Windows Aero

Windows Aero is the premium visual experience of Windows Vista. It features a transparent glass design with subtle window animations and new window colors.

Part of the Windows Aero experience is Windows Flip 3D, which is a way to arrange your open windows in a three-dimensional stack that you can quickly flip through without having to click the taskbar.

Aero also includes taskbar previews for your open windows. When you point to a taskbar button, you'll see a thumbnail-sized preview of the window, whether the content of the window is a document, a photo, or even a running video.


How do I get Windows Aero?
The following editions of Windows Vista include Aero:

• Windows Vista Business

• Windows Vista Enterprise

• Windows Vista Home Premium

• Windows Vista Ultimate


You can find out which edition of Windows Vista you have on your computer by opening Welcome Center.

Open Welcome Center by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Maintenance, and then clicking Welcome Center.


With Windows Flip 3D, you can quickly preview all of your open windows (for example, open files, folders, and documents) without having to click the taskbar. Flip 3D displays your open windows in a stack. At the top of the stack, you'll see one open window. To see other windows, you can flip through the stack.


To switch windows using Flip 3D

1. Click the Switch between windows button on the taskbar to open Flip 3D.

2. Click a window in the stack to display that window, or click outside the stack to close Flip 3D without switching windows. You can also rotate the wheel on your mouse to quickly cycle through the open windows.


NOTE: You can also open Flip 3D by pressing CTRL+Windows logo key +TAB. You can then press TAB to cycle through the windows. (You can also press RIGHT ARROW or DOWN ARROW to cycle forward one window, or press LEFT ARROW or UP ARROW to cycle backward one window.) Press ESC to close Flip 3D