Remove glow from taskbar

These white streaks really annoy me, although I do love the colors that come when you mouse over buttons. Does anybody know how to get rid of them? I am open to registry edits... I am using a theme called Luna Aero (http://satukoro.deviantart.com/art/L...Aero-136960235) atm, but the XP blue taskbar is pretty ugly and I'd really rather not resort to an overhaul theme if possible.

Edit: I thought I had found something from Ian the Administrator's tutorial, but it was just Windows 7 basic theme, which reduces the glow but it is still very much there.

If you pick one of the Non-Aero options such as Windows Classic I think you will find the task bar is a solid gray. Right-click on the desktop and choose Personalization.

Hi lakecityransom, If you're referring to to the area of my highlighted edit of your image:-

I'm afraid that without editing the images in the .msstyle files of your (aero?) theme you are stuck with it.

Hi Elmer

I think I'm growing tired of the streaks in all my window frames.
Can you talk us through the edit process?

Yes, but the classic view is horrible, you have to sacrifice everything else and that like using a bazooka to kill a fly. I want a nice theme...

Actually, I am referring to both the not-currently-in-use AND currently-in-use button glows. That is, the currently used button just adds another glow on the other diagonal. I would just appreciate a push button styled look. Instead of trying to distinguish white on white.

I am open to doing an image fix if that is what it takes.

If you can bear with me, I'll try to sort out the image numbers using the Restorator 2007 30 day trial. At least we'd be on the same playing field! I'm currently using Windows Style Builder (paid for) as my main resource editor, hence cannot quote image numbers at the moment.

What I can tell you is that: If you use the "Always combine" taskbar then you are looking at a png image which contains ten different button "states". If you're using the "never combine" taskbar then you are looking at a png image which contains seven different button "states". Oh, and there is three of those! Left, right and centre!

Copied aero.msstyles file from the C:\Windows\winsxs\amd64_microsoft-windows-aero_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16385_none_07d80332331a9cf0 folder.

Using Restorator these are the taskbar button images I found:



The first four are 40 pixel high per button state. The last four are 46 pixel high per button state. Large and small taskbars and/or icons??

The always combined button states are: Normal, Hover, Pressed, Normal Selected, Hover Selected, Pressed Selected, Flash Button (Amber), Normal Pinned, Hover Pinned, Pressed Pinned.

The never combined button states are: Normal, Hover, Pressed, Normal Selected, Hover Selected, Pressed Selected, Flash Button (Amber).

Whatever all that means!!

How about the shiny taskbar stripes?
Here's how to remove them:

Open regedit and navigate to Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER|Software\microsoft\Windows\DWM... double ckick on ColorizationGlassReflectionIntensity and then change the value to something lower, I changed it to 1. Close regedit and restart to take effect.

I knocked up some quick modded png images as above just so you can play!! You may not like the effect enough to put a lot of effort into doing them properly but this will give you some idea.



Blade runners tip should also remove the stripe effect from explorer windows as well. I cannot confirm that, as, true to form, I've edited the png files in the msstyles file!!

His tip does work, I can speak for it. However if you make any changes in the theme or colors, the strips will revert back.