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Friday, March 11, 2011

Hide Running Applications In Windows : Trick

Sometimes you may want to hide an open window when someone enters the room or walks by your computer desk. Imagine your roommates walking in with you posting a new post on your Justin Bieber fansite, or your boss while you are updating your Facebook status.
Most users try to close or minimize the application window, or to turn off the monitor to avoid discovery.

WinVisible offers another option. The program is a more advanced version of a boss-key application. Boss-key apps can be configured to hide specific applications with a hotkey. WinVisble uses the same basic principle.
The program interface displays a list of all open applications on start.


It is here that the applications are configured that you want to hide when you press the hotkey. Applications are selected by placing a checkmark into their box. The processes are listed with their name, title, process id and current status in the program window.

The standard hotkey to hide selected applications is Shift-Alt-H, the key to show them again is Shift-Alt-S.

The program hides the windows so that they are no longer displayed in the Windows taskbar or the system tray. They are furthermore hidden on the Applications tab in the Windows Task Manager. Experienced users can still find the process under Processes in the Task Manager but that is the only indication that the program is open.

WinVisible supports a third option, to kill selected applications instead of hiding them. This option needs to be enabled in the program settings before it becomes available. Killing means that the applications are terminated. All work that has not been saved will be lost.

The hiding and showing of applications is fluent, there is virtually no lag when either hotkey is activated. The hotkeys can be mapped to another key combination, the operation could for instance be optimized by mapping it to two keys instead of three.

WinVisible is a great application for users who value their privacy. The freeware can be downloaded directly from the developer website over at Neptune Century Studios.

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