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GUI tweaks - Share some you use

Gauche

Arch Disciple
Messages
663
I've used Iconoid for years now to hide desktop icons after 5 seconds of inactivity.
I also use something else to remove the arrows from shortcut icons on windows. Same thing also removes the windows logo from the start menu.

Back in XP I used something off deviantart (man do I miss when deviantart posts were the first search results instead of listicles definitively informing you what the best ofs are) to modify the user login blue gradient screen to blacks. Complimented the official Zune theme well.
Used classic shell with windows 10 but I just ended up going back to 7 after a while.
Kept using Nasa Night Launch theme to the bitter end with mozilla. It has since been replaced by some generic black theme.
I've never dabbled with icon packs but my new OS install has some pre-set. They look good and I sorta wish I tried some out before.
 

Arnox

Master
Staff member
Founder
Messages
5,288
Classic Shell if you use Windows 8.1 (and you should be). It's pretty much non-negotiable. And while you're at it, be a full Windows gangster and use the original Windows 7 orb for the start button graphics and animation found here.

Move your Recycle Bin to your taskbar. (Yes, you can still drag files into it when it's on the taskbar.) It's easy but there's a specific way you need to do it so the Recycle Bin is fully functional and not just a glorified shortcut. I'll just link a guide on how to do it here.

And while you're fiddling around with the taskbar, really quickly, hide all notification icons you don't need into the pop-up menu on the right of the taskbar. I only have the Network, Battery (if I'm using a laptop), Volume, and Steam icons on constant display. The rest (usually) just take up valuable screen real estate for no reason.

Not a GUI tweak... Per se, but install the Everything search tool purely because Windows search can't handle spaces in file names. (What year is it?)

Beyond that, make these tweaks in Folder Options:
- Show hidden files
- Show extensions for known file types
- Use check boxes to select items

And finally, not a tweak but more a piece of GUI advice. Keep the desktop clean. When you do, you can use it as an active project space, a place to put down txt files as sticky notes which can also double as quick lists, and finally, it just generally looks a lot nicer and is more professional.
 
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