[Tip] Remove Shadow Effect from Window Borders in Windows 10
When you install Windows 10 in your computer system and open some program windows such as This PC, Recycle Bin or RUN dialog box, you immediately notice the new drop shadow effect under program windows.
Microsoft has added a huge shadow effect for window borders which may look good for some people but personally I don’t like this new shadow effect. The new shadow is large in size and doesn’t look nice on window borders.
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I like the subtle shadow effect under window borders in Windows 8/8.1. Microsoft did a great job on that effect but for some unknown reason they decided to use this ugly and huge shadow effect in Windows 10.
Personally I don’t like animations, shadows and other eye candy effects. I prefer clean and minimal interfaces, so I can’t see that annoying shadow every time I open a program window.
The good thing is that this new shadow effect is easy to disable. The option to disable shadow behind program windows is present in almost all Windows versions.
So if you are also like me and don’t like the new drop shadow effect under program window borders in Windows 10 and want to get rid of it, following steps will definitely please you:
1. Press WIN+R keys together to launch RUN dialog box. Alternatively you can also open it using Win+X menu.
2. Now type sysdm.cpl in RUN dialog box and press Enter. It’ll open classic System Properties window. Now go to “Advanced” tab.
Alternatively you can open it using Control Panel -> System -> Advanced system settings.
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3. Now click on “Settings” button in Performance section.
4. Now disable “Show shadows under windows” option and apply changes.
That’s it. It’ll immediately remove the new shadow effect from window borders in Windows 10 and you’ll get a clean interface as shown in following screenshot:
Do you like the new shadow effect behind window borders? Feel free to share your comment…
Also Check:
[Tip] Increase Titlebar Text Font Size in Windows 10
Thanks…but i like the New Shadow Effect. It’s like HTML5 Shadow effect.
is there any way reduce glow of shadow?(not opacity)
Yeah the new effect is good but as you said it might not be led by some people also so thumbs up for this trick
I like the new shadow effect, it could even have bigger opacity. Nevertheless Aero Glass was better eye-candy effect.
Hey VG.. Actually I would like to have shadows under my window in Windows 10, but I can’t. The shadows wasn’t appeared, even though I check the option “Show shadows under windows” in system properties.. Can you help mee? 🙁
^^ Thats strange. Did you upgrade your previous OS or clean install? Try to re-apply Windows theme using Desktop Personalization window.
@SRBHKP
No unless you edit the theme’s .msstyles file. 😉
I’m upgraded from Windows 8.1 Update 1 Pro.. I’ve tried to change my theme to default, create new theme, etc.. But the proplem still exist.
Also seems like there was something that prevent my computer to apply my custom setting in system properties. Everytime i try to check the option “show shadows behind window”, apply it, and close the window, the option unchecked again the next time I open the system properties. x_x
Hehe… I really like the new shadow effect and despite what you’ve said, I’ve disliked Windows 8/8.1 almost inexistend shadow under windows.
Hello! Thanks for the tip! Have you got any ideas how to remove the borders themselves? 🙂
I actually liked the little shadows in Windows 8. For anyone that wants to change the look, there’s a program called Stardock ShadowFx for Windows that allows you to customise window shadows.
You forgot to say (before “That’s it. It’ll immediately remove the new shadow effect”) that you have to hit “Apply”.
You may think that is obvious, but if you have your screen set to 175% text size, the Apply button is off the bottom edge and you cannot see it or get it back. So you have to reduce the text size to a lower figure.
Thanks… Er… sort of. Your suggestion helped me…. IN REVERSE… Because as quirky and old-fashioned as it might be, I actually want to be able to see where the borders of my windows are.
I’ve always been able to set the window colors and thickness manually, as for example in Windows 3.1, Windows 98, Windows XP, Windows 7. At the same time, to optimize performance, I’ve always disabled ALL of the USELESS visual effects such as Aero, drop shadows, etc. My goal was to make my theme look like Windows 3.1, because all the “enhancements” were useless. I could actually change the width of the “Active Window” so it would stand out more clearly.
Must we move inexorably backwards? This demonstrates the same wisdom that leads electronic equipment manufacturers to label their products in an absurdly tiny font and color that makes them essentially invisible. But who cares about ease of use? Looking sleek is what’s important.
Fortunately, there are “label makers” to counteract the stupidity of the marketplace for electronics equipment… So I routinely affix ugly looking labels to my laptops, TV, etc. For Windows 10, I may not have a legitimate “fix”, but at least adding the shadow helps slightly.
@Jeffrey
You can try the “Aero Lite” theme. Navigate to %windir%\Resources\Themes and copy the aero.theme file to your desktop. Open it in notepad and find the line where it says “Aero.msstyles”. Change “Aero.msstyles” to “Aerolite.msstyles”. Save and rename the theme file (e.g., to “aerolite.theme”) and copy it back to %windir%\Resources\Themes, then double-click the file. You should have window borders now.
^^ Absolutely. Here are the detailed instructions:
https://www.askvg.com/how-to-enable-hidden-aero-lite-theme-in-windows-8-rtm/