customize Window Border padding in Windows 8

[Fella]

I recently installed Windows 8 on my desktop. I like the new features and new user interface of this system but there is a small issue which i think should be fixed soon. I am talking about the large Windows border. When you open Windows Explorer in this new OS, you will see there is a broad padding around the window. This is very irritating when you have a standard 19inch monitor and you open two or more windows side by side. The borders consume huge space.

So i wanted to know if there is anyway we can reduce this padding around windows explorer? I think it should be possible through any registry key, just not sure which key. Hope you guys must be aware.

[Sheridan^OS]

I agree that Windows 8 windows have bit large padding around approximately 4px but i dont think it is so large that it can consume your space.

Anyways, there is no customization provided in Windows 8 (like windows 7) using which you can decrease or remove those padding. It requires some kind of hacking or playing with registries which i dont know exactly hence can't suggest or it may damage the system. Lets see if anybody else can.

[Maq.H]

Yeah, that’s correct. In windows 7 by going to "Advanced appearance settings" we were able to increase/decrease the windows padding but there is no such option provided in windows 8. Hence you will need to make a small change in one of the registry key as mentioned below:

• Go to Start > type REGEDIT > press Enter
• Now navigate to the following key in the registry:
• HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics
• On the right pane you will see keys named BorderWidth and PaddedBorderWidth.
• Double click and change their values from -15 to 0 and -60 to 0
• Exit the registry.

Better restart the windows to effect the changes. That’s it.

[Fella]

I appreciate your help Maq but don’t know why those steps dint worked for me. I have yet another Windows 8 system, I tried those steps and worked but not on this computer. It still shows the same 4px padding around Windows explorer and all.

What now? Any alternate way please?

[Arzaan]

Well I haven’t tried the registry process for reducing the padding in Windows 8. Here is a better alternative for the same. You can do this using a small utility called “Tiny Windows Borders”. It is just 48kb in size and can be download from here. Once installed you will see a simple slider which reduces or increases the padding. Nothing can be much simpler than this to play with the windows padding.