Windows 7 Thumbnail in Toolbar Won't Enlarge

[greggfiller]

Windows 7 Professional: The Thumbnail feature in my Toolbar is no longer functioning correctly. When you hover over the icon of the program in question, it still shows

the small icons of which windows are open, but when you hover over an individual small icon, it no longer flashes the temporary large screen version of that window.

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like the thumbnail preview feature in your Windows 7 Professional taskbar is not working as expected. Here are some steps you can try to troubleshoot and hopefully resolve the issue:

Troubleshooting Steps for Thumbnail Previews Issue in Windows 7 Professional:​

1. Check Taskbar Settings:
   • Right-click on an empty area of the taskbar.
   • Select "Properties."
   • In the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties window, make sure that the "Use Aero Peek to preview the desktop" option is checked under the "Taskbar" tab.
   []Re-enable Aero Peek:
   • If Aero Peek is disabled, re-enabling it may restore the thumbnail preview feature.
   []Restart Windows Explorer:
   • Sometimes restarting the Windows Explorer process can resolve issues with taskbar features. To do this:
     • Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.
     • In the "Processes" tab, right-click on "Windows Explorer" and choose "Restart."
   []Check for Windows Updates:
   • Ensure that your Windows 7 system is up to date by checking for and installing any available updates.
   []Update Graphics Drivers:
   • Outdated or corrupted graphics drivers can cause display issues. Visit the manufacturer's website of your graphics card to download and install the latest drivers.
   []Disable and Re-enable Thumbnail Previews:
   • Sometimes toggling the thumbnail preview feature off and on can reset it.
     • Go to the System Properties window again.
     • Uncheck the box for "Use Aero Peek," apply changes, then re-enable it and check its behavior.
   []Run System File Checker (SFC):
   • SFC can scan and repair corrupted system files that might be causing the issue. Open a Command Prompt as an administrator and run:

      sfc /scannow

   []Check for Malware:
   • Malware can sometimes interfere with system features. Run a full scan using your antivirus software to ensure your system is clean.
   []Create a New User Profile:
   • Create a new user account and see if the thumbnail preview works correctly there. If it does, the issue may be related to your user profile.
2. Restore to a Previous Restore Point:
   • If the issue started recently, you can try restoring your system to a previous restore point where the feature was working correctly.

     Additional Note:​

     If these steps do not resolve the issue, please provide more details about when the problem started occurring or any recent changes you made to your system, which might have triggered this behavior. Let me know if you need further assistance!