TranslucentTB

A lightweight utility that makes the Windows taskbar translucent/transparent.

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Quick Overview

TranslucentTB is an open-source utility for Windows that allows users to customize the appearance of the taskbar. It enables users to make the taskbar transparent, blurred, or colored, providing a sleek and modern look to the Windows desktop environment. The project aims to enhance the visual aesthetics of Windows without compromising functionality.

Pros

Lightweight and minimal resource usage
Highly customizable with various appearance options
Seamless integration with Windows 10 and 11
Active development and community support

Cons

May conflict with some system themes or other customization tools
Occasional compatibility issues with Windows updates
Limited functionality beyond taskbar appearance modification
Requires running in the background for continuous effect

Getting Started

To get started with TranslucentTB:

Download the latest release from the GitHub releases page.
Extract the downloaded ZIP file.
Run the TranslucentTB.exe file.
Right-click the TranslucentTB icon in the system tray to access settings and customization options.
Choose your preferred taskbar appearance (transparent, blurred, or colored).
Optionally, configure advanced settings like opacity levels and dynamic taskbar behavior.

TranslucentTB will now run in the background, applying your chosen taskbar appearance. To have it start automatically with Windows, enable the "Run at startup" option in the settings menu.

Competitor Comparisons

rainmeter

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Desktop customization tool for Windows

Pros of Rainmeter

Highly customizable with a wide range of skins and plugins
Supports complex scripting for advanced functionality
Large and active community for support and resource sharing

Cons of Rainmeter

Steeper learning curve for creating custom skins
Higher system resource usage, especially with multiple skins
Can be overwhelming for users seeking simple desktop modifications

Code Comparison

TranslucentTB (C++):

BOOL WINAPI DllMain(HINSTANCE hInstDll, DWORD fdwReason, LPVOID lpvReserved)
{
    switch (fdwReason)
    {
        case DLL_PROCESS_ATTACH:
            DisableThreadLibraryCalls(hInstDll);
            break;
    }
    return TRUE;
}

Rainmeter (C++):

PLUGIN_EXPORT void Initialize(void** data, void* rm)
{
    Measure* measure = new Measure;
    *data = measure;

    void* skin = RmGetSkin(rm);
    LPCWSTR name = RmGetMeasureName(rm);
    measure->skin = skin;
    measure->name = name;
}

Both projects use C++ for their core functionality, but Rainmeter's code structure is more focused on plugin development and measure handling, while TranslucentTB's code is primarily concerned with Windows API interactions for taskbar modifications.

PowerToys

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Windows system utilities to maximize productivity

Pros of PowerToys

Offers a wider range of productivity tools and utilities
Backed by Microsoft, ensuring regular updates and support
Integrates well with Windows 10 and 11 systems

Cons of PowerToys

Larger installation size and potentially higher resource usage
More complex interface due to multiple features
May include tools that users don't need, leading to bloat

Code Comparison

PowerToys (C#):

public static string GetSettingsPath()
{
    return Path.Combine(Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.LocalApplicationData), "Microsoft", "PowerToys");
}

TranslucentTB (C++):

inline std::wstring GetRoamingFolderPath()
{
    return GetKnownFolderPath(FOLDERID_RoamingAppData) / L"TranslucentTB";
}

Both projects use similar approaches to access user-specific folders, but PowerToys uses C# and the .NET Framework, while TranslucentTB uses C++ and Windows API functions. PowerToys' code is more straightforward due to C#'s higher-level abstractions, while TranslucentTB's code is more low-level and potentially more efficient.

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Provides classic Windows 7-style Start Menu functionality for newer Windows versions
Includes additional features like toolbar customization and Explorer enhancements

Cons of Open-Shell-Menu

Larger codebase and more complex installation process
May conflict with some Windows updates or system changes
Requires more system resources due to its broader feature set

Code Comparison

TranslucentTB focuses on taskbar customization:

void RefreshHandles() {
    m_TaskbarHandle = GetTaskbarWindow();
    m_SecondaryTaskbarHandles = GetSecondaryTaskbars();
}

Open-Shell-Menu deals with Start Menu functionality:

LRESULT CStartMenuDlg::OnInitDialog(UINT message, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam, BOOL& bHandled)
{
    InitializeMenu();
    return TRUE;
}

TranslucentTB is more focused on a single feature (taskbar transparency), while Open-Shell-Menu provides a broader range of Windows interface modifications. TranslucentTB is lighter and easier to use for its specific purpose, while Open-Shell-Menu offers more extensive customization options at the cost of increased complexity.

ExplorerPatcher

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Pros of ExplorerPatcher

More comprehensive customization options for Windows Explorer and taskbar
Restores classic Windows 10 Start menu and taskbar functionality in Windows 11
Offers advanced features like custom context menus and Explorer add-ons

Cons of ExplorerPatcher

More complex setup and configuration process
Potentially higher system resource usage due to extensive modifications
May require more frequent updates to maintain compatibility with Windows changes

Code Comparison

ExplorerPatcher uses a more complex codebase to achieve its extensive modifications:

BOOL WINAPI DllMain(HINSTANCE hinstDLL, DWORD fdwReason, LPVOID lpvReserved)
{
    switch (fdwReason)
    {
        case DLL_PROCESS_ATTACH:
            DisableThreadLibraryCalls(hinstDLL);
            Initialize(hinstDLL);
            break;
        case DLL_PROCESS_DETACH:
            Cleanup(hinstDLL);
            break;
    }
    return TRUE;
}

TranslucentTB, on the other hand, focuses on a more specific set of taskbar modifications:

int WINAPI wWinMain(HINSTANCE hInstance, HINSTANCE hPrevInstance, PWSTR pCmdLine, int nCmdShow)
{
    winrt::init_apartment();
    g_hInstance = hInstance;
    return Run();
}

While both projects modify the Windows interface, ExplorerPatcher offers more extensive customization at the cost of increased complexity, while TranslucentTB provides a more focused set of taskbar transparency features with a simpler implementation.

