Adjusting Visual Effects to Improve PC Speed GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Software & Apps > Windows 40 40 people found this article helpful
Adjusting Visual Effects to Improve PC Speed
A few tweaks can help a struggling computer
By Mark Baggesen Mark Baggesen Writer Southern Methodist University University of Massachusetts/Amherst The University of British Columbia Mark Baggesen is a former Lifewire writer who has 20+ years' experience and has in web development, communications, web analytics, and databases. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on December 2, 2020 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Windows The Ultimate Laptop Buying Guide With Windows Vista, Microsoft introduced the Aero Glass theme that, for its time, gave Vista PCs a sleek new look. Aero continued to influence Windows 7, and elements of Aero are still in Windows 8, 8.1, and 10, despite Microsoft opting for a flatter look over the transparent style of Windows Vista and 7. If your computer isn't powerful enough, Aero's various effects adversely affect performance. But, like all things Windows, Microsoft offers a way for you to cut down on the effects and adjust them to your heart's content. This guide applies to Windows 10. How to Adjust Visual Effects on Your Windows Computer
To reduce the number of effects Windows utilizes: Type "performance" into the search box on the taskbar and select Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows. Under the Visual Effects tab, select Adjust for best performance. Select Apply, then select OK. Restart your computer. Benefit of Adjusting Visual Effects
Reducing the performance load of visual effects can result in speed increases for your computer, especially if it's an older model. At the top of the Performance Options window, pick from four choices that effectively let Windows automate your Aero settings: Let Windows choose what's best for my computer: This is the default setting.Adjust for best appearance: If you choose this setting all effects will be used. This setting requires the most amount of operating memory.Adjust for best performance: Most effects will not be used. This setting requires the least amount of operating memory of the three automated options.Custom: This setting lets you choose the settings you want. What to Do After Adjusting Visual Effects
The list of effects is pretty straightforward and should be easily understandable for most users. A few items you should consider unchecking right away are Save taskbar thumbnail, Show shadows under thumbnail, and Show shadows under windows. If you're really having problems with performance, though, consider getting rid of most of the animation effects such as Animate controls and elements inside windows. Translucency effects also prove resource-intensive. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Fix It When Windows 11 Is Slow How to Increase FPS on PC The 7 Best Ways to Speed up Your Computer How to Apply Rubber Stamp Effects in Photoshop Elements 8 Why Your Computer is So Slow and 16 Ways to Fix It Tutorial to Add Fake Rain to a Photo in GIMP How to Use iPhone Low Power Mode 10 Best Free Photo Editing Programs The 10 Best Ways to Optimize Windows 10 Transitions and Effects in iMovie 10 What Is the Screen Door Effect? List of Top-Tier Animation and Visual Effects Studios How to Speed up and Slow Down Clips in Adobe Premiere Pro CS6 How to Change Refresh Rate (Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, etc.) How to Create the Out of Bounds Effect in Photoshop How to Adjust Windows 10 Taskbar Transparency Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies