Skip To Main Content
Support Knowledge Base

Frequently Asked Questions for Windows Aero*

Content Type: Product Information & Documentation   |   Article ID: 000005696   |   Last Reviewed: 02/12/2025

What is Windows Aero*?
How do I enable Windows Aero?
How do I disable Windows Aero?
Why doesn't Windows Aero work?


What is Windows Aero?
Window Aero is a new user interface introduced in Windows 7* and certain version of Windows Vista*, which features transparent window borders, desktop window manager and taskbar thumbnail previews.
 

Note Windows 8 and 8.1* do not support Windows Aero themes, however some of the other features incorporated with Aero* are included. For more information, visit the Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 Support FAQ.

 

Windows Aero Mode Desktop Composition Example
Windows Aero is enabled with Transparency enabled

Yes

 Example of windows aero with transparency
Windows Aero is enabled with Transparency disabled

Yes

 Example of windows aero with transparency disabled
Windows Aero is disabled

No

 Example of windows aero disabled

 

How do I enable Windows Aero?

Use these steps to enable Windows Aero:

  1. Click Start.
  2. Select Control Panel.
  3. Click Appearance and Personalization.
  4. Click Customize Colors.
  5. Click Open Classic Appearance.
  6. Set color scheme to Windows Vista Aero.


How do I disable Windows Aero?

Use these steps to disable Windows Aero:

  1. Click Start.
  2. Select Control Panel.
  3. Click Appearance and Personalization.
  4. Click Customize Colors.
  5. Click Open Classic Appearance.
  6. Select a color scheme other than Windows Vista Aero (such as a Basic Theme).


Why doesn't Windows Aero work?
Below are solutions to help troubleshoot common problems with using Windows Aero:


Verify that your edition of Windows Vista supports Windows Aero.
The following editions of Windows Vista support Windows Aero:

  • Windows 7 (All versions)
  • Windows Vista Ultimate
  • Windows Vista Home Premium
  • Windows Vista Enterprise
  • Windows Vista Business

To check your Windows Vista edition, click Start and Welcome Center. The edition is listed at the top of the window.
 

Verify that you are using a driver that is based on Windows* Display Driver Model (WDDM).
Windows Aero is supported only with a driver based on Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM). Windows Aero isn't supported with a driver based on Windows* XP Display Driver Model (XPDM or XDDM).

To check if a WDDM driver is installed, find your graphics driver version number and look at the first number. If the first number is “7”, you're using a WDDM driver. If it is “6”, you're using an XPDM driver.

Starting with the Intel® 945 Express Chipsets and later chipset families, Intel has released WDDM graphics drivers.

 


Verify that your computer meets the minimum hardware requirements for Windows Aero.
Microsoft's system requirements for Windows Aero include:

  • 1 GHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit processor
  • 1 GB of system memory
  • Graphics controller with 128 MB graphics memory, WDDM driver, and supports Pixel Shader 2.0 in hardware and 32 bits per pixel color

To check the amount of graphics memory:

  1. Click Start.
  2. Click Control Panel.
  3. Click Personalization (or click Classic View and then Personalization).
  4. Click Display Settings.
  5. Click Advanced.
  6. Click the Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator Driver tab.
  7. Click Graphics Properties.
  8. Click the Information button in the bottom-left corner or the i button in the upper right corner of the window.
    See the value in the Maximum Graphics Memory field.

To check your graphics driver model, see Verify that you are using a driver that is based on Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM).

Intel® Graphics Controllers support 32-bits per pixel for colors. To check your current colors setting, see Verify your display is set to 32-bit colors.
 

Verify your display is set to 32-bit colors.
If the display is set to 16-bit colors or less, Windows Aero is disabled.

Use these steps to check or change your Colors setting:

  1. Click Start.
  2. Click Control Panel.
  3. Click Personalization (or click Classic View and then Personalization).
  4. Click Display Settings.
  5. Set Colors to Highest (32-bit).
  6. Click OK.

Verify your display is set to greater than 10 Hz refresh rate.
If the display is set to less than 10Hz refresh rate, Windows Aero is disabled.

Use these steps to check or change your Screen refresh rate setting:

  1. Click Start.
  2. Click Control Panel.
  3. Click Personalization (or click Classic View and then Personalization).
  4. Click Display Settings.
  5. Click Advanced Settings.
  6. Click Monitor.
  7. Select appropriate Monitor Type.
  8. Select a Screen refresh rate greater than 10 Hz that your monitor supports.
  9. Click OK.


Verify your desktop’s color scheme is set to Windows Aero.
See How do I Enable Windows Aero?
 

Verify window frame transparency is set to on.
Use these steps to check or change window frame transparency:

  1. Click Start.
  2. Click Control Panel.
  3. Click Personalization (or click Appearance and Personalization).
  4. Click Windows Color and Appearance.
  5. Verify that the Enable transparency check box is checked.

If Windows Aero runs but unexpectedly stops, check your computer’s power plan.
Your current power plan may be set so that Windows turns off transparency automatically. Change it to the Balanced power plan.

Use these steps to check and change your power plan:

  1. Click Start.
  2. Click Control Panel.
  3. Click Power Options (or click Classic View and then Power Options).
  4. Select Balanced.

Windows Aero runs, but turns off after starting an older application.
Some older applications may not be compatible with Windows Aero. Closing the program should restore Aero. Contact the application vendor to check whether an updated version of the software is available that supports Windows Aero.
 

