Adding Flip 3D to the Windows 7 Taskbar | Windows 7 News Page 1 of 7

Adding Flip 3D to the Windows 7 taskbar | Windows 7 News Page 1 of 7

• Home • • About • Advertise • Archives • Directory • Help Forum • Site Map

Search Windows 7 News Microsoft Windows 7 News & Tips

• Buy Windows 7 • Windows 7 FAQ ◦ Windows 7 Features ◦ Windows 7 Games ◦ Windows 7 Home Basic ◦ Windows 7 Home Premium ◦ Windows 7 Professional ◦ Windows 7 Starter ◦ Windows 7 Ultimate • Windows 7 Screenshots ◦ Windows 7 Videos ◦ Windows 8 Screenshots ◦ Windows 8 Videos • Windows 7 Themes ◦ Windows 7 Themes For Vista ◦ Windows 7 Themes For XP ◦ Windows 8 Themes • Windows 7 Wallpapers ◦ Windows 8 Wallpapers • Guides ◦ How To ◦ Modding ◦ Tools & Tips • Windows 7 News ◦ Builds ◦ Business ◦ Discussion ◦ Featured ◦ Forum ◦ Hardware ◦ Marketing ◦ Misc ◦ Rumours ◦ Security ◦ Software ◦ Updates ◦ utilities ◦ Windows 7 Launch ◦ Windows 7 Media ◦ Windows 7 Media Center ◦ Windows 7 Screenshots ◦ Windows 7 Server ◦ windows 7 themes ◦ Windows 7 Utilities ◦ Windows 7 Videos ◦ windows 7 wallpaper ◦ Windows 8 • Windows 8 News Adding Flip 3D to the Windows 7 taskbar

Jason | Nov 01, 2009 | Comments

Tip: Click here to Improve Windows Speed & Performance with Free Scan

Some of our readers may read the title and say, “Flip 3D is already in Windows 7 ″ and this is true, so I am technically not showing you how to add it to Windows, but instead, how to find it and add it to the taskbar. Now that we’ve sorted through that, I wanted to explain why I am dedicating an article to a small feature such as Flip 3D. It’s simple, I was very pleased when I first used Windows Vista and saw Flip 3D for the first time. It signified an actual

http://windows7news.com/2009/11/01/adding-flip-3d-to-the-windows-7-taskbar/ 11/15/2009 Adding Flip 3D to the Windows 7 taskbar | Windows 7 News Page 2 of 7

visual change to the UI. Of course, the toolbar and start button were redone a bit, but Flip 3D created a 3D style that we had not yet seen in Windows and when I first got my hands on Windows 7, I was suprised to find that it was missing and replaced with the normal, boring, alt-tab windows switcher.

I had assumed that because Flip 3D had been removed from the quick launch menu, that it had been removed from the OS altogether. After finally giving up on Flip 3D, I installed the actual drivers for my mouse, which is a Microsoft Comfort Optical Mouse 3000. The software that came with the mouse gave options for button assignments for both Flip and Flip 3D, I thought this was a mistake. After assigning the button and pressing it, I was suprised to see that Flip 3D was still in Windows 7. That’s my introduction, and this is how to find it:

1. Right-click on your desktop, select New , and then select Shortcut .

2. In the location field, type C:\Windows\System32\rundll32.exe dwmapi #105 (assuming that Windows is installed on C:)

3. Click Next , and then type Window Switcher for the shortcut name, then press Finish .

4. Right-click on the Window Switcher shortcut that you just created and then click on Properties .

5. Click on the Change Icon… button.

6. In the Look for icons in this file field type %SYSTEMROOT%\system32\imageres.dll , and then press Enter.

7. Select the first icon and then click on OK .

8. Click on OK to dismiss the properties dialog.

9. Drag the Window Switcher shortcut from your desktop onto the taskbar.

(Note: Flip 3D will only work if Aero is enabled. You can also access Flip 3D by using Windows Key +Tab )

Yes, I really did just write an article on how to do this. I’m sure some people may find Flip 3D absolutely useless, but I bet there are at least a few users that were like me and wondered why Microsoft got rid of or hid a feature such as this.

10 tweets

retweet

Need Windows 7 Help? Visit the Windows 7 Forum for FREE help

Subscribe To RSS Feed Updates (What is RSS??)

«« Bumptop a 3 Dimensional Desktop For Windows 7 So much for Product Loyalty! »»

Related Posts Daily Popular

• Modifying Windows 7’s Taskbar • Windows 7 Wallpapers • Shortcut To Create New Folders In Windows 7 • Windows 7 Themes • A Closer Look at: The Windows 7 Taskbar -Part 2 • Windows 7 Screenshots • The Windows 7 Taskbar • 101 Unofficial Windows 7 Wallpapers • Tweak The Windows 7 Taskbar With Taskbar Overlord • More Ways To Speedup Windows 7 • Display Icons And Text In The Windows 7 Taskbar • Windows 7 Theme for Windows XP • The Ultimate Guide to: Windows 7 Aero • New Official Windows 7 Featured Themes And Wallpapers • New Official Windows 7 International Themes And Wallpapers • Enable Or Disable The Windows 7 Administrator Account • The Copenhagen Concept – The Next User Interface for Windows 8?

