Windows 7 - Visual Effects Settings - Change

**Brink**

How to Change the Visual Effects Settings in Windows 7

Information

This will show you how to change the visual effect settings you want to use for the appearance and performance of Windows 7 on your computer.

Warning

If you make any changes in the Ease of Access Center(see screenshot below), the visual effects settings get reset back to the default setting automatically.

Visual Effects Settings - Change-eac.jpg

Here's How:

1. Open the Start Menu.
A) Right click on the Computer button and click on Properties.

B) Go to step 2A.

OR

2. Open the Control Panel (All Items vew), and click on the System icon.
A) Click on the Advanced System settings link in the left blue pane, then close this window afterwards. (See screenshot below)

B) Under the Advanced tab and Performance section, click on the Settings button. (See screenshot below)

C) Go to step 4.

OR

3. Open the Control Panel (All Items vew), and click on the Performance Information and Tools icon.
A) Click on the Advanced tools link in the left blue pane. (See screenshot below)

B) Click on the Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows link, then close this window afterwards. (See screenshot below)

4. You will now see the Visual Effects settings to select. (See screenshot below)

5. To Manually Select or Unselect Visual Effects
A) Select (dot) the Custom option. (See screenshots above)

B) Check the settings you want, and uncheck the settings you do not want.

Tip

If you want to help improve performance, then these are the most common ones to uncheck:
Animate windows when minimizing and maximizing

Animations in the taskbar and Start Menu

Enable transparent glass

Fade or slide menus into view

Fade or slide ToolTips into view

Fade out menu items after clicking

Show shadows under windows

Slide open combo boxes

C) Go to step 9.

6. For Best Appearance
A) Select (dot) the Adjust for best appearance option. (See screenshots below step 4)
NOTE: This will select all of the visual effect settings.

B) Go to step 9.

7. For Best Performance
A) Select (dot) the Adjust for best aperformance option. (See screenshots below step 4)
NOTE: This will unselect all of the visual effect settings.

B) Go to step 9.

8. To Let Windows 7 Choose the Visual Effects
A) Select (dot) the Let Windows choose what's best for my computer option. (See screenshots below)
NOTE: These screenshots are the usual items selected by Windows 7, but this will be based on what Windows 7 thinks will run best on your computer.

9. Click on Apply and OK. (See screenshots above or below step 4)
NOTE: If you did step 1 or 2, then you will also need to click on OK in the screenshot below step 2B.

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

**fireman604** · 01-12-2009

All are checked. Set for all the bells and wistles.

Thanks

**I2aMpAnT** · 01-13-2009

Quote: Originally Posted by fireman604

All are checked. Set for all the bells and wistles. I need help getting out of AGP mode I think. I can not install correct driver. By memory it is WDDM 1? not current video driver. Thanks

I keep everything on except for Animations, Fades and Slides. They hurt me the most in GPU.

**ReanimationXP** · 12-08-2009

For anyone looking to change whether the popup / context menu animations are Fade or Slide (a dropdown that was available in XP), that tweak has been removed from the GUI in Windows 7.. another brilliant Microsoft change. This is particularly annoying since some remote desktop programs like LogMeIn change this setting.

It must now be manually changed in the registry if you wish to swap between Win98-style slide, or XP's fade. To do this, save either of the following as a .reg file using Notepad, and then double-click it to merge it into the registry.

For Win98 Slide effect:
___________________________________________
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop]
"UserPreferencesMask"=hex:9e,28,07,80,12,00,00,00
____________________________________________

For the Default XP Fade effect:
____________________________________________
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop]
"UserPreferencesMask"=hex:9e,3e,07,80,12,00,00,00
____________________________________________

You'll need to log off and log back on before changes will take place. If you're someone who likes the Win98-style slide (unlike myself), be aware that it wasn't really intended to be included in Windows 7. Most menus will just 'appear' since the slide animation is too fast, or the menu is too big. However, menus will show a drop shadow under them. Enjoy!

j7ody · 12-31-2009

Good Afternoon to all,

Quick question on this subject. I have a Windows 7 Pro64 install with an admin account and a user account that I use every day.

When logged in as the user I change the preferences (giving Admin credentials to be able to open it), getting rid of animation and press save. When I restart and log back in, the visual effects are still set to Custom and some of the boxes are still unselected but minimize/maximise is re-selected as are shadows and most others.

Why are my settings not being remembered after a restart.... rather annoying to say the least

Thanks

Jody

cjl2009 · 12-31-2009

j7ody,

I was having the same problem with Windows not remembering the settings. The fix is to type SystemPropertiesPerformance in the Start menu's search bar, then choose your settings. The problem seems to be related to the UAC settings. I found the fix at this site Vista refuses to remember my aero visual effects settings - [H]ard|Forum

Hope that helps!

Cody

j7ody · 12-31-2009

Cody,

You are a legend..... this has been bugging me for about a month. Thank you!

Jody

wguru · 03-12-2010

Nice tutorial/guide (if you don't use Windows Classic).

**Brink** · 03-12-2010

Hello Wguru,

And if you do use Windows Classic, you can use the Advanced Appearance Settings (step 7 at link) instead to change those appearance settings. Plus, some in Folder Options. Not quite the same as the ones for Aero, but....

wguru · 03-13-2010

Thank you. Just mentioned it because I'm guessing if not the majority of 'us' prefer classic, quite a few do.

Again, great site. Kudos for all the efforts.