Vista Tutorial - Context Menu - Add or Remove Turn Aero On and Off

**Brink** · **METHOD ONE:**

How to Add or Remove Turn Aero On or Off from the Vista Context Menu

Information

This will show you how to add or remove Turn Aero On and Turn Aero Off to the desktop and Windows Explorer Context (right click) menu to turn the Aero Glass Transparency On or Off at will.

NOTE

You will need to have the Windows Aero color scheme selected in order for the Glass Transparency to work.

WARNING

HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS FOR: WINDOWS AERO Color Scheme
See: Windows Help and Support: Troubleshoot problems with Windows Aero

NOTE: The Windows Aero color scheme is not available for the Vista Home Basic edition.

1 GHz 32 bit or 64 bit CPU processor.
The computer needs at least 1 GB of RAM.
A graphics card with support for DirectX 9 graphics with 128 MB of memory.
The graphics card must support Pixel Shader 2.0 in hardware.
The graphics card driver must support Windows Vista Display Driver Model (WDDM)
The computer display color depth must be set to 32 bits per pixel.

RELATED LINKS:

EXAMPLE: Context menu before and after Turn Aero On and Turn Aero Off is added

METHOD ONE:
Through a Download

1. To Add Turn Aero On and Turn Aero Off -
A) Click on the download button below to download the
Add_Turn_Aero_On_Off.reg file.

B) Go to step 3.

2. To Remove Turn Aero On and Turn Aero Off -
A) Click on the download button below to download the
Remove_Turn_Aero_On_Off.reg file.

3. Click on Save, and save the .reg file to the Desktop.

4. Right click on the .reg file (on Desktop) and click on Merge.

5. Click on the Run button for Security Warning pop-up.

6. Click on Continue (UAC), Yes, and then OK when prompted.

7. When done, you can delete the .reg file (on Desktop).

METHOD TWO:
The Manual Way

1. Open the Start Menu.

2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type regedit and press Enter.

3. Click on Continue in the UAC prompt.

4. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below step 5)
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell

5. To Add Turn Aero On and Turn Aero Off -
A) In the left pane, right click on shell and click on New, then Key.

6. Type Turn Aero On and press Enter. (See screenshot below)

7. In the left pane, right click on Turn Aero On and click on New, then Key.

8. Type command and press Enter. (See screenshot below)

9. In the right pane, right click on (Default) and click on Modify.

10. Type Rundll32 dwmApi #102 and click on OK. (See screenshot below)

11. The registry will now look like this so far. (See screenshot below)

12. In the left pane, right click on shell and click on New, then Key. (See screenshot below)

13. Type Turn Aero Off and press Enter.

14. In the left pane, right click on Turn Aero Off and click on New, then Key.

15. Type command and press Enter. (See screenshot below)

16. In the right pane, right click on (Default) and click on Modify.

17. Type Rundll32 dwmApi #104 and click on OK. (See screenshot below)
A) Go to step 20.

18. The registy will now look like this. (See screenshot below)

19. To Remove Turn Aero On and Turn Aero Off -
A) In the left pane, right click on Turn Aero Off and click on Delete. (See screenshot below)

B) Click on Yes to confirm deletion.

C) In the left pane, right click on Turn Aero On and click on Delete. (See screenshot below)

D) Click on Yes to confirm deletion.

20. Close regedit.

That's it,
Shawn

**dinesh** · 01-09-2009

My laptop never gave me battery for more than 2hrs but with this tutorial, my laptop power is up for 1 hour extra. Thanks for that superb info. i have always been looking for such hack so that i can turn off the greedy aero whenever i dont need and at the same time, i have all those glassy and shiny looks.

**Brink** · 01-09-2009

You're welcome Dinesh.

Shawn

**dinesh** · 01-14-2009

Hey Shawn, i just noticed this today.
When i click on Turn on Aero, it will just uncheck the Enable Transparency option in display properties however i was still able to use the aero. Strange!

**Brink** · 01-14-2009

Dinesh,

Yep, that's what it says in the INFO box at the top of the tutorial.

**dinesh** · 01-14-2009

Oops ! ! ! I didnot read the info. But its nice that it saves my laptop battery by 20 mins.

**Brink** · 01-15-2009

LOL, you can get into trouble by not doing that.

01-09-2009
dinesh Vista Expert Join Date: Sep 2008 Windows 7 RTM 64-bit 1,212 posts	Re: Context Menu - Add or Remove Turn Aero On and Off My laptop never gave me battery for more than 2hrs but with this tutorial, my laptop power is up for 1 hour extra. Thanks for that superb info. i have always been looking for such hack so that i can turn off the greedy aero whenever i dont need and at the same time, i have all those glassy and shiny looks.
My System Specs

01-09-2009
Brink Administrator Join Date: Apr 2007 Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 (7600) x64 25,806 posts	Re: Context Menu - Add or Remove Turn Aero On and Off You're welcome Dinesh. Shawn
My System Specs

01-14-2009
dinesh Vista Expert Join Date: Sep 2008 Windows 7 RTM 64-bit 1,212 posts	Re: Context Menu - Add or Remove Turn Aero On and Off Hey Shawn, i just noticed this today. When i click on Turn on Aero, it will just uncheck the Enable Transparency option in display properties however i was still able to use the aero. Strange!
My System Specs

01-14-2009
Brink Administrator Join Date: Apr 2007 Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 (7600) x64 25,806 posts	Re: Context Menu - Add or Remove Turn Aero On and Off Dinesh, Yep, that's what it says in the INFO box at the top of the tutorial.
My System Specs

01-14-2009
dinesh Vista Expert Join Date: Sep 2008 Windows 7 RTM 64-bit 1,212 posts	Re: Context Menu - Add or Remove Turn Aero On and Off Oops ! ! ! I didnot read the info. But its nice that it saves my laptop battery by 20 mins.
My System Specs

01-15-2009
Brink Administrator Join Date: Apr 2007 Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 (7600) x64 25,806 posts	Re: Context Menu - Add or Remove Turn Aero On and Off LOL, you can get into trouble by not doing that.
My System Specs

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