For a lot of users, setting up a wallpaper for their desktops isn’t a random choice. If you like to put an effort into the way your desktop looks, you probably want to view it all the time. The good news is that you can make the windows on your screen see-through to view the desktop. Today, we bring you the top 5 ways to make windows transparent in a Windows 10/11 PC or laptop.
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In This Article
What is the transparency effect on Windows?
Your Windows 10/11 PC has a native transparency effect which can be customised using personalisation settings. This effect uses the main colours of your desktop wallpaper to create a background effect for the window panels. These colours can also be used to accentuate the taskbar, start menu, and title bars. The transparency effect is turned on by default for window panels. To apply it to the taskbar and start menu as well, go to Settings>Personalisation>Colours and turn on the relevant toggle switches. You can also choose any colour of your choice for the transparency effect.
Even though it is called a ‘transparency’ effect, it does not make the window panels entirely see-through. If you want to get rid of the opacity of the windows on the screen, you will need to install third-party software for your PC or laptop. Here are some of our favourites.
WindowTop
Step 1: Download the WindowTop app from the Microsoft Store.
Step 2: Launch the WindowTop app on your PC.
Step 3: Switch to the Settings tab and take note of the keyboard shortcut for transparency. By default, this shortcut is Ctrl + Alt + O, but you can change it to something else.
Step 4: Use the slider next to the keyboard shortcut to adjust the transparency level.
Step 5: Press the keyboard shortcut to make any window transparent on your PC or laptop.
Glass2k
The ol’ reliable Glass2k software still remains one of the best ways to make windows transparent on your Windows 10 or 11 PC. This software has been around since the days of Windows XP but works fine on Windows 10/11 as well. After installing Glass2k on your PC, access its settings from the taskbar. Using the settings menu, you can create a keyboard shortcut to make your windows transparent. The software lets you decide the transparency level as well. You can go back to opaque windows any time by right-clicking on Glass2k’s icon in the taskbar and selecting ‘Exit’.
Download Glass2k from Softpedia
Vitrite
One of the simplest tools to make windows transparent on your Windows 10/11 PC or laptop is Vitrite. You can download this tool for free from Softonic. Once installed, Vitrite lets you choose from 9 transparency levels. Press Ctrl + Shift + (any number from 1 to 9) to make a window transparent. Level 1 offers the most transparency while Level 9 is almost opaque. To remove the transparency effect, press Ctrl + Shift + 0. Vitrite also lets you pin a window on top of other windows.
Peek Through
Peek Through is another great tool to make windows transparent on your Windows 10/11 PC or laptop. You can download this software for free from Softpedia. Upon launching Peek Through, the software asks you to set up a hotkey for the transparency effect. You can use this hotkey at any given time to apply the transparency effect to a window. Use the ‘Transparency’ tab to set a level for the effect. You can also set this software to run on startup.
Make the taskbar transparent using TranslucentTB
The TranslucentTB app on the Microsoft Store is an easy solution to make your taskbar see-through. When you run the app, it makes the taskbar transparent automatically. Despite its transparency, the taskbar lucidly displays all the icons and minimised apps. The great thing about this app is that it runs automatically when you start your PC. This means that you are always greeted with a transparent taskbar.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is there a native way to make windows transparent on a Windows 10/11 PC or laptop?
There is no native way to make the windows transparent on your PC. However, you can use tools like WindowTop, Glass2k, and Peek Through for this task.
What is the transparency effect on Windows?
Windows’ transparency effect uses the primary colours of the wallpaper to create a colourful background for the start menu, taskbar, windows, and title bars.
What is the keyboard shortcut for transparent windows on WindowTop?
The default keyboard shortcut for transparent windows on WindowTop is Ctrl + Alt + O.
Can I make the taskbar transparent on my Windows PC?
There is no native way to make the taskbar transparent on your Windows PC. You can use the TranslucentTB app to carry out this task.
How do I hide the Search bar on the taskbar?
Go to Settings>Personalisation>Taskbar, click the dropdown menu next to ‘Search’ and select ‘Hide’.
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Conclusion
These are the top 5 ways to make windows transparent in a Windows 10/11 PC or laptop. If there is any other tool you like to use for this effect, let us know in the comments! The tools we have mentioned in this list are either free to use or offer a free trial version.
