How to Show Desktop in Windows 7 (Quick Launch Alternative)

Windows 7 has do away with Quick Launch Bar which is no longer a feature by default, and does not been shown or displayed on Windows 7 Superbar (Taskbar), although there is hack to enable Quick Launch Toolbar in Windows 7. With the removal of Quick Launch Bar, also missing is Show Desktop shortcut icon, which previously reside in Quick Launch Bar. Show Desktop allows user to quickly and instantly view the desktop by minimizing all opened windows in order to access files or shortcuts placed on desktop.

Although the Show Desktop icon which located inside the Quick Launch Bar have been made obsolete and removed from Windows 7, but the Show Desktop function is still been retained in different location and can still be used, and does exactly what Show Desktop does.

In order to quickly show desktop in Windows 7, just click on the Show Desktop bar at the far right end of the Windows Taskbar and notification area, which is next to the data and time clock (if you don’t hide the clock system icons in notification area). See illustration below for the exact location.

Other than typical Show Desktop feature, Windows 7 also has a feature called Desktop Preview, aka Aero Peek, that temporarily make all opened windows on the Windows 7 desktop transparent when user mouse over the “Show Desktop” button at the far right end of the taskbar.