Registry Tweaks To Improve User Interface Of Your Windows Mobile Device
Windows Mobile devices also have a registry. We can customized many of the defaults on our devices to suit our needs. The structure of Windows Mobile registry is very similar to the Windows Registry structure, so if you are familiar with it, you will find this just as easy. If you have not yet delved into a registry, you will find this quite tricky.
Change the thickness of scrollbars
To change the thickness of the scrollbars at the right/bottom of documents larger than the screen.
For the horizontal (bottom) scrollbar:
HKLMSystemGWEcyHScr = 9 (DWORD decimal)
For the vertical (right) scrollbar:
HKLMSystemGWEcxVScr = 9 (DWORD decimal)
- The default thickness is 13. You can set the value to pretty much anything you like
Change the length of scrollbar arrow buttons
To go with changing the thickness of the scrollbars, you may wish to change the length of the scrollbar arrow buttons.
For the horizontal (bottom) scrollbar arrows:
HKLMSystemGWEcyVScr = 9 (DWORD decimal)
For the vertical (right) scrollbar:
HKLMSystemGWEcxHScr = 9 (DWORD decimal)
- The default length is 13. You can set the value to pretty much anything you like
Enable ClearType in Landscape mode
To enable ClearType in Landscape mode:
HKLMSystemGDIClearTypeSettingsOffOnRotation = 0 (DWORD decimal)
To disable ClearType in Landscape mode:
HKLMSystemGDIClearTypeSettingsOffOnRotation = 1 (DWORD decimal)
- Note that your PocketPC screen’s LCD red/green/blue ordering required for proper ClearType display is only correct for Portrait display. You may or may not prefer to leave ClearType in Landscape mode disabled
Change the display of the clock in the taskbar
The clock in the taskbar can be changed to show not only the time, but also the date, or just the date, or nothing at all.
To show nothing:
HKLMSoftwareMicrosoftShellTBOpt = 0 (DWORD decimal)
To show just the clock:
HKLMSoftwareMicrosoftShellTBOpt = 1 (DWORD decimal)
To show just the date:
HKLMSoftwareMicrosoftShellTBOpt = 2 (DWORD decimal)
To show both the date and the clock:
HKLMSoftwareMicrosoftShellTBOpt = 3 (DWORD decimal)
- Note 1: If you switch to the Analog clock display, the date will remain visible -through- the Analog clock
- Note 2: Setting the clock to show ‘nothing’ will still keep the reserved space, showing the taskbar background, and obscure any icons that will shift to the right.
- Note 3: Your date may get obscured by the space reserved for the OK/Close button in the top-right. You can fix this my adding spaces at the end of your ‘Short Date Format’. See also the tweak on ‘Change the Short Date Format’
Show Edge network indicator instead of GPRS
If your network provider supports the Edge network (and your device does as well), you can use the following to show a little ‘E’ icon instead of ‘G’ icon when connected to an Edge network:
HKLMDriversBuiltInRILEnableDifferGprsEdgeIcon = 1 (DWORD decimal)
To disable again:
HKLMDriversBuiltInRILEnableDifferGprsEdgeIcon = 0 (DWORD decimal)
- Note that your device -and- your network operator need to support Edge, otherwise you won’t see it. Also note that if you connect to GPRS, you will still see the ‘G’ icon.
Add GPS settings icon
If you have a GPS device, you can add a GPS settings icon to your Start > Settings menu using:
HKLMControlPanelGPS SettingsGroup = 2 (DWORD decimal)
HKLMControlPanelGPS Settingsredirect <– delete, or rename, this value
- Note that ‘2′ stands for the Connections tab, ‘1′ is System and ‘0′ would be Personal
- Note also that this has reportedly disabled one person’s USB connectivity. To restore, set “GPS Program Port = None”, “GPS Connection Port = None”, “Automatic GPS Management = on”
Hide/Show Screen orientation icon
If you wish to hide the Screen orientation icon, shown in the task bar on some devices, you can set:
HKLMServices?ScreenRotateShowIcon = 0 (DWORD decimal)
HKLMSystemGDIRotationHideOrientationUI = 1 (DWORD decimal)
And to show it again:
HKLMServices?ScreenRotateShowIcon = 1 (DWORD decimal)
HKLMSystemGDIRotationHideOrientationUI = 0 (DWORD decimal)
If this doesn’t work, you can try:
HKLMServicesscreenrotate = 0 (DWORD decimal)
And to show it again:
HKLMServicesscreenrotate = 1 (DWORD decimal)
- Note that this icon and its feature may not be available on your device at all.
Hide/Show battery indicator in Task bar
If you wish to hide the battery indicator in the task bar on some devices, you can set:
HKLMServicesPowerShowIcon = 0 (DWORD decimal)
And to show:
HKLMServicesPowerShowIcon = 1 (DWORD decimal)
- Note that this icon and its feature may not be available on your device at all.
Show slide-out keyboard caps/dot icon next to SIP
If your device contains a file called “capnotify.exe”, try running it (most devices that have it will already have it in the WindowsStartUp folder), and setting the following value to get a visual presentation of whether you are in caps or dot (alternate key function) mode:
HKCUControlPanelKeybdEnableIndicator = 1
- Please note that if your device has no external keyboard with caps/dot mode, you won’t gain anything from this tweak
- Please also note that the application “?CapNotify.exe” must be running (normally found in Windows?StartUp already) for this to work
Put custom text on bottom-right of Today screen
You can set some piece of text on the bottom-right of the Today Screen by setting the following key:
HKLMSoftwareMicrosoftShellDeviceBetaToday = “Hello World” (REG_SZ string, no quotes)
- Please note that this text won’t take up Today item text. It will be obscured by Today items.
Warning: Modifying the Windows Mobile registry can cause serious damage to your Windows Mobile Device.It is better to backup your Windows Mobile registry data before making any changes. Tomstricks.com is not responsible for any changes you may make to your system.
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Written by Tony on May 6th, 2009 with
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