Filed Under : Guides • How To • Tools & Tips

Tags : Aero FLip • flip 3d • Windows 7 • Windows 7 Feature Walkthroughs • windows 7 flip • windows 7 taskbar

Bookmark & Share

10 Digg submit tweets to submit reddit retweet

http://windows7news.com/2009/11/01/adding-flip-3d-to-the-windows-7-taskbar/ 11/15/2009 Adding Flip 3D to the Windows 7 taskbar | Windows 7 News Page 3 of 7

About the Author : Jason Lefevers is currently doing website support for nine different insurance companies and spends time building custom computers and helping friends and family with their computer-related issues. He has a Bachelors degree in History and Political Science and has been working on a Graduate degree on and off for a few years. He'll hopefully have a website up soon, as it's a work in progress.

Showing 8 of 8 comments

Sort by Oldest first Subscribe by email Subscribe by RSS

•

Jonathan 11/01/2009 08:55 AM

Flip 3D is WinKey+Tab or Ctrl+WinKey+Tab. BUt thatnks for how to add it to the taskbar, I can never see what programs are actaully on the Alt+Tab, which is why I use Flip 3D Flag Like Reply Reply •

Zagorath 11/01/2009 09:33 AM

Interesting. I for one never knew it could be accessed in any way other than Win+Tab, which is the simplest way to access it, for me. Flag Like Reply Reply •

colin 11/01/2009 01:10 PM

I'm surprised how long it took you to realise Flip 3D is still in Windows 7, when it is only Win+Tab away. Flag Like Reply Reply •

GabeF 11/01/2009 06:20 PM

Flip 3D was never hidden in Windows 7. It was always win+tab to bring it up just like in Vista and alt+tab for regular flip just like in Vista. If I had to use an icon in the taskbar to bring up Flip 3D then I would never use it because it so much faster to do alt+tab. Flag Like Reply Reply •

nk 11/01/2009 07:01 PM

You could use %systemroot% in step 2 the same way you did in step 6. The shortcut provided with Windows Vista is also available on Windows 7's quick launch location although, as you know, Windows 7 removed the quick launch bar completely. The location is: %appdata%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\

I find it easier to switch windows using [Alt]+[Tab] on Windows 7 since it reveals the contents of the window if you stop for a brief moment before releasing Alt. It's way better than Flip3D because it clears the other windows from screen and it doesn't flip that window sideways which makes it harder to see. That feature wasn't available on Windows Vista, unfortunately. Flag Like Reply Reply •

http://windows7news.com/2009/11/01/adding-flip-3d-to-the-windows-7-taskbar/ 11/15/2009 Adding Flip 3D to the Windows 7 taskbar | Windows 7 News Page 4 of 7

markrushworth 11/01/2009 09:05 PM

I've never been a massive fan of this style of task switcher, sure windows 7 one is better than the old xp style but im more of a task manager jockey :) Flag Like Reply Reply •

BleedingEdge 11/04/2009 10:43 PM

Actually if you hold down WINK+TAB and use the scroll wheel on the mouse you can flip through open apps quickly enough to induce motion sickness... Flag Like Reply Reply •

satyadev 11/05/2009 07:25 AM

hi Jason.. thanks for uploading gr8 stuff. can u help me? how can we restore the ''new text document'' option in the right click menu..It is missing from the option. I m using the windows 7 ultimate. pls help ... Flag Like Reply Reply

Add New Comment

You are commenting as a Guest . Optional: Login below.

• • • • •

Type your comment here.

Name Website (optional) Subscribe to all comments by email ▼

Email • Subscribe to all comments by email • Do not subscribe to comments

Post as Guest

Reactions

•

TonicLime 11/01/2009 07:31 AM

From twitter via BackType

http://windows7news.com/2009/11/01/adding-flip-3d-to-the-windows-7-taskbar/ 11/15/2009 Adding Flip 3D to the Windows 7 taskbar | Windows 7 News Page 5 of 7

