translucenttb.dev
2026.2v2026.2

Independent guide · checked against TranslucentTB 2026.2

TranslucentTB, explained properly.

TranslucentTB is a free, open-source app that makes the Windows 10 and 11 taskbar clear, blurred or acrylic, and changes it when you open a window or the Start menu. We read its source code, unpacked its installers and documented what it actually does.

Download optionsBuild settings.json
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Accent
Color
25%
Windows
Line
Presets

settings.json (excerpt)
The browser preview approximates Windows' rendering.Open in the full builder →
2026.2Latest releaseAugust 31, 2026
20.7kGitHub stars1,273 forks · since Jan 2017
56.6MGitHub release downloadsall files, incl. auto-updates
4.2 MBInstaller packageWindows 10 1903+ and 11 · x64, ARM64
FIRST-HAND / WINDOWS BUILD 26100

We installed it and tested every setting

Not mock-ups: these are screenshots of TranslucentTB 2026.2 running on a real Windows machine, captured by our own test runs. The tests also caught one of our own mistakes, which we fixed.

Real screenshots · TranslucentTB 2026.2 · Windows build 26100The real taskbar, one setting per strip

clear with #00000000: the taskbar background is gone.

Real Windows taskbar: clear with #00000000: the taskbar background is gone.

clear with #1D4ED880: blue at 50% alpha, no blur.

Real Windows taskbar: clear with #1D4ED880: blue at 50% alpha, no blur.

opaque with #1D4ED820: the alpha (20) is ignored and the bar is solid.

Real Windows taskbar: opaque with #1D4ED820: the alpha (20) is ignored and the bar is solid.

blur with blur_radius 30: shapes become soft.

Real Windows taskbar: blur with blur_radius 30: shapes become soft.

normal: TranslucentTB hands the taskbar back to Windows.

Real Windows taskbar: normal: TranslucentTB hands the taskbar back to Windows.
How these were captured

Captured October 29, 2026 on Windows build 26100 in our hands-on test; only cropped and resized. Settings used:

{ "desktop_appearance": { "accent": "clear", "color": "#00000000" } }
{ "desktop_appearance": { "accent": "clear", