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.

POSSIBLE PROBLEM: Many users reported that, after they click on 'Window Color and Appearance', they see a window like the one below.

Windows Color and Appearance

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.

Comments

Wed, 09/09/2009 - 06:22 — AndrewW (not verified)

Fix for missing Aero

You might want to add this:
If you have Vista Home Premium or above, and you used to have Aero, but it no longer shows up as an option, here is all you need to do to get it back:
1. Right click on the Desktop and select Personalize
2. Choose Display Settings at the very bottom
3. Change colors to at least 32 bit. Hit OK
Now Aero should show up as an option again. This fixed it for me. The problem is that Aero cannot be used if the display is less than 32-bit colors

Fri, 09/11/2009 - 19:29 — ptracey (not verified)

Thanks

I was having the problem where the window popped up allowing me to change the schemes. Thanks for telling me to change it to Windows Aero. Great, simple, perfect instructions.

Wed, 10/07/2009 - 03:54 — Camillee (not verified)

HELP! my vista used to be

HELP! my vista used to be like the first half of the tutorial, i follow this tutorial and tried to change it, but the windows aero option is gone. I can't find it.

Sat, 10/31/2009 - 12:37 — help please... (not verified)

upgrade from xp to windows 7

hello
i've upgrade my xp to windows 7.
but sometimes, i can't change my window color and appearance....instead, the windows setting and appearance box that come up. also, the minimise taskbar no longer have the small preview..just like the xp style.
the computer said " they have changed the theme......"

i can't follow your solutions above bout the "windows aero" or etc..as there is no such thing like that in mine.

do u have the solution guys ?????

Tue, 11/24/2009 - 11:18 — Anonymous (not verified)

Customize colors in bat file for start up script

Hi, does anyone know how you can create a start up script that default enables one of the customized colors of Vista?

Mon, 12/21/2009 - 05:10 — snow (not verified)

Thanks for all the advice. I

Thanks for all the advice. I used to be able to change the window colour settings (shown in tutorial) but it was mysteriously gone. and the problem in the second part of the tutorial appeared. so upset when the problem occured, lost all my colours =( dunno what i did to change that??

after following the advice by selecting windows vista standard (many many times).
click apply/OK.
restart computer.
and when i go back to personalization>window colour and appearance. problem gone and i can change my colour again - teal, pink, frost etc.

thanks! great advice for noobs like me >.<

Tue, 01/05/2010 - 02:49 — Anonymous (not verified)

Taskbar and start menu colour

My friend messed up the colours of the windows, taskbar and start menu, and when I changed the colour of the windows back, the taskbar and start menu colours stayed very dark. This didn't happen when I changed the colours when I first got the computer. Help!

Mon, 05/10/2010 - 21:00 — Anonymous (not verified)

Problem-Help!!!

I recently downloaded SP1 for my computer. Before this, it used to show the screenshots above. Now it shows the screenshots with the Appearance Settings menu. Does anybody know if SP2 works like this?

Sat, 05/29/2010 - 15:50 — Anonymous (not verified)

Stilll Not Working :(

Hi, this was very helpfull and yall run a good site, but it is still not working for me. I used to be able to change the color just by right clicking on the screen, clicking personalize, then windows color and appearence. The list of colors would come up, as in the picture. But then once, after shutting down, it turned a light blue, and now that windows box opens up with the following choices: Windows Vista Basic (which is what it is on now), Windows Standard, Windows Classic, High Contrast White, High Contrast Black, and then High Contrast 1 and 2. There is no Windows Aero. BUT, I used to be able to do this, so this box is a new thing. Can I re-install something? Or update? If so, could you give me a website or a link?
- Thank you sooooo much for your help :)

Fri, 06/04/2010 - 10:42 — Anonymous (not verified)

hey

I have the Windows Vista Home Basic and the way you showed in the tutorial is exactly the same on my computer when you create a new user name, and on my profile it used to work to, but now it go's straight to the classic themes like you show in the pic. I don't get, it's really confusing can you help me out please?!?

Login / Register