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Archive of 2026-10-21 · About this archive · Main site

Author Topic: Quickly toggle between Aero and non-Aero themes on Windows 7  (Read 12,679 times)

doctorfrog

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An edge case. I run Windows 7, 64-bit, with the Blackbox for Windows shell. It works for me, and I like it, and I'll keep using it as long as I can. Blackbox doesn't look right with Aero enabled, and so I disable it most of the time. With Aero, goes VSync and sometimes graphics acceleration for things like movies and some games. That means tearing.

Right now, if I don't want that tearing, I go to the Personalization area of the Control Panel, and pick an Aero theme (Windows 7, Architecture, Characters, etc.), which makes Blackbox look crappy, but temporarily lets my full-screen application look its best. Then I flip it back when done.

I'd like a quick toggle that allows me to switch between an Aero theme and a non-Aero theme, so I can have my cake and eat it too.

How would this look? Maybe a small window with two buttons, each indicating a theme, and a config dialog. If possible, something that invisibly switches between two pre-selected themes, kills itself, and requires no additional input of any kind.

lanux128

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Re: Quickly toggle between Aero and non-Aero themes on Windows 7
« Reply #1 on: May 22, 2015, 08:10 AM »
I am not sure if this is what you want but have you seen this app called Winaero Theme Switcher?

doctorfrog

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Re: Quickly toggle between Aero and non-Aero themes on Windows 7
« Reply #2 on: May 22, 2015, 08:21 AM »
I am not sure if this is what you want but have you seen this app called Winaero Theme Switcher?
Y'know, that looks pretty near what I'm looking for. Thanks!

Deozaan

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Re: Quickly toggle between Aero and non-Aero themes on Windows 7
« Reply #3 on: May 22, 2015, 08:03 PM »
Another possibility is to make one theme with Aero, and save it as a custom theme. Then do the same thing with a non-Aero theme. Then you only have to click the custom themes to switch between them.

MilesAhead

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Re: Quickly toggle between Aero and non-Aero themes on Windows 7
« Reply #4 on: May 22, 2015, 08:05 PM »
Another possibility is to make one theme with Aero, and save it as a custom theme. Then do the same thing with a non-Aero theme. Then you only have to click the custom themes to switch between them.

+1  Just do "save theme as.."  :)

doctorfrog

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Re: Quickly toggle between Aero and non-Aero themes on Windows 7
« Reply #5 on: May 24, 2015, 07:34 AM »
Heck, that works also. Thanks folks!

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