How to Enable or Disable Transparency Effects in Windows 11

jeremy bezanger Jx UX9zVdKk unsplash
jeremy bezanger Jx UX9zVdKk unsplash

This article describes steps to turn on or off Transparency effects in Windows 11.

Like previous versions, Windows 11 includes visual effects that make its taskbar, menu, and other activity areas transparent and translucent.

Transparency effects also change some window backgrounds and surfaces to appear slightly transparent, including context menus, File Explorer, Quick Settings, Settings, sign-in screen, Start menu, and more.

For some users, these added features are unnecessary and waste resources. For others, this is a great way to improve the look and feel of Windows 11.

All these visual effects features, new and old, make Windows 11 desktop look great, but can add some performance hits by adding a slight delay to some activities and actions.

Windows allows users to turn on or off transparency effects quickly.

How to turn on or off Transparency effects in Windows 11 via Windows Settings

As mentioned above, Transparency effects also change some window backgrounds and surfaces to appear slightly transparent, including context menus, File Explorer, Quick Settings, Settings, sign-in screen, Start menu, and more.

Here’s how to enable or disable it in Windows 11 via the Settings app.

Windows 11 has a centralized location for the majority of its settings. Everything can be done, from system configurations to creating new users and updating Windows from its System Settings pane.

To get to System Settings, you can use the Windows key + I shortcut or click on Start ==> Settings, as shown in the image below:

windows 11 new settings button
Windows 11 new settings button

When the Settings app opens, select the Accessibility button on the left.

windows 11 accessibility tile
Windows 11 accessibility tile

On the right, select the Visual effects tile to expand.

windows 11 visual effects tile in settings app updated
windows 11 visual effects tile in the settings app updated

On the Accessibility -> Visual effects settings pane, select the Transparency effects tile.

windows 11 transparency effects tile
Windows 11 transparency affects tile.

On the Accessibility -> Visual effects -> Transparency effects settings, toggle the button to the On position to enable.

To disable it, toggle the button back to the Off position.

How to turn on or off transparency effects in Windows 11 via the Registry Editor

Another way to enable or disable the Transparency effects is via the Windows Registry Editor.

To do that, first, open the Windows Registry, and navigate to the folder key path as listed below.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize

If you don’t see the Personalize folder key, right-click on the Themes key, then create the subkey (Personalize) folders.

windows 11 transparency effect folder key registry
windows 11 transparency effect folder key registry

Right-click on the Personalize folder key’s right pane and select New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value. Type a new key named EnableTransparency.

Double-click the new value name (EnableTransparency) and enter the Value data as 1 to turn on Transparency effects in Windows 11.

Value data of 0 will turn off Transparency effects in Windows 11.

windows 11 transparency effect folder key registry value data
windows 11 transparency effect folder key registry value data

That should do it!

Reference:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/apps/design/signature-experiences/materials

Conclusion:

This post showed you how to turn off or on Transparency effects in Windows 11. Please use the comment form below if you find any errors above or have something to add.

Posted by
Richard W

I love computers; maybe way too much. What I learned I try to share at geekrewind.com.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

%d bloggers like this: