TaskswitchXP- Windows Alt Tab Replacement with tab preview

windows alt tab replacementWhen you hit Alt-Tab on your Windows XP computer, you get a rinky dinky little box showing you your open tabs. Press Alt-Tab together now and you’ll see what I mean.

Now a graphical representation of your open programs is OK but a real screenshot or tab preview would be awesome.

How about being able to use your mouse to select open windows after hitting Alt-Tab?

You can achieve something like this with an app called TaskSwitchXP. Let’s take a look at this Windows alt tab replacement program for XP.

alt tab preview xp

TaskSwitchXP uses your Windows Style to make it fit into your theme nicely. By right clicking on a open item in the right pane you see you get a context menu. The context menu lets you do the same things you can from the task manager such as Switch to, Minimize, Minimize To Other Screen as well as Restore, Maximize, Close and my favorite, End Process.

windows alt tab

Below you can see the appearance tab from the configuration console. From here you can choose and customize exactly how your new turbo charged Alt Tab will display. You can choose where on the screen it should appear as well as drop shadow, transparency, fade animation. You can override the settings where it takes on the look and feel of your Windows theme here as well.

Under the preview tab there are even more customizable options for the look and feel of the previews for each open task.

alt tab preview xp

That would make your days of switching between 100′s of open programs a breeze (as long as you have enough memory right?).

This app will not bog down your system and it uses very little system resources and uses less than 1 MB memory!

Unlike the standard Windows switcher, TaskSwitchXP will render using your Windows XP Visual Styles. TaskSwitchXP also allows standard Windows XP shadow and transparency effects, fade animation and more.

So if you want to customize your Alt-Tab experience and optimize your productivity when working with multiple windows then you should check out the download available for free here.

This is a Windows only application and we would love to hear your feedback on how you like it or hate it. What do you think – does it compare to the Vista Alt-Tab/Aero effect? Or is it better? Are you aware of any other Windows Alt Tab replacement program?

Do you use something similar?

Well then what are you waiting for? Share it with us in the comments kiddies!

Tagged: • •

Karl L. Gechlik

Karl L. Gechlik here from AskTheAdmin.com doing a weekly guest blogging spot for our new found friends at MakeUseOf.com. I run my own consulting company, manage AskTheAdmin.com and work a full 9 to 5 job on Wall street as a System Administrator.

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  • Brad Taylor

    I’ve used this program for a while now and I love it. Low resources, and does a lot. For an added bonus it also has minimize to task bar functions which means i don’t need a separate program for that.

    • http://www.askTheAdmin.com Karl L. Gechlik

      I have been using it now for a week and love it! Does anyone have any other similar applications that they use?

  • booboo13alright

    Awesome tool. Thanks!

  • http://www.intowindows.com Windows Guy

    Even I used use this once upon a time. Shifted to Vista back in 2007 and to Windows 7 in January. So, no more XP.

  • PM

    I use the Windows <a href=”http://download.microsoft.com/download/whistler/Install/2/WXP/EN-US/TaskswitchPowertoySetup.exe” title=”PowerToys Alt-Tab Replacement”. It allows you to see a preview of the page like this tool. But does not have other features like mouse select and animation effects. But it is very small, simple and serves the purpose of preview.

    One downside that I see in PowerToys Alt-Tab Replacement is that sometimes it doesn’t show the preview of a window if that window is minimized.

    • PM

      Link is

  • http://www.gigglecomputer.com phaoloo

    Cool utility, I love it cos it consumes low computer resource.

  • melvyn

    I’ve been using this for years. The only downside for me is that it hasn’t been updated in a very long time. There are minor niggles and tools can always be improved but this one has been abandoned. Otherwise, it’s a great tool.

  • shubham verma

    just i can say is wonderfuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuul !!