Registry: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

Show hidden files and file extensions

This is a batch file that modifies the registry values such that hidden files and filename extensions are shown in the explorer:

@reg add HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced /t REG_DWORD /v Hidden           /d 1 /f 1>nul
@reg add HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced /t REG_DWORD /v HideFileExt      /d 0 /f 1>nul
@reg add HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced /t REG_DWORD /v ShowSupperHidden /d 1 /f 1>nul

Github repository about-Windows-Registry, path: /HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Explorer/Advanced/show-all-files.bat

The same functionality, but as PowerShell script:

$null = set-itemProperty HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced Hidden          1  #  default = 2?
$null = set-itemProperty HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced HideFileExt     0  #  default = 1?
$null = set-itemProperty HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced ShowSuperHidden 1  #  default = 0?

Github repository about-Windows-Registry, path: /HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Explorer/Advanced/show-all-files.ps1

Don't show Edge tabs when alt-tabbing

Windows shows the three most recent tabs of Edge when alt-tabbing. This is rather distracting and can be turned off by setting MultitaskingAltTabFilter to 3:

$null = set-itemProperty HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced -name MultiTaskingAltTabFilter -type dWord -value 3

Github repository about-Windows-Registry, path: /HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Explorer/Advanced/dont-show-Edge-tabs.ps1

This value influences alt-tabbing as follows:

0 = Open windows and all tabs in Edge
1 = Open windows and the 5 most recent tabs in Edge
2 = Open windows and the 3 most recent tabs in Edge
3 = Open windows

Update 2025-07-16, Windows 11 (24H2): Even after restarting Edge with following commands, the behavior did not change. I had to logoff and login again for this modification to have the desired effect.

PS: C:\> get-process msedge | stop-process
PS: C:\>  & "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe"

TODO

Some values found under this registry key which can be set to 0 or 1 include:

`noNetCrawling`	Doesn't automatically search for network folders and printers.
`folderContentsInfoTip`	Displays file size information in folder tips.
`friendlyTree`	Displays the simple folder view in the shell folder list. (At most one open folder tree?)
`disableThumbnailCache`	Setting this value to 1 turns off thumbnail caching, otherwise, cached thumbnails are stored in `thumbcache*.db` files under `%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer`. Compare with the value of `DisableThumbsDBOnNetworkFolders` under `HKCU:/Software/Policies/Microsoft/Explorer`
`separateProcess`	Launches folder dialogs in separate processes.
`classicViewState`	Represents a set of behaviors that control features such as translucent dialogs.
`persistBrowsers`	Persists each folder's view state.
`showCompColor`	Displays compressed and encrypted NTFS files in color.
`showInfoTip`	Shows pop-up descriptions for folder and desktop items.
`webViewBarricade`	Displays the content of system folders.