• Basics/Internet
  • CDs and DVDs
  • Computer Memory Definitions
  • Electronic Mail
  • File Extensions
  • Firewall
  • General Computer Tips
  • Internet Tips
  • Mouse
  • Search Engine
    • Ask Search Engine
    • Bing Search Engine
    • Dogpile Search
    • Google
    • Internet Search
    • Yahoo!
  • Sites to Browse
  • Wireless Internet
• Windows
  • Windows 7
  • Windows Vista
  • Windows XP
  • Windows 2000
  • Windows 98
  • Windows 95
  • Windows and DOS / Batch Files
• Digital Cameras
  • Buying
  • Accessories
  • Batteries
  • Camera Phone
  • Memory
  • Digital Photography
    • Aerial Photography
    • Autumn Foliage Photography
    • Fireworks Photography
    • Night Photography
    • Parade Photography
    • Photography - Misc
    • Photography - Ideas/Experimentation
    • Photography - Troubleshooting
    • Photography - Weather Issues
    • Portrait Photography
    • Sunrise and Sunset Photography
    • Travel Photography
    • Urban and Cityscape Photography
    • Waterfall Photography
    • Wildlife and Animal Photography
  • Photo Archive - Backup
  • Photo Printing
  • Photo Processing
  • Selling Digital Photos
• Web Browsers
  • Google Chrome
  • Internet Explorer
    • Internet Explorer 6
    • Internet Explorer 7
    • Internet Explorer 8
    • Internet Explorer 9
  • Mozilla Firefox
  • Opera
  • Safari for Windows
• Gadgets
  • Cell Phone
  • Digital Audio Player
  • Digital Cameras
  • iPhone / iPod Touch
  • Printer
  • Router
  • Scanner
• Software
  • Calculators
  • Clipboard Managers - Enhancers
  • Digital Image Resizers
  • Disk Usage Utilities
  • Docks - Program Launchers
  • Duplicate File Removers
  • File and Folder Search
  • File Recovery - Undelete
  • File Renamers
  • File Splitters
  • Font Managers - Viewers
  • Internet Related Software
  • Legacy Applications
  • Microsoft Office
  • Miscellaneous Software
  • Multimedia Players
  • Password Managers
  • RSS Readers
  • Screen Capture
  • Sticky Notes
  • System Information Software
  • Text Editors - Notepad Replacements
  • Zip and Unzip Software
• MS Office
  • Microsoft Office 2010
    • Microsoft Excel 2010
    • Microsoft Outlook 2010
    • Microsoft PowerPoint 2010
    • Microsoft Publisher 2010
    • Microsoft Visio 2010
    • Microsoft Word 2010
  • Microsoft Office 2007
    • Microsoft Excel 2007
    • Microsoft Outlook 2007
    • Microsoft PowerPoint 2007
    • Microsoft Publisher 2007
    • Microsoft Visio 2007
    • Microsoft Word 2007
  • Microsoft Office 2003
    • Microsoft Access 2003
    • Microsoft Excel 2003
    • Microsoft Outlook 2003
    • Microsoft PowerPoint 2003
    • Microsoft Word 2003
  • Microsoft Word XP, 97, 2000
• Spyware
  • Ad-Aware
  • AntiVir AntiVirus
  • CounterSpy
  • HijackThis
  • Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
  • McAfee AntiSpyware
  • Misc Spyware and Adware Scanners
  • Spy Sweeper
  • Spybot Search and Destroy
  • Spyware and Adware - General
  • Spyware Doctor
  • SpywareBlaster
  • Trend Micro Anti-Spyware
  • Windows Defender

Windows Vista

Disable Animations, Transparency, and Drop Shadows for Speed and Battery Usage

SUMMARY: To increase system performance and decrease battery usage in Windows Vista, learn how to disable some or all visual effects.

If your processor and graphics card can handle it, Windows Vista automatically adjusts screen elements for a nicer display. These elements include window transparency, animations, drop shadows, showing the window contents when dragging, and smooth scrolling list boxes.

While many appreciate this "eye candy", in some situations you may wish to disable some or all of these features. You may be running multiple applications simultaneously and noticing the system running slower. Perhaps you are running a laptop on its battery and need to conserve power. Thus these items can be enabled or disabled individually, or disabled en masse:

1. Click the Start button, selecting "Control Panel" from the menu.

2. If "Control Panel Home" is selected in the left pane of the Control Panel, click "System and Maintenance", then "System" in the right pane. Otherwise, "Classic View" will be selected in the left pane. Double-click "System" in the right pane.


3. Click "Advanced system settings" in the left pane.

4. If the "User Account Control" dialog box appears, click "Continue".

5. The "System Properties" dialog box appears. Click the "Advanced" tab.

6. Underneath "Performance", click the "Settings" button.

7. The "Performance Options" dialog box appears. In the "Visual Effects" tab you can click the "Custom" radio button, then check or uncheck each piece of "eye candy" as desired. Or, click one of the other radio buttons:

* Let Windows choose what's best for my computer

* Adjust for best appearance (turns on all items)

* Adjust for best performance (turns off all items)

8. When done, click "OK" on the dialog boxes to close them. Note that it may take Windows Vista some time to readjust its display settings after making changes.

Return to the Windows Vista page.

Thanks For Sharing!