Disable file preview in VS2012

465
votes

In VS2012 when you select a file in solution explorer it automatically opens file in a special "preview" tab.

Maybe my computer is not fast enough, but this preview is too slow for my taste.

How do I disable this feature?

5
visual-studio-2012
This is (in my opinion) one of the most fundamentally anti-useful features I've ever seen – joshcomley
Most of the new features in VS 2012 are ;) – THX-1138
FYI I'm annoyed by this feature because I click the solution explorer so that I can scroll through the files with the mouse wheel, but the preview then blocks my current tab. – Endy Tjahjono
By default when you do Alt + Click it won't open the clicked file in preview mode. It should be other way around. If you need to preview then Alt + click. Don't know why microsoft didn't think from the usability point of view. – Esen
I have to say that I am incredibly disappointed that MS forced the new ,non MDI behaviour on everyone despite a loud dissenting voice. The preview feature makes the UI something you have to actively fight in order to get your job done. VS is going in the wrong direction. – greg

5 Answers

617
votes

In Tools > Options > Environment > Tabs and Windows, you can disable it by unckecking "Solution explorer" under Preview tab.

I find it using the "Quick launch" new feature. Simply type "preview", and a link to the setting will be suggested. Great new feature of VS

205
votes

You can also toggle file preview within the Solution Explorer tool-window itself:

enter image description here

This may have been added in the July update because I hadn't noticed it before then.

12
votes

One of the buttons at the top of the solution explorer toggles whether this is enabled.

10
votes

On Visual Studio 2013 I have done this by this Icon :

enter image description here

9
votes

An even better solution IMO is to completely disable the File Preview feature (not just for Solution Explorer):

  1. Open Tools > Options
  2. Navigate to Environment > Tabs and Windows
  3. Uncheck "Allow new files to be opened in the preview tab"

enter image description here

This also prevents things like Go To Definition (F12) from using preview tabs.