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How to turn off Windows Aero

The slick Windows Aero interface is active by default in Home Premium, Business, Ultimate, and Enterprise (not available in Vista Basic). The Aero interface is certainly an upgrade from previous Windows versions and most users like the futuristic feel of the animated window openings and closings.

The small pop up preview windows (when you hover your mouse pointer over the taskbar icon) are handy indeed. There's also the new Flip 3D which displays all open windows as a three dimensional stack (click on the 'Window Switcher' taskbar icon or hold down the Windows Key and press Tab).

Most users are pleased with the new interface but certainly on some systems, resource usage may be an issue. Also, more than a few users have been bitten by the nostalgia bug - yearning for the simpler times of Windows Classic. Regardless your reason or preference, you can turn off Aero:

Windows Vista:

1 right-click on the desktop
2 click on 'Personalize'
3 click on Window Color and Appearance
4 click on 'Open classic appearance properties for more color options'
5 in the Appearance Settings dialog box select a Color scheme (such as Windows Classic)
6 click Apply, OK

Of course, if the sense of nostalgia wears thin, you can easily activate Windows Aero again - follow steps 1,2 and 3 above to get to the 'Appearance Settings' dialog box, from there you can select the Windows Aero color scheme.