Get Windows 8 Charms Bar in Windows XP, Vista and 7
We all know that Windows 8 comes with new Charms Bar which can be accessed by moving the mouse cursor to top-right or bottom-right corners of screen. It contains shortcuts to various useful system components such as Device Manager, Start Screen, PC Settings, etc.
Although many Windows 8 users don’t like it and there are ways to disable it in Windows 8 but there are many people who are using previous Windows versions such as Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7 and want to have something similar to Charms Bar.
We have posted about a RocketDock skin in past which provides Windows 8 Charms Bar functionality in Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7. You can check it out at following link:
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Download RocketDock Skin to Get Windows 8 Charms Bar in Windows XP, Vista, 7
Today in this article, we are going to share a new freeware called “Charms” which is by far the best Windows 8 Charms Bar clone for Windows XP, Vista and 7. It has been developed by our reader “Vali“. Thanks to Vali for sharing it with us.
It works similar to Windows 8 Charms Bar. You can access it by moving the cursor to top-right or bottom-right corners. All shortcuts present in Charms are fully functional and provide almost similar and sometimes better functionality than Windows 8 Charms Bar.
It also allows you to access power options, volume control, Control Panel, etc shortcuts similar to original Charms Bar of Windows 8.
To close the application, you can either End task of it using Task Manager or open Settings charm, press and hold <Shift> key and click on Power option. It’ll close immediately.
Interested people can download it using following link:
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Download Link
It seems the developer no longer provides the software for download.
Also check out Transform Windows 7 into Windows 8 and Transform Windows XP into Windows 8 tutorials.
Thank you so much, VG, for making a post about my app here. It is very important for me to be featured on such a great web site along other Windows tuning utilities and I really appreciate it. Thank you very much again and keep up the good work!
How is this better than the Charms bar of Rocketdock?
^^ Both are different. Since RocketDock has some limitations, you cant put advanced functionality to the shortcuts. On the other hand this tool is more advanced. It comes with Windows 8 style search feature, etc. Give it a try, 🙂
If you want a look-like bar, stick with RocketDock skin but if you want an advanced tool, you should give a try to this new one.
Hi VG my regedit is disabled by admin can you plz help me to enable it…
^^ Check following:
https://www.askvg.com/how-to-enable-tools-folder-options-and-registry-editor-in-windows/
I may have been doing something wrong but it shows up,like you have instructed,by moving the cursor to the top right side of the screen but when I do click onto one of the showing apllications,it will move across my screen and nothing happens. Even when I click onto the settings button/tab it will do the same.Could it be that because I am running Vista-32 Basic that this will not work for me? Or is there one more option that I may have missed in the instructions?
Thanx
Dale
^^ If its not working for you, you can try following:
https://www.askvg.com/download-rocketdock-skin-to-get-windows-8-charms-bar-in-windows-xp-vista-7/
I use Windows XP and have installed the charms of Vali but do not understand why some functions do not work as network, volume control, search …because lack van.dll, So What van.dll and me how to get it?And the start button does not work.We look forward to the help and I thank you very much.
Some functionality in Charms is not working in Windows XP, because I developed the app on Windows 7, which has the same core also with Vista, but not with XP. I didn’t know it has this issues, because I have no XP machines at home… but I shall release a new version soon, with updated functionality 100% compatible with XP. I shall install this on my PC in a virtual machine, because physically my PC does not support it… So stay tunned, a new version is coming…
how do i completely remove this? i have uninstalled this program under Programs & Features in the control panel but it is still showing up.
please advise. thanks
The options fly across my screen. I can’t use it, also rocketdock is for 32-bit only.
Sorry, it can be that it is only on my system, but it is very big in size that makes it look very bad. I also hate that RocketDock one. Can you help me? Please…
Can you tell me how do you made it? I am creating a start screen and I want a charmsbar and lock screen. If you can provide the procedure of lock screen also, then please email me.
When I installed this, I play some games then the Charms opened as soon I moving the mouse.