Windows 7: Clear Desktop by Shaking a Window

   Information

This will show you how to clear the desktop to only have one window that you want showing instead in Window 7.

   Note

When you clear the desktop of all but the one window, the other opened windows are minimized to the taskbar. If you have multiple monitors, then it will clear the desktop on all of them as well.

   Warning

Aero Requirements to be Enabled in Windows 7

NOTE: If Aero is not enabled, then Aero Shake will not work even when enabled or turned on.

• Aero is not included in Windows 7 Starter or Home Basic, so you must have Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate, or Enterprise installed.
• 1 GHz 32-bit or 64-bit processor
• 1 GB of system memory
• A graphics card with support for DirectX 9 graphics with at least 128 MB of memory.
• The graphics card must support Pixel Shader 2.0 and the Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM).
• The Desktop Window Manager Session Manager and Themes Services need to be set as Started and Automatic.
• You must be have True Color (32 bit) set instead of High Color (16 bit).
• Desktop composition needs to be enabled (checked) in Visual Effects.
• Refresh or update your WEI score.

1. To Clear the Desktop

A) Left click and hold on the Title Bar of the window you only want to show on the desktop. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: For example, the window with a red box on the title bar in the screenshot.

B) Shake the window a bit by draging it left and right some quickly.

C) When the desktop clears, drop (release left click) the window. (See screenshot below)

2. To Restore the Desktop
NOTE: This restores the desktop to the way it was before you cleared it in step 1. This will not restore minimized windows on the taskbar unless they have been cleared (shrunk) in step 1.

A) Left click and hold on the Title Bar of the same window from step 1. (See screenshot below)

B) Shake the window a bit by draging it left and right some quickly again.

C) When the minimized windows return to the desktop, drop (release left click) the window. (See screenshot below step 1B)