Classic Shell: Forum

Microsoft Windows 7 doesn't allow us to toggle thumbnails for a folder.

I want them off most of the time for performance.

Occasionally I want them on.

I could live with a per folder setting.

I absolutely do not want thumbnails on by default.
and sometimes I want them in folders that I didn't want it on earlier

Thumbnails can be either on or off for everything. But you can do some tweaking so toggling thumbnails on and off becomes easier from any folder.

Here's how to add "Toggle thumbnails" to background context menu:

You can use VBScript and tweak the registry to add a command to toggle thumbnails from the context menu. Download this ZIP file: http://www.classicshell.net/forum/download/file.php?id=1299 and extract ToggleThumbs.vbs to your C:\Windows folder. Then double click to merge ToggleThumbs.reg into the Registry. You will get a context menu item called "Toggle thumbnails" when you right click the empty background of a folder or a Library.

How to add Classic Explorer toolbar button to toggle thumbnails:
Instead of merging the REG file for getting a context menu, you can also copy the above ToggleThumbs VBS file to C:\Windows and then create a custom toolbar button on the Classic Explorer toolbar whose command is:

wscript.exe "%WinDir%\togglethumbs.vbs"

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I am a Windows enthusiast and did Classic Shell's testing and usability/UX feedback.

Since this topic is about folder thumbnails, I ask permission to extend it for the customization of folder thumbnails the same way as was done in XP. I suggest this feature for future Classic Explorer: let the user choose a thumbnail to quickly identify your images folder, instead of the horrible, counterproductive and non-Customizable inclined folders of Windows 7. This configuration should allow the same behavior to display four thumbnails in one folder if a thumbnail is not chosen, organizing them according to the latest use, as it is in XP.

I do not know how many hours and unnecessary clicks I've already wasted to get in and get out of folders to find out if my visual projects are within them.