Forum Discussion
Can't tell which is current file for Office file switch preview in task bar
I frequently need to open up several documents and then work on similar parts of them at the same time. Thus, I will click on the Word icon to switch between each file. However, it's always frustrating, because I can't tell which is the current file. Is there a setting or workaround that could help make it clear which of the previews is associated with the one you currently are in?
File switch preview showing multiple files but you can't tell which one is the one you are currently working with.Thanks,
Grant
3 Replies
I believe you can think about workarounds only:
1. Hover + Peek
- When you hover over the Word icon, the previews appear.
- Try clicking outside the preview and then hovering again, sometimes the active window will appear slightly more prominent or at the front of the stack.
2. Alt + Tab Navigation
- Use Alt + Tab to cycle through open windows. The currently active file will be the first one shown.
- This method gives you a clearer visual of which document is in focus.
3. Task View (Win + Tab)
- Press Win + Tab to open Task View.
- This shows all open windows with labels, making it easier to spot the active one.
4. Rename Files Strategically
- Add a prefix like A_, B_, etc., to the filenames you're working on.
- This can help you visually distinguish them in the previews.Thanks. I was hoping I was overlooking some option that would help. I can't always rename the files, so I'm stuck with trying to use the tab options to try and sort things out or just keep mental tabs on which one in the sequence I'm on.
One additional workaround: have 16+ files open (even blank ones), and you get a list of files on the hover instead of the preview windows. Just too bad you can't make that the default.
