How do you disable Vista Aero?

To disable the Aero features in Windows Vista, such as transparency and animations, you first need to access the Personalization options window in the Control Panel. Once the options window is opened, you can select and activate a theme such as Windows Vista Basic or Windows Classic, which effectively disables all Aero features.

1. Access the Control Panel

   Press the Start key, or left-click on the Start button, and select the Control Panel option. Alternatively, you can press the R key while holding down the Start button, type in “Control Panel,” and press Enter.

2. Access the Personalization options window

   If the Control Panel elements are listed as categories, left-click on the Appearance and Personalization link, and left-click on the Personalization button. If the Control Panel elements are listed as small or large icons, you can immediately select the Personalization option from the list. Another way to access the necessary options is to right-click an empty spot on the desktop, and select the Personalize option from the drop-down menu.

3. Select a basic, classic or high-contrast theme

   Left-click on the Window Color and Appearance link. In the new screen, left-click on the Open Classic Appearance Properties For More Color Options link just below the color mixer. In the Appearance Settings dialog box, use your mouse to scroll through available themes in the Color Schemes section, and select any theme other than Windows Aero. Once the theme has been selected, left-click on the OK button.