ModernFlyouts

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Pros of ModernFlyouts

Offers a more comprehensive UI overhaul, including volume, brightness, and airplane mode flyouts
Provides greater customization options for appearance and behavior
Actively maintained with regular updates and new features

Cons of ModernFlyouts

May have a higher performance impact due to its broader scope
Requires more system resources compared to the lightweight TranslucentTB
Can potentially conflict with other system modification tools

Code Comparison

ModernFlyouts (C#):

public static void ShowFlyout(FlyoutType flyoutType)
{
    if (flyoutType == FlyoutType.Volume)
    {
        AudioManager.ShowVolumeFlyout();
    }
}

TranslucentTB (C++):

void TaskbarAttributeWorker::Run()
{
    while (!m_should_exit)
    {
        ApplyTransparency();
    }
}

The code snippets highlight the different focus areas of each project. ModernFlyouts deals with managing various system flyouts, while TranslucentTB focuses on applying transparency to the taskbar.

EarTrumpet

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Pros of EarTrumpet

Offers advanced audio control features for Windows, including per-app volume adjustment
Provides a more intuitive and user-friendly interface for managing audio devices
Supports customizable hotkeys for quick audio adjustments

Cons of EarTrumpet

Larger application size and potentially higher resource usage
May have a steeper learning curve for users accustomed to the default Windows audio controls
Less focused on taskbar customization compared to TranslucentTB

Code Comparison

TranslucentTB (C++):

BOOL CALLBACK EnumWindowsProc(HWND hWnd, LPARAM lParam) {
    HWND shellWindow = GetShellWindow();
    if (hWnd == shellWindow) return TRUE;
    // ... (window handling code)
}

EarTrumpet (C#):

public static IEnumerable<IAudioDeviceControl> GetDeviceControls()
{
    return AudioDeviceManager.GetAudioDevices()
        .Select(device => new AudioDeviceControl(device));
}

Both projects use Windows APIs, but TranslucentTB focuses on window management and transparency, while EarTrumpet emphasizes audio device control and management. TranslucentTB is primarily written in C++, whereas EarTrumpet uses C# and the .NET Framework, reflecting their different focuses and approaches to Windows customization.

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README

ï»¿# TranslucentTB

Microsoft Store App Awards 2022 - Community Choice Award: Open Platform (runner up)

A lightweight (uses a few MB of RAM and almost no CPU) utility that makes the Windows taskbar translucent/transparent on Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Features

Advanced color picker supporting alpha and live preview to change the taskbar's color.
Taskbar states (choose one - color can be customized on every state except Normal):
- Normal: Regular Windows style. (as if TranslucentTB was not running)
- Opaque: Tinted taskbar, without transparency.
- Clear: Tinted taskbar.
- Blur: Will make the taskbar slightly blurred. Windows 10 and Windows 11 build 22000 only.
- Acrylic: Will give the taskbar an appearance similar to Microsoft's Fluent Design guidelines.
Dynamic modes (these can be used together and each of them provides a taskbar state and color you can customize):
- Visible window: Will change the taskbar to a different appearance if a window is currently open on the desktop.
- Maximized window: Will change the taskbar to a different appearance if a window is currently maximised.
- Start opened: Will change the taskbar appearance when the start menu is opened.
- Search opened: Will change the taskbar appearance when the search menu (previously Cortana) is open.
- Task View opened: Will change the taskbar apperance when the Task View (previously Timeline) is open.
On Windows 10, ability to show or hide the Aero Peek button depending on the currently active dynamic mode.
On Windows 11, ability to show or hide the taskbar line depending on the currently active dynamic mode.
Compatible with RoundedTB!
Compatible with ExplorerPatcher!

Screenshots

windows 11 acrylic windows 11 clear

windows 10 acrylic windows 10 clear windows 10 blur

Download

You can download the program for free from the Microsoft Store and take advantage of its features like background auto-updates.

Alternatively, you can download TranslucentTB.appinstaller via the releases tab and open it to install the app.

A portable version of the app is also available on GitHub releases as TranslucentTB.zip, but this version only works on Windows 11.

If you want to get the latest bleeding edge build, you can grab it over at the Azure Pipelines page. Note that these builds may not work, or include features that are partially complete. Use at your own risk.

Add to Startup

To add TranslucentTB to startup, check the "Open at boot" entry in the TranslucentTB tray icon's context menu. If you are having issues or the entry in the context menu is grayed out, try applying the following registry changes:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]
"EnableFullTrustStartupTasks"=dword:00000002
"EnableUwpStartupTasks"=dword:00000002
"SupportFullTrustStartupTasks"=dword:00000001
"SupportUwpStartupTasks"=dword:00000001

Portable versions can be added to startup by creating a shortcut to the executable in %AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup.

Donations and contributions

We have a Liberapay! Don't hesitate to donate if you appreciate TranslucentTB and would like to support our work.

If you want to contribute to the source code, we have a how-to contribute guide.

Security

Some antiviruses are over eager, so they might flag this program as malicious. IT IS NOT! Over 10M users have downloaded this program safely. The source is open, you can compile it yourself, and we welcome any and all security reviews.

Thanks

TranslucentTB is a team effort! It is the result of the collective efforts of many people:

@ethanhs,
@sylveon,
@MrAksel,
@denosawr,
and last but not least, all of our contributors!

Thanks to @dAKirby309 for making the icon! You can find more of his stuff on his DeviantArt profile.

License

This program is free (as in speech) software under the GPLv3. Please see the license file for more.

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