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'.
Then click on 'Window 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.
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.
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.
POSSIBLE PROBLEM: Many users reported that, after they click on 'Window Color and Appearance', they see a window like the one below.
If this applies to you, then choose Windows Aero in the Color scheme list, click on OK and restart the procedure described above. You will now find all the menus and options described above.
NOTE: Windows Aero is not included in Windows Vista Home Basic. If you have this version, you won't be able to enable Aero and use it. You must upgrade to at least Windows Vista Home Premium.
Related articles:
Windows Aero
Pimp My Windows Vista
Windows DreamScene
Windows Vista Wallpapers Collection
How to configure the Taskbar and the Start Menu
How to change the font size in Windows Vista
Customize your desktop icons
How to change the size of your icons
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Comments
transparency problem~
i have the same problem as Shuhaib~The "window colour and appearance" window used to be as the one shown on the screenshot, and now the "transparency list" is disappear....i dunno wat i did to make this change.....
Shuhaib, have u fixed this problem??could sumone help plzzzzzzzzzz
Not Working
I followed the steps and the windows are changing color but the taskbar and start menu are not. Any advice?
vista appearance setting changes to standard every time
vista appearance setting changes to standard every time login i change evrytime to vista aero but it changes to normal setting when again log in please help
it dont work
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t126/spookara/Untitled.jpg
i dont have windows vista standar nether windows aero..
But you do have Windows Standard
You have Windows Standard. Also, if you scroll up you will find also Windows Aero.
Only windows vista basic
In the appearance settings i only have the following options:
windows vista - basic
windows standard
windows classic
and the high contrast ones
i have no option for windows vista standard or aero, and there is no scroll bar on mine. It seems like i used to have aero and all that but its gone now.
Windows Vista Home Basic
What version of Windows Vista do you have? If you have Windows Vista Home Basic, then you cannot have Aero in the list of options and the above tutorials doesn't apply to you.
Window Color and Aperence.
Hi All
I have just re-installed a fresh of Vista Premium, like previously i want to chage the colours of my windows.
This time round it opens the oringinal window like whats in xp with the list allthough, reading all your solutions it does not seem to have what your all saying to do, i do not have the "AERO" of the Vista "STANDERD" as some of you are suggesting, its Set to Vista "BASIC" now as i only have that and "windows STANDERD" "windows CLassic" and 4 "high contrast things."
Please could anyone one help me? its just a small but annoying problem now.
if possible could you email me? p.studios@hotmail.com
Thanks. x
Windows Vista Home Basic
Hi the tutorial is very helpful, but when im at the appearence setting there is no window aero. I just reinstalled winodws vista home basic, and this seems to be the only problom. Before reinstalling I was able to change the color scheme, and now i cant. Any ideas that could help me out?
No Aero on Windows Vista Home Basic
If you have Windows Vista Home Basic you will never see Aero as one of the possible options. That's because Aero was taken out of this version of Vista. You need at least Windows Vista Home Premium for Aero.
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