Adding Flip 3D to the Windows 7 taskbar http://bit.ly/eQJio •

dom1n1k 11/01/2009 07:08 AM

From twitter via BackType Adding Flip 3D to the Windows 7 taskbar: Some of our readers may read the title and say, “Flip 3D is alre.. http://bit.ly/eQJio •

sheeeng 11/01/2009 06:42 AM

From twitter via BackType Adding Flip 3D to the Windows 7 taskbar via @EvertonBlair http://ow.ly/yewO #win7 #win7my •

appcraft2 11/01/2009 06:37 AM

From twitter via BackType Adding Flip 3D to the Windows 7 taskbar: Some of our readers may read the title and say, “Flip 3D is alre.. http://bit.ly/2RnLxo •

sheeeng 11/01/2009 06:30 AM

From twitter via BackType Adding Flip 3D to the Windows 7 taskbar via @EvertonBlair http://ow.ly/yelu #win7 @win7my •

EvertonBlair 11/01/2009 06:23 AM

From twitter via BackType One more retweet from Everton Blair Adding Flip 3D to the Windows 7 taskbar http://is.gd/4JPxt •

Francis West 11/01/2009 02:04 AM

From twitter via UberVU FWCS Windows 7 Adding Flip 3D to the Windows 7 taskbar - Windows 7 News (blog): Adding Flip 3D to.. http://bit.ly/1H37as •

FWCS_ITSupport 11/01/2009 02:03 AM

From twitter via UberVU Windows 7 News Adding Flip 3D to the Windows 7 taskbar - Windows 7 News (blog): Adding Flip 3D to.. http://bit.ly/1H37as

Trackbacks

Trackback URL http://windows7news.com/2009/11/01/adding

• Adding Flip 3D to the Windows 7 taskbar | Windows 7 News : News IT

11/01/2009 05:10 AM

[...] Continue reading here: Adding Flip 3D to the Windows 7 taskbar | Windows 7 News [...]

• Add Flip 3D to Windows 7 Taskbar

11/06/2009 04:43 PM

[...] Since Flip 3D is essentially just an app, same can be done with it, too using following steps (Note: ...

blog comments powered by Disqus

• ◦ Subscribe & Translate ◦ Guides ◦ Archives

RSS Feed | Comments Feed

Get the latest updates via email:

enter email address Subscribe

http://windows7news.com/2009/11/01/adding-flip-3d-to-the-windows-7-taskbar/ 11/15/2009 Adding Flip 3D to the Windows 7 taskbar | Windows 7 News Page 6 of 7

Select Language Powered by Translate • • Windows 7 Buyers Guide

Find right Windows 7 version for you

• Latest Posts

grab this · electronics blog View All Posts • Current Poll

Did Your Windows 7 Pre -Order Arrive On Launch Day?

◦ Polls Archive • • Recent Comments ◦ People ◦ Recent ◦ Popular

Top Commenters

◦ chieftain20 1 · 28 posts

◦ Sean Higgins 1 · 48 posts

http://windows7news.com/2009/11/01/adding-flip-3d-to-the-windows-7-taskbar/ 11/15/2009 Adding Flip 3D to the Windows 7 taskbar | Windows 7 News Page 7 of 7

◦ yolarrydabomb 1 · 41 posts

◦ Michael Lankton 1 · 33 posts

• Latest Windows 8 News ◦ Ten Items On My Windows 8 Wishlist ◦ Windows 8’s Known Knowns ◦ Download 1250 Windows 8 Wallpapers ◦ Join Windows 8 Forum Today For More News ◦ Windows 8 will mark 30 years since the home computer revolution • Need Help? Register Now In Our Free Forum! ◦ Latest Windows 7 News: Using Windows Easy Transfer ◦ Latest Windows 7 News: Microsoft to sell advertising space on your desktop ◦ Latest Windows 7 News: Windows8News.com: Windows 8 Wishlist ◦ Latest Windows 7 News: Microsoft Investigating into Windows 7 Zero-Day Threat ◦ Latest Windows 7 News: Apologies Windows 7 Forum Is Down • gHacks Top Stories ◦ Backup Software ◦ Facebook Login ◦ Windows ◦ Windows Backup Software ◦ Windows Defender • Editors ◦ Everton Blair ◦ Martin Brinkmann ◦ Mike Halsey ◦ Mustafa Mohamed ◦ Robert Bernard ◦ Sean Higgins ◦ Andrew ◦ George Garza ◦ Robert ◦ John Campbell ◦ Jason

• • Connected Internet Top Stories ◦ Speed Up Windows 7 ◦ Faster Windows 7 ◦ HD Wallpapers ◦ Watch Champions League Online ◦ Speed Up Vista ◦ Broadband Speed Test • Partners ◦ AskVG.com ◦ Brothersoft Blog ◦ Connected Internet ◦ Free Directory ◦ I Think Different ◦ Mike Halsey ◦ One Tip A Day ◦ Technology News ◦ Windows 8 ◦ Windows Directory ◦ windows7update.com Resources

◦ Official Windows 7 Site

http://windows7news.com/2009/11/01/adding-flip-3d-to-the-windows-7-taskbar/ 11/15/2009