How to Disable ToolTips for Minimize, Maximize, and Close (186385)

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WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys And Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it.

To disable the ToolTips that are displayed when you move the mouse pointer over the Minimize, Maximize or Close buttons, use Registry Editor to modify the "UserPreferencemask" value in the following key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\desktop

Make note of the value. (For example: ae 00 00 00)

Double-click the UserPreferencemask entry. Under Value Data, the cursor is in front of the first value (for example from above: ae). For the first number or letter, see below for the correct value to use in the next step (the second number/letter remain the same):

   If first is "8", use "0" (number 0)
   If first is "9", use "1"
   If first is "a", use "2"
   If first is "b", use "3"
   If first is "c", use "4"
   If first is "d", use "5"
   If first is "e", use "6"
				

Type in the correct first number, and then type the second number/letter. The original first value is moved to the right. Press delete to remove the original value.

NOTE: The original value must be deleted.

   For example: "ae 00 00 00"  would now be  "2e 00 00 00"
				

Restart your computer.

NOTE: If Profiles are enabled, the "UserPreferencemask" value for the .Default user may also need to changed. The key containing this is:

HKEY_USERS\.Default\Control Panel\desktop



NOTE: On Windows 2000, some 16-bit applications may experience access violations in WOW32.DLL if ToolTips are enabled for the Minimize, Maximize and Close buttons. As a workaround for this problem, use the method described above to disable ToolTips on Windows 2000. For more information, see the following Knowledge Base article: