Windows 7: Remove W7 drop shadows?

Hello all. This is just an annoyance, but a irritating annoyance nonetheless. Windows7, Home Premium, 64bit, pre-loaded on e-Machines EL 1333G. Is there any way within Windows 7 to remove the drop shadows from images of folders, images and document icons? Examples: When opening a folder of jpeg’s or document icons, each image has a drop shadow to the right and below. When opening a folder of other folders, each folder has a shadow to the right. I’m sure this is a wonderful improvement by the guys at Microsoft but the shadows are confusing to my eyes. I suspect though that a third party solution (free) will be needed. If anyone has a suggestion I’d appreciate it. Thanks much.

Welcome to Window Seven Forums.

Navigate to Start>Computer and right-click Computer. Click Properties then Advanced System Settings. Click the Advanced tab and click Settings in the Performance section where you can choose which options you want, including removing drop shadows.

Hello theskyeye and welcome to Seven Forums.

Have you tried changing the visual effects?

Visual Effects Settings - Change

Thanks seavixen32 and marsimar for the quick replies.

I already have the visual effects checked “adjust for best performance” so every option is unchecked. I’ve looked in every nook and cranny I can find in Windows 7 and am now thinking the shadows are at the registry level as they appear everywhere.

You may be right. I found this older thread that might apply to your situation.

How To Remove Win 7 Desktop Icon Shadows

The only other thought that comes to mind is perhaps trying out different 3rd party themes.

Browsing deviantART

26 Awesome Windows 7 Themes

Hi marsmimar,

Thanks for the leads.

The lead to “How To Remove Win 7 Desktop Icon Shadows” does work, just not inside other folders.

Just for laughs & giggles, I tried the “Ease Of Access Center, turn on or off High Contrast when left ALT + left SHIFT + PRINT SCREEN is pressed”. That turned the background black but even that did not completely eliminate the shadows.

I’ll take a look at “deviantART” and “26 Awesome Windows 7 Themes” and get back when I finish perusing them

If I had to guess you are talking about the shadows on the folder icons...Those shadows are part of the image, the icons themselves. In other words, its as if you took a picture of a shadow then want the camera to remove the shadow after the fact.

logicearth is right the shadows are part of the icon image. The darker the window color = no shadows.
Jerry

Hi marsmimar,

I looked around at those themes & they are based on nice artwork, but I keep my desktop a plain medium grey with no screen savers. I’ll pass on downloading any as it looks like they are pre-packaged themes that may or may not be modifiable. And the screenshots all show icon shadows.

logicearth: Yes, and the drop shadows under & to the right of jpg images.

Bongo: I tried the high contrast screen but the black backround is harder on my old eyes than the shadows.

Looks like the old XP thumbnails view with it’s uncluttered square frame format is gone forever.

Progress ?

Thanks all for your time and consideration.

Cheers

Are you Mr. Monk? Well a version of Monk that uses a computer that is.