Ugly desktop blobs around name of icons

[DianeVan]

I'm not really a new user, but I always forget stuff when I have to set up
again. New job, new user,

My icons on the desktop have big ugly rectangles where the names of the
icons are written. How to I make them (the rectangles) transparent so I
just see the icons and the names of them? Not a screen problem as other
users on this same machine are OK. I tried looking carefully at the set up
but I can't see any difference between mine and theirs.

Thanks a lot.
Diane

 

[Alan Edwards]

Four things are required for transparent icon backgrounds:

1.Control Panel-System-Advanced-Performance Settings.
Check "Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop" on the Visual
Effects tab.

2.Right-click on Desktop - "Arrange Icons by" and ensure Lock Web
items is cleared.

3.Transparency will not work if you have web content on your desktop,
Control Panel - Display Properties - Desktop tab - Customize Desktop -
Web tab. Clear all check boxes.

4. Ensure the Wallpaper is an image file not HTML.

....Alan

 

[DianeVan]

Thanks for your help. I'm not at work today, but I will try these 4 things
on Monday.

Thanks again. It was just too ugly.

Diane

 

[Nom.de.Plume]

Comment at the bottom.

I'm not really a new user, but I always forget stuff when I have to set up
again. New job, new user,

My icons on the desktop have big ugly rectangles where the names of the
icons are written. How to I make them (the rectangles) transparent so I
just see the icons and the names of them? Not a screen problem as other
users on this same machine are OK. I tried looking carefully at the set
up but I can't see any difference between mine and theirs.

Thanks a lot.
Diane

If you are using TweakUI that will take care of them.

(But I kind of like the boxed arrows. They remind me that the icons stand
for links or shortcuts and not the programs themselves.)

Ken Bland