 

Related Products

This article applies to 129 products.
Intel® HD Graphics 5300 Other Graphics Intel® Arc™ A370M Graphics Intel® Arc™ B-Series Graphics Intel® HD Graphics 5500 Intel® UHD Graphics Family Intel® UHD Graphics for 11th Gen Intel® Processors Data Center GPU Intel® UHD Graphics 770 Intel® UHD Graphics 610 Intel® HD Graphics 6000 Intel® Graphics for Intel® Core™ Ultra processors (Series 2) Intel® UHD Graphics 630 Intel® UHD Graphics 710 Intel® Iris® Graphics 6100 Legacy Graphics Intel® Arc™ A770 Graphics (16GB) Intel® Arc™ Pro A60M Graphics Intel® UHD Graphics P750 Intel® Iris® Pro Graphics Family Intel® Arc™ A350M Graphics Intel® Data Center GPU Max 1100 Intel® Arc™ A-Series Graphics Intel® Data Center GPU Flex 140 Intel® HD Graphics 505 Intel® Arc™ A570M Graphics Intel® Arc™ Pro A40 Graphics Intel® Iris® Xe MAX Dedicated Graphics Family Intel® Iris® Pro Graphics 6200 Intel® Arc™ Graphics Intel® Arc™ 140V GPU Intel® UHD Graphics 605 Intel® Iris® Plus Graphics 645 Radeon™ RX Vega M GH Graphics Intel® UHD Graphics for 10th Gen Intel® Processors Intel® Iris® Xe Dedicated Graphics Family Intel® Arc™ graphics for Intel® Core™ Ultra processors (Series 1) Intel® Arc™ 130V GPU Intel® Arc™ Pro A30M Graphics Intel® Iris® Plus Graphics Family Intel® Arc™ A530M Graphics Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics eligible Intel® UHD Graphics 615 Intel® Arc™ Pro A50 Graphics Intel® UHD Graphics 750 Intel® Arc™ A380 Graphics Intel® Graphics Intel® Data Center GPU Max Series Radeon™ RX Vega M GL Graphics Intel® Iris® Graphics Family Intel® Iris® Plus Graphics 655 Intel® UHD Graphics for 12th Gen Intel® Processors Intel® Data Center GPU Flex Series Intel® Data Center GPU Flex 170 Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics Intel® UHD Graphics 620 Intel® HD Graphics Family Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics Family Intel® UHD Graphics 617 Intel® HD Graphics 510 Intel® Arc™ Pro A-Series Graphics Intel® Arc™ B570 Graphics Intel® Arc™ Pro A60 Graphics Intel® Arc™ A750 Graphics Intel® Arc™ Dedicated Graphics Family Processor Graphics Intel® Iris® Xe MAX Graphics Intel® UHD Graphics 730 Intel® Arc™ B580 Graphics Intel® Arc™ Pro Dedicated Graphics Family Intel® Arc™ A580 Graphics Intel® Arc™ A770 Graphics (8GB) Intel® HD Graphics for Previous Generation Intel® Processors Intel® HD Graphics 500 Intel® Graphics for Intel® Core™ Ultra processors (Series 1)

Discontinued Products

Intel® HD Graphics 4000 Graphics Drivers for Intel® 82845G Graphics Controller Graphics Drivers for Intel® Q43 Express Chipset Intel® HD Graphics 520 Graphics Drivers for Intel® 82865G Graphics and Memory Controller Hub (GMCH) Intel® Iris® Plus Graphics 640 Graphics Drivers for Mobile Intel® 915GM/GMS, 910GML Express Chipset Family Graphics Drivers for Intel® 82915G/82910GL Express Chipset Family Intel® HD Graphics 4200 Graphics Drivers for Mobile Intel® 965 Express Chipset Family Intel® HD Graphics 615 Intel® HD Graphics 630 Graphics Drivers for Mobile Intel® 4 Series Express Chipset Family Intel® HD Graphics 4400 Intel® HD Graphics 515 Graphics Drivers for Intel® Q35 Express Chipset Intel® Iris® Plus Graphics 650 Intel® HD Graphics 4600 Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 600 (Intel® GMA 600) Graphics Drivers for Intel® Q33 Express Chipset Graphics Drivers for Intel® 82Q963 Graphics and Memory Controller Hub (GMCH) Intel® Iris® Graphics 550 Graphics Drivers for Intel® 82945G Express Chipset Graphics Drivers for Intel® G41 Express Chipset Intel® HD Graphics P630 Intel® HD Graphics 610 Graphics Drivers for Intel® 82852/82855 Graphics Controller Family Graphics Drivers for Intel® Q45 Express Chipset Intel® Iris® Pro Graphics 5200 Intel® HD Graphics 2000 Intel® HD Graphics 2500 Graphics Drivers for Intel® G35 Express Chipset Graphics Drivers for Intel® G31 Express Chipset Intel® HD Graphics 530 Graphics Drivers for Intel® 82Q965 Graphics and Memory Controller Hub (GMCH) Intel® HD Graphics 3000 Intel® HD Graphics 620 Graphics Drivers for Intel® 82810 Graphics and Memory Controller Hub (GMCH) Intel® Iris® Graphics 5100 Intel® Iris® Graphics 540 Graphics Drivers for Intel® B43 Express Chipset Graphics Drivers for Intel® G43 Express Chipset Graphics Drivers for Intel® G33 Express Chipset Graphics Drivers for Intel® G45 Express Chipset Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 3600 Series Graphics Drivers for Intel® 82946GZ Graphics Controller Graphics Drivers for Intel® 82G965 Graphics and Memory Controller Hub (GMCH) Intel® HD Graphics 5000 Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 3150 (Intel® GMA 3150) Graphics Drivers for Mobile Intel® 945GM Express Chipset Family Graphics Drivers for Intel® 82830M Graphics and Memory Controller Hub (GMCH) Intel® Iris® Pro Graphics 580 Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 500 (Intel® GMA 500) Graphics Drivers for Intel® 82815 Graphics Controller

Need more help?

Contact support
Contact support