For a long time among users of the Windows OS, the issue of the appearance of transparent windows in the seventh version was discussed. Everything is so and not so, there were many conversations, but in reality not everything turned out as expected. Yes, we were provided with a wonderful Windows Aero interface, but one interface did not solve all our needs. We were able to observe a transparent window only in one option, when you move the cursor to the right of the clock, then you can really see that the windows become transparent, and that's it. It's not enough.
Why do we need transparent windows? Yes, just for convenience. For example, you work in parallel and watch basketball online. Then you are simply better off making some transparent windows for yourself. They can be made using several programs. The first one I want to present is the Vitrite program. Still similar in its functions to the Witright program is the GhostWin program. Of course, these two programs complement each other, so you can use both of them. There are many programs for creating transparent windows, and it makes no sense to consider all of them. We will focus on these two.
With Witright you can make one specific window transparent. Installing the program itself will not make you rack your brains. Everything will pass quickly and beautifully, even without advertising. Management of transparent windows, after installing the program, occurs using hot keys. Suppose you want to create a transparent window for yourself. To do this, you should press the key combination "Contral Shift" and any number from 1 to 9. The number means how transparent the window will be. If 1-10%, 2-20%, 9-90% transparency. If you want to return the window to its previous form, you will need to press the same key combination, only with the number 0. Also, using this program, you can set the priority window on top of all other windows. To do this, press the key combination "Contral Shift Plus".
As for the GhostWin program, it is almost the same in terms of functions, only a little different control. If a right click mouse, click on the title of the window, a menu will appear from it, in which you can choose the degree of transparency of the window. If you want to return the window to its previous state, just press the “Normal” key. The difference between GhostWin and Whiteright is that in GhostWin you can make the window transparent even when dragging and resizing. It is very comfortable.
Summarizing the above, we can say that if you need to make transparent windows for convenient operation, download these programs that I advised. When installed, they do not bite each other, but interact normally.
In Windows 10, the design has changed dramatically. Among other things, the appearance of all windows has changed: their frame has become rectangular and opaque, although in previous versions operating system it was rounded at the corners and had a transparent effect. If you want to bring back the familiar old look from Windows 7, you'll have to turn on Aero mode.
Preparing to Activate Window Transparency Mode
Enabling Aera mode will cause the system design to change, respectively, in the process of enabling it and the settings will be affected system files. Since they will be edited, there is a possibility that they will be corrupted. Therefore, it is recommended to create backup systems so that in the future you can roll back all Windows settings, thereby restoring it and not losing the data stored in the computer's memory.
Windows 10 has a built-in copy tool. You can use it and not waste time downloading third party programs:
- Expand Control Panel. You can find it using the system search bar. Launching the control panel
- Enter "File History" in the search bar. Open the found section.
Open the "File History" section - Click on the line "Backup system image", located in the lower left corner of the window. Please note further actions will require you to have administrator rights.
Open the section "Backup system image" - Click on the "Create a system image" feature.
Click on the line "Create a system image" - Choose a storage location created image: it can be written to the used or third party HDD or flash drive.
Specify where to save the copy - Start archiving. The procedure can last from 1 minute to several hours - its duration depends on the performance of the computer and the load on the system.
Click the "Archive" button
When the process is completed, you will receive a system backup. After that, you can proceed to activate the Aero mode without fear of damaging anything in Windows.
Installing and using Aero Glass
In Windows 10, the Aero mode was completely cut out, so you won't be able to enable it without third-party programs. But using applications from various developers, this can be done. For example, a fairly simple but multifunctional Aero Glass utility that allows you not only to activate transparent windows, but also to configure them in detail appearance:
- Go to the official website of the program - http://glass8.eu/download. Download her latest at this moment version. Pay attention to the bitness: choose the 32 or 64-bit version according to the bitness of the system you are using. The site contains only editions for Windows 8, but they work fine on Windows 10 as well. The application has a free trial version.
Download the appropriate version of the program - An exe file will download, open it. The installation of the program will begin: specify the folder in which it should be placed, and accept license agreement. When you are asked to choose which components to install, check the box next to Install Glass theme only, thereby allowing only the main program to be downloaded. The remaining components are optional, they make deeper changes to the system files, so it is better not to touch them unless absolutely necessary.
Check the box next to Install Glass theme - After installation is complete, all windows will automatically become transparent. If you are satisfied with the result, you can close all windows related to the Aero Glass program and start enjoying the result. If you want to adjust the color or the degree of transparency, hold down the Win + R key combination on your keyboard to open the "Run" window, enter the query "rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL desk.cpl,Advanced,@Advanced" in it and click the button "OK".
Also in Windows Vista it became possible to install a transparent theme for the operating system. She made the tops of the windows and some of the panels look like glass, creating an interesting visual effect and providing greater comfort when working at the computer. In the future, the ability to adjust the transparency of windows was called Aero and was enabled by default in Windows 7, but in later Windows versions she was refused.
Aero Glass in Windows 10
Unfortunately, in more later versions Windows, this topic is gone. It was not already in Windows 8, it did not appear in Windows 10 either. This is most likely due to a new approach to the design of the operating system, as well as its cross-platforming with mobile devices. Now the ability to make a transparent design on Windows 10 is available only at the level of amateur solutions. One of them is Aero Glass.
Aero Glass is an application that allows you to fully realize the effect of "glass" windows in the same form in which they worked in older versions Windows systems. In addition to the transparency of the panels themselves, you can activate additional options:
- Aero Peek - this feature allows you to "shine through" windows through. It is extremely useful when you want to see the contents of the desktop, but do not need to minimize windows. In this case, you can quickly select and display any window by hovering over it;
Aero Peek component makes all desktop windows transparent
- Aero Shake - This technique is used to simplify the work with windows. It is enough to hold down one of the windows and “shake” it, and all the others, except for the selected one, will be closed. Repeating this action will return them to their places. The option is extremely convenient for working with a large number of active windows;
To minimize inactive applications, grab the window title and move the cursor from side to side
- Aero Snap is another window control. It "glues" the window to the edge of the screen. This feature is the only one that has moved to the new operating system by default and does not require installation of the program;
Drag the window window to the right or left and it will expand to half the screen
- setting the degree of transparency of windows, as well as other visual parameters.
You can choose the color and other display options of the Aero theme
Download and install the Aero Glass component in Windows 10
Since Aero Glass is fan-made, it is not available for download from the Windows Store. You can download it from the official site of this amateur program or from any site that distributes software. Be careful, when downloading from third-party resources, there is a risk of installing malware on your computer. To avoid this, use antivirus programs.
Before proceeding directly to the installation, create a system restore point so that you can return to it in case of problems.
Detailed instructions for installing Aero Glass and its use
Installation is carried out as follows:
Download the installation file of the program from the official website or from another source and run it on your computer. The version for Windows 8.1 is also suitable for Windows 10.
The installation program is executed in a standard way. Just click "Next" to start.
Read and accept the license agreement.
Read the license agreement and accept it if everything suits you
In the next window, you must specify the path. The default installation is also quite acceptable, in which case the program will be installed to the root of the C drive.
Specify the path to install the program
The installation process will not take much time and will be completed soon. Immediately after that, the appearance of the windows will change.
Windows will become transparent immediately after installing the program
Video: The Easy Way to Install the Aero Theme on Windows 10
Adjusting window transparency
When the program is installed, you will have the opportunity to adjust the degree of transparency of the windows, as well as select the color of the "glass". It is done like this:
- Right click on free space desktop and select the "Personalization" section.
Select the "Personalization" section in context menu desktop
- Go to the color settings to access the required options.
Open the color settings in the Personalization window
- The only thing left to do is set up. With the intensity slider, you can set both the coloring of the windows and their transparency. Transparency settings will also change the appearance of the taskbar and other elements of Windows 10.
Set the desired design options for your theme
- Click "Save Changes" after completing the settings.
Disabling Aero Glass
If you are tired of the Aero Glass theme, then you can simply remove it and choose a different Windows theme:
Other Aero versions
In addition to Aero Glass, there are also other programs for installing a similar theme. Some of them have their own advantages.
A small program that almost completely repeats the capabilities of Aero Glass, but has a couple of advantages:
Aero 7 is primarily aimed at recreating the classic Aero theme from Windows 7 as much as possible. In fact, this is not a program, but an operating system theme that can be used with Aero Glass. Its advantages are:
This topic will be useful for those who do not want to change anything when switching to Windows 10 from the old OS.
Switching from habitual solutions is always difficult. When changing the operating system, the user loses many familiar tools for working with a computer, and is also forced to get used to the new design. That's why people are looking for ways to bring back the Aero element they liked in Windows 7 or before: you can do it yourself by setting necessary programs and settings.