How to change Window Color and Appearance

Fri, 06/20/2008 - 22:09 — George

One of the graphical changes in Windows Vista is the fact that, if Aero is enabled, the titlebars and borders of each window are translucent. By default, all your windows will have a light blue color. However, it can be changed at any time so that it fits your taste. In this article I will show you how to do it.

The first step is to right-click on your desktop and click on 'Personalize'.

Windows Color and Appearance

Then click on 'Window Color and Appearance'.

Windows Color and Appearance

In this window you can change the color of the windows, start menu and taskbar. If you don't like the available options, you can click on 'Show color mixer' to create your custom colors.

Windows Color and Appearance

A small roll-out menu will reveal three options: hue, saturation and brightness. If you move the sliders right or left you will see the color of the windows and taskbar changing.

Windows Color and Appearance

However there is a slight 'problem' that might annoy you: unless you pick out a very bright color, the color of the taskbar and all maximized windows will continue to have a shade of black. Unless you change the theme of your desktop, that shade of black will always remain.

After you have decided the color that you prefer, click on the OK button and the new color will be applied.

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Comments

Fri, 07/11/2008 - 08:48 — Mitsukai (not verified)

Different Window

I followed your steps up to the "Window Color and Appearance," but once that window opened, it didn't have any of the features you listed. I looked nothing like your screen shots.
Do you know why this would be? Help?

[ screen shot: http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j165/Koji_Mitsukai/Vista_issue.jpg ]

Wed, 07/16/2008 - 17:15 — Shuhaib (not verified)

Solution!!

Found the solution to this prob!
In the window "Appearance Settings" which opens on your screen when you click on "Window Colour and Appearance", choose the colour scheme "Window Vista STANDARD"! [Yours..or rather ours..were set to Windows Vista BASIC...]
Then press ok..
You shud now be able to find the features like colour mixer and the different available colours!
Hope zis will b of help!
Cya!

Sun, 07/20/2008 - 19:14 — Mitsukai (not verified)

Fixed~!

Thank very much for your help~! That was the solution, my computer is showing the same options at the tutorial now.

Tue, 07/15/2008 - 20:11 — Shuhaib (not verified)

Different window too!! :(

The "window colour and appearance" window used to be as the one shown on the screenshot! But now..it's no longer ze same.. Am havin same problem as Mitsukai!! Don't know wat i did for this to happen!
Any idea wat is ze prob! Thx..

Mon, 07/21/2008 - 03:14 — Anonymous (not verified)

not showing up

i had previously set my colors to orange and when i installed kodak easyshare software my colors went to this blue color, i tried to go back in and reset them but the window doesn't look like that the only thing that pops up lets me personalize what it looks like not the color, and i can no longer choose windows vista standard as an option, only windows aero, and windows vista basic

any ideas? help please?

should i uninstall the program?

Mon, 07/28/2008 - 18:43 — Shuhaib (not verified)

suggestion..

hi!
i thnk dat your software has an incompatibility issue wit vista's explorer.. am experiencin ze sam problem since i installed "pic lens" on firefox 2..it's an add-on.. but zis my taskbar turns to blue only wenam usin firefox..dat is only wen piclen is launched..
i wud suggest dat, istead of unistallin ur kodak software, disable it as a startup program.. to do zis, u shud use windows defender..

Control Panel > Windows Defender > Tools > Software Explorer

The "Category" is set on Startup Programs by default.. Scroll down through the program list just below and look for the kodak software.. u shud find it..
Zen clik on "Show for all users". It will enable the "DISABLE" button.. lol!

Disable it..and u're done..
Restart ur pc to c if it works..

Waitin for ur response..
Hop dat works..

Cya..

Mon, 07/21/2008 - 18:38 — Anonymous (not verified)

Will to make task bar pure black

Hi can you tell me how to make my taskbar very black.... it still have a light shadow,.....
thanks

Mon, 07/28/2008 - 04:30 — otherjj1 (not verified)

diffrent window

i have the same problem as Mitsukai and when i read the solution and tried it it didnt work!!! please help as i am in dire need and thanx for putting this stuff up it shows someone cares!

keep up the good work!

Mon, 07/28/2008 - 18:45 — shuhaib (not verified)

weird

r u sure dat ze coulour scheme is set on windows vista STANDARD???!
cud u plz verify it..?

Tue, 07/29/2008 - 14:50 — johnm (not verified)

transparency

How do you adjust the transparency of the start menu/windows etc (not turn it on or off).

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