How do I make the background of desktop icon text transparent?

**helslayer** · #1 (**permalink**) 07-30-2005, 02:46 PM

Windows XP

Open System Properties in Control Panel, choose the Advanced tab, and click Settings in the Performance section. Turn on the Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop option, and click Ok.
You can also try MicroAngelo (v5.5 or later), which allows you to change the text color, configure custom icons, and change other aspects of Windows.
Another utility of this type is WindowFX.

Windows 2000

Obtain and install the Transparent utility.
You can also try the "On Display" feature of MicroAngelo for lots of extra features.

Windows 95, 98, Me

Obtain and install the Disappear utility (4 kb). You'll need VB40032.DLL (381 kb) if you don't already have it.
You can also try the "On Display" feature of MicroAngelo for lots of extra features.

Note: in all versions of Windows, Microsoft provides no way to change the color of the text under desktop icons, which can make it very difficult to read in some circumstances. In Windows XP, the text has a shadow underneath, but this only goes so far. To change the font, open Display Properties in Control Panel, choose the Appearance tab (then click Advanced in Windows XP only), and choose Icon from the Item menu.