Transparency - Enable or Disable

How to Enable or Disable Transparency in Windows 7​

   Information

This will show you how to enable or disable tranparency for windows, the Start Menu, and the taskbar in Windows 7.

The Windows 7 Starter and Home Basic editions do not have Aero Transparency included in them.

   Warning

You will not have the Transparency option if you have a Basic and High Contrast Theme instead of a Aero Theme.

Aero Requirements to be Enabled in Windows 7
NOTE: If Aero is not enabled, then Transparency will not work even when enabled.

• 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).
• You must be have True Color (32 bit) set instead of High Color (16 bit).
• Be sure to have the correct Windows 7 driver version installed for your graphics card/chip.
• The desktop composition and Animate controls and elements inside windows options enabled in Visual Effects.
• Refresh or update your WEI score.
• The Desktop Window Manager Session Manager and Themes Services need to be set to Start and Automatic.

OPTION ONE

To Enable or Disable Transparency in Personalization

1. Right click on a empty space on the desktop and click on Personalize. (See screenshot below)

2. Click on the Window Color link at the bottom of the window. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: The name in gray under Windows Color is the current color selected.
3. To Enable Transparency A) Check the Enable transparency box. (See screenshot below step 5)

B) Adjust your Color intensity slider for how transparent you want it.

• Slide LEFT = More transparent
• Slide RIGHT = Less to not transparent

C) Go to step 5.
4. To Disable Transparency A) Uncheck the Enable transparency box. (See screenshot below)
5. Click on Save changes.

OPTION TWO

To Enable or Disable Transparency in Visual Effects

1. Open Visual Effects.

2. To Enable Transparency A) Check the Enable transparent glass box, and click on OK. (see screenshot below)
B) Go to step 4.
3. To Disable Transparency A) Uncheck the Enable transparent glass box, and click on OK. (see screenshot above)

OPTION THREE

Using a REG File Download

1. To Enable Transparency
NOTE: This is the default setting. A) Click on the download button below to download the file below. Enable_Transparent_Glass.reg

Download


B) Go to step 3.
2. To Disable Transparency A) Click on the download button below to download the file below.
Disable_Transparent_Glass.reg

Download


3. Save the .reg file to the Desktop.

4. Right click on the downloaded .reg file, and click on Merge.

5. Click on Run, Yes (Windows 7) or Continue (Vista), Yes, and OK when prompted.

6. Log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply the changes.

7. When done, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.

OPTION FOUR

To Enable or Disable Transparency in Registry Editor

1. Open the Start Menu, then type regedit in the search boxand press Enter.

2. If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes (Windows 7) or Continue (Vista).

3. In regedit, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below) HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\DWM

4. In the right pane, double click on ColorizationOpaqueBlend. (see screenshot above)

5. To Enable Transparency A) Type in 0, and click on OK. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: This is the default setting.

B) Go to step 7.
6. To Disable Transparency A) Type in 1, and click on OK. (see screenshot above)
7. Close regedit.

8. Log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply the changes.
That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Enable Full Clear Glass Transparency in Windows 7
• How to Make your own Windows 7 Theme Pack
• How to Change the Window Color and Appearance in Windows 7
• How to Change or Save a Windows 7 Theme

 

[Brink]

Hello RZY,

It sounds like you may not have Aero running. Check the items in the red WARNING box at the top of the tutorial to see if one them may be the reasone why you may not have Aero running.

Why do you need to copy those files into System32? You could run a sfc /scannow command to repair any corrupted system files instead.

Hope this helps for now,
Shawn

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Hiyya Shawn WOW what a difference in speed it's flying now - thanks so much and that was just the transparency

 

[Brink]

You're welcome John. It is amazing how much transparancy and the fade/slide options slow things down.

 

[JonathanV]

When you have transparency disabled and play videos in Windows Media Player. You switch to another window for a minute or two and switching back to Windows Media Player. The videos will freeze, then does some weird things for approx. 8 seconds. After that, the videos back to normal.

That's the issue I found on disabled transparency.

 

[Brink]

Hello Jonathan,

That's some other issue with a video driver, codec, or something. I just don't see how transparency will have any affect on playing videos.

 

[JonathanV]

I also saw that issue on another laptop with different video driver.

 

[PSCO2007]

Hi Brink,

Just ran across this tut - what a difference!!

Thanks,

Paul

 

[Welson]

Why when use transparency, dwm.exe use much memory ?

 

[Brink]

Hello Welson,

Transparency is nice, but it's also a resource hog.

 

[Welson]

Transparency is nice, but it's also a resource hog.

Yes, that's true.

 

[Connor Boehler]

I just want to find something to disable transparency of the taskbar ONLY.

 

[Brink]

Hello Connor,

I'm not sure it's possible since transparency is a global setting.

 

[Connor Boehler]

Thanks guys.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Hiyya Shawn just done the full clean install but find there is no transparency nor is there any changing of the colours in the taskbar. my pics attached.

 

[RoasterMen]

I think he's using Basic Edition or is missing graphics drivers?

 

[ICIT2LOL]

If you mean me Roaster no mate it is an OEM of Home premium.

Ah I just found it has come in with some update this OEM was first used about 15 months ago.