Aero transparency is a feature in Windows 7 and Vista that allows you to see the underlying Aero graphics when the computer is in portrait or landscape mode. This can be helpful if you want to see how the computer looks in different modes, or if you want to troubleshoot problems with Aero transparency. To enable Aero transparency in Windows 7 and Vista, open the Control Panel and click on the “Aero” tab. Under “Aero,” select “Enable.” In Windows 8, select “Not applicable.” If you’re not sure whether Aero transparency is enabled on your computer, you can check whether it’s enabled by running the following command: netstat -an | grep ‘^.*aero’
Update: This same tip works identically in Windows 7.
This tip is nothing new, and seems to have been featured on dozens of sites recently, but there seems to be a misunderstanding… this mechanism will not turn off Aero or the compositing engine, it simply disables the transparency.
Manually Enable/Disable Aero Transparency
You can achieve the same result by right-clicking on the Desktop and choosing Personalize and then “Window Color and Appearance”
You should see the “Enable transparency” checkbox in this screen, which works immediately.
Create Aero Transparency Shortcut
Right-click anywhere and choose New \ Shortcut, and then enter in one of the following into the Location box to create the new shortcut.
Turn Aero Transparency Off
Turn Aero Transparency On
For purposes of illustration, I’ve got the same screenshot with Aero transparency turned on and off… but I really am just trying to show off the fun Mario wallpaper.
With Aero Transparency On:
And with Aero Transparency Off:
Enjoy!
