Windows 7 is great and has all sorts of new and quirky little features that can make your computer life a little easier, or at least a little more fun – or frustrating.

Why should you consider disabling this feature?

For instance, there is a new feature which let’s you minimize all windows except the one you are working in, simply with a shake of the mouse.  It’s called the Aero Shake feature and it can be a great tool to cut through the clutter quickly and with one hand.

With a shake and jiggle of your mouse, all other windows close.  It’s great, because you don’t have to “X out” of every window you have opened.  Another shake, and “pop” they are all back again!  Efficient true – and it’s a new use for the old mouse.  But, although it’s intriguing, if you don’t like it, it can drive you crazy.  It’s not for everyone, that’s for sure.  Would if you tend to be shaky (or had a rough night)?  You will have windows popping in and out all over the place.

Or maybe you just think that some things just don’t need more improvements, and clicking on an “X” in the upper right corner really isn’t that big a deal.  Plus you just like to be in control of your own windows experience – you know what you want left open and what you want to close, and you don’t want your mouse to have so much power.

It’s not too difficult to disable Aero Shake, although it seems Microsoft might have just put a little icon somewhere – like that little paperclip in “Works”.  Well, maybe they will do that in the next version of Windows.  But for now, you need to follow some simple steps to stop the shaking feature and get back to basics:

Disabling Aero Shake
Disable Aero Shake:

  • Open your Start Menu and type in gpedit.msc in the search field, hit enter.
  • You will be brought to the Group Policy Editor.
  • Go to User Configuration>Administrative Templates>Desktop.
  • Browse through until you find the option named “Turn off Aero Shake”.
  • Right click on “Turn off Aero Shake” and select “disable”.
  • Aero Shake should now be disabled, although you may have to re-start your computer for it to go into effect.

It is truly amazing the new features that are invented and created to improve the old steps you never even knew needed improving.  Microsoft continues to come up with interesting little options to keep you on your toes.  Fortunately, they also offer you the option of staying status-quo.

But if, someday you miss shaking your mouse to close your windows, just repeat the above steps and re-enable to feature.  And then “Shake-Shake-Shake to your hearts desire!