Speed is all about perception, so any tip that makes a computer feel faster is gold as far as we're concerned. Today's tip is a doozy from Raymond Chen, the venerable Microsoft developer and blogger. According to Chen, a number of user interface timers in Windows key off of the double-click speed registry setting.
The default double-click speed in Windows is 500ms , or exactly 1/2 of a second. Try dropping that down to 250ms -- about three-quarters of the way towards Fast -- and watch the rest of Windows feel just a bit snappier, since a number of other Windows user interface timings use that setting as a reference. Cool!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-28-2008 @ 3:05PM
keeves said...
Thanks, but sounds like a bit of a rubbish set-up IMO. Why should completely unrelated task rely on what setting that you enter for this?
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4-28-2008 @ 3:31PM
chrisaroz said...
It doesn't matter, it FEELS faster, don't overthink it or you'll ruin it for the rest of us!!
4-28-2008 @ 3:53PM
Uber_Mexico said...
I've had it set this way for 3 minutes and I already notice maximizing and minimizing are faster. The animation on the windows going into the bottom bar is timed on this. Major differance, great stuff.
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4-28-2008 @ 4:43PM
Sensai said...
Is this kinda how people believe what they're told because everyone else does? Is this a pysch experiment? Am I being monitored?
Eh...fine, I'll do it.
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4-28-2008 @ 4:46PM
Sensai said...
Actually, I changed my mind. I'd rather go play some TF2.
4-28-2008 @ 6:13PM
Garry Lacey said...
I tried setting this to the slowest and opening windows, clicking around repeatedly, then set it on a notch off the fastest and tried again and couldn't see any difference.
Which elements in Windows key off this setting?
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4-29-2008 @ 2:54AM
Jason Clarke said...
The original article by Raymond Chen that I linked to in the post describes exactly which parts of the Windows UI are affected by the double-click speed setting.
4-29-2008 @ 2:21PM
Stuart Halliday said...
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Mouse]
"DoubleClickSpeed"="900"
Is where it is stored.
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5-02-2008 @ 8:03AM
Garry Lacey said...
@Jason Clarke Shame on me for not clicking through to the main article to find this out.
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5-04-2008 @ 11:54AM
Ukion said...
Yea, perception is kinda cool, but not in real work. Maybe the better idea is to ask David Copperfield to speed up our OS's :)
Ukion
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