How to tell if aero or transparent on 10074?

[michail71]

Since the build has gone 50/50 on aero and transparent how do we tell which we have? If I select transparent I get a blurry transparent. Would this be the aero?

I can get it to turn a clear transparent by messing with the maximize/windowed mode on the start screen while toggling the setting off and on. So I think it's a bug but I don't know which version I'm supposed to have.

 

[michail71]

Ok, I think I have aero. Although it turns off with a full screen start menu. Messing with the transparency/color settings and resizing the start menu can trick it out of aero. I guess it temporarily crashes the aero effect.

Between the two aero blur is making the task tray icons and start menu text and tiles easier to see over a busy background.

 

[EL620]

There's a registry key "EnableBlurBehind" if you want search for it. Those who didn't get the aero effect on by default should be able to turn it on by changing the value. We'll have to wait and see what changes they make based on feedback.

For me the taskbar blur is fine.
But the start menu blurs only in mini mode as you said.

 

[nmercy]

When I first upgraded I was Aero, but when I reformatted I ended up transparent

I really liked the blur effect more than the transparent so I'll have to hunt down that registry key.

 

[nmercy]

So a quick search on bing led me to Windows 10 build 10074: How to enable blur (Aero) for the Start menu which has instructions on how to turn it back on (or off) for those that are interested. It does require a restart after changing the flag to take hold.