI mean GUI switches may disappear, so a previously simple toggle can vanish in newer updates. (ghacks.net)

Because these behaviors live in different parts of the system, a single change won’t remove all popups — you must pick the set of changes that match the nuisances you see.

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Section: Disable Explorer tooltips (easy, GUI)​

What this does​

Unchecks the Folder Options setting labeled Show pop-up description for folder and desktop items, which prevents Explorer from showing infotips for files, folders and desktop shortcuts.

Steps (GUI)​

• Open File Explorer (Win + E).
• Click the menu (three dots) in the toolbar and choose Options to open Folder Options.
• In Folder Options, go to the View tab.
• Scroll the advanced list and uncheck Show pop-up description for folder and desktop items.
• Click Apply and OK, then test by hovering over a folder or desktop shortcut.

This is the fastest and least risky method. On some Windows 11 builds the option may be missing from the GUI; if so, use the Registry method below. (thewindowsclub.com, allthings.how)

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Section: Disable Explorer tooltips (Registry) — exact keys and values​

Why use the Registry?​

If your Windows build removed the Folder Options checkbox or you need to deploy a setting across many machines (scripts/Group Policy), Registry edits are the persistent route.

Key to edit​

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

• Value name: ShowInfoTip
• Value type: DWORD (32-bit)
• Value data: 0 to disable tooltips, 1 to enable them (default).

How to do it (manual)​

• Press Win + R, type regedit, press Enter.
• Navigate to the key above.
• If ShowInfoTip does not exist, right-click the right pane → New → DWORD (32-bit) Value → name it ShowInfoTip.
• Double-click it and set Value data = 0 (hex or decimal).
• Restart Explorer (Task Manager → find Windows Explorer → Right-click → Restart) or sign out and sign in.

This Registry setting directly controls the Explorer infotips. Many community guides and Windows-focused tutorials use the same key/value. (elevenforum.com, ninjaone.com)

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Section: Delay tooltips instead of turning them off (MouseHoverTime)​

What this does​

Delaying the hover time reduces accidental popups by requiring the cursor to remain still longer before a tooltip appears. This is a compromise: tooltips remain available when you need them but won’t trigger during brief mouse passes.

Registry location and type​

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Mouse

• Value name: MouseHoverTime
• Value type: String (REG_SZ)
• Units: milliseconds (default on most systems is 400 ms).

Authoritative testing and multiple Windows guides list the default as 400 ms and explain that the value is measured in milliseconds; setting a higher number makes tooltips appear later. If you encounter a guide that lists an odd default (for example, a claim of “10”), treat that as a unit mismatch or editorial error — reputable sources and the Registry behavior itself use milliseconds with a default of 400. (winaero.com, thewindowsclub.com)

How to change MouseHoverTime​

• Open regedit and go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Mouse.
• Double-click MouseHoverTime (create a new String value if it doesn't exist).
• Enter a new value in milliseconds — for example, 1000 (1 second) or 2000 (2 seconds) to significantly delay popups.
• Click OK and either sign out/sign in or reboot to apply.

Practical guidance​

• If you currently see tooltips too often, try 1000 first.
• If you want virtually no accidental popups, choose 2000–5000, but be aware that long hover times may make intentional tooltips less useful.
• To restore default behavior, set MouseHoverTime back to 400 or delete the value. (winaero.com, clickthis.blog)

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Section: Disable taskbar hover cards and jump lists​

Tooltips for Explorer are separate from taskbar hover cards (the preview cards or jump lists that appear when you hover over pinned or inactive taskbar apps). If the annoyance is taskbar-related, adjust these settings.

GUI method​

• Open Settings (Win + I) → Personalization → Taskbar → Taskbar behaviors.
• Uncheck Show hover cards for inactive and pinned taskbar apps (or similar phrasing).
• Close Settings; changes apply immediately.

Registry alternative​

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

• Value name: JumplistOnHover (DWORD)
• 0 = disable, 1 = enable

Create or edit JumplistOnHover and set to 0, then restart Explorer. Many Windows 11 help guides and community posts document both the GUI toggle and this registry DWORD. (pureinfotech.com, elevenforum.com)

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Section: Automation and scripting (for power users and admins)​

If you manage multiple PCs, you can push the changes with a .reg file or PowerShell.

Example .reg snippets​

Disable Explorer infotips (.reg):

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
"ShowInfoTip"=dword:00000000

Delay MouseHoverTime (.reg):

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Mouse]
"MouseHoverTime"="1000"

Disable taskbar hover (.reg):

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
"JumplistOnHover"=dword:00000000

Double-clicking the file will merge it into the Registry (UAC prompts will appear). After applying, restart Explorer or sign out.

PowerShell (one-liners)​

Set ShowInfoTip off and restart Explorer:

• Run PowerShell as administrator:
  

  Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" -Name "ShowInfoTip" -Value 0 -Type DWord
  Stop-Process -Name explorer -Force
  Start-Process explorer

Set MouseHoverTime to 1000 ms:
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKCU:\Control Panel\Mouse" -Name "MouseHoverTime" -Value "1000" -Type String
These commands can be deployed via endpoint management tools for enterprise environments. (ninjaone.com, thewindowsclub.com)

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Section: Safety, rollback, and troubleshooting​

Always back up before you edit the Registry​

• Create a System Restore point or export the Registry subtree you’ll edit.
• Mistakes in the Registry can affect system behavior; follow the exact keys and value names provided.

How to roll back​

• Re-enable the GUI checkbox in Folder Options (if you used GUI).
• Delete the Registry value you created or set the value back to the documented defaults (ShowInfoTip=1, MouseHoverTime="400", JumplistOnHover=1).
• Restart Explorer or reboot.

Troubleshooting tips​

• If changes don’t appear to take effect, restart Windows Explorer or sign out and sign in. Some settings require a full reboot. (elevenforum.com, thewindowsclub.com)
• If a GUI option is missing because Microsoft removed it from Folder Options in a given build, use the Registry key instead — community documentation confirms that some options were removed from the Folder Options UI but remain available via Registry. (ghacks.net)

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Section: Common confusions and a word about units​

A few published guides and forum posts sometimes list odd default numbers or use different units. The reliable, repeatable behavior is:

• MouseHoverTime is a REG_SZ string containing a number in milliseconds; the common default across modern Windows builds is 400 (0.4 seconds). Multiple Windows documentation sources and practical tests confirm this value. Setting a larger numeric string increases the delay. (winaero.com, thewindowsclub.com)
• ShowInfoTip is a DWORD; 1 = enabled (show infotips), 0 = disabled. (elevenforum.com)

If you see an article that says the default MouseHoverTime is 10, that likely reflects a unit mismatch or editorial error; always confirm with the registry on your machine or authoritative Windows guides before relying on such a number. The Guiding Tech article the user referenced contains an instruction mentioning a default value of “10”; treat that as suspicious and prefer the registry-backed default of 400 ms unless you confirm your system shows a different default. (winaero.com)

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Section: Strengths and limitations of each approach​

Disable via Folder Options (GUI)​

• Strengths: Fast, safe, reversible, no Registry editing.
• Limitations: Option may be absent in newer Windows 11 builds; affects only Explorer infotips, not taskbar hover cards. (thewindowsclub.com, ghacks.net)

Set ShowInfoTip = 0 (Registry)​

• Strengths: Works when GUI option is missing; scriptable for mass deployment.
• Limitations: Only affects Explorer infotips; does not change mouse hover timing or taskbar behavior. Requires careful Registry edits and restart. (elevenforum.com)

Change MouseHoverTime (Registry)​

• Strengths: Allows precise delay tuning — a good middle ground if you want tooltips but not accidental ones.
• Limitations: Units are milliseconds — pick values carefully. Some apps may treat hover behavior differently, so it’s not a universal “stop everything” control. (winaero.com)

Disable taskbar hover cards (Settings or JumplistOnHover)​

• Strengths: Directly targets taskbar jump-list annoyance. GUI toggle is user-friendly; Registry is scriptable.
• Limitations: Does not affect Explorer infotips. Some Windows builds may change the toggle’s location or label. (pureinfotech.com, elevenforum.com)

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Recommended workflows (based on how severe the annoyance is)​

• Mild annoyance (occasional popups): Increase MouseHoverTime to 1000 ms to reduce accidental triggers while keeping tooltips available for intentional hovers. (clickthis.blog)
• Frequent interruption by Explorer infotips: Disable ShowInfoTip via Folder Options or the Registry (ShowInfoTip = 0). Re-enable later if needed. (thewindowsclub.com, elevenforum.com)
• Taskbar-specific hover problems: Toggle Show hover cards for inactive and pinned taskbar apps off in Settings or set JumplistOnHover = 0 in the Registry. (pureinfotech.com)
• Enterprise/managed devices: Deploy .reg or PowerShell changes via your management tool and include a rollback script.

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Final notes, cautions, and future-proofing​

• Windows 11 UI elements and Settings layouts evolve between feature updates. Some Folder Options items have been removed from the GUI but remain in the Registry; when a GUI toggle disappears, Registry keys offer a reliable fallback. Keep this in mind when updating Windows or creating documentation for other users. (ghacks.net)
• Always verify the actual Registry values on a test machine before mass deployment. For example, check your system’s current MouseHoverTime by opening regedit and reading HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Mouse\MouseHoverTime. Defaults may vary by OEM customizations or local policies. (flylib.com)
• If you are uncomfortable editing the registry, use the GUI methods when available, or ask an administrator to assist. Backups and restore points are essential; never skip them.

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Tooltips and hover UIs are split across different subsystems in Windows 11, so removing the nuisance completely can require targeted changes rather than one blanket setting. The combination of Folder Options, the ShowInfoTip DWORD, the MouseHoverTime string, and the taskbar’s JumplistOnHover value gives you precise control: delay tooltips so they only appear when you intend, or disable them entirely where they impede your work. The methods above are the practical, field-tested ways Windows users and administrators employ to turn off or tame tooltips on Windows 11. (thewindowsclub.com, pureinfotech.com)

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Conclusion
If tooltips are interrupting your workflow, start with the least invasive solution: uncheck the Folder Options checkbox or increase MouseHoverTime to a sensible value like 1000 ms. If the issue is strictly taskbar-related, disable hover cards via Taskbar Behaviors or set JumplistOnHover to 0. For full removal of Explorer infotips, set ShowInfoTip to 0 in the Registry — but always back up first and be ready to revert. These tweaks are simple, reversible, and let you reclaim screen real estate and focus without sacrificing the occasional helpful popup when you actually want it. (thewindowsclub.com, winaero.com, elevenforum.com)

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Source: Guiding Tech How to Disable Windows 11 Tooltips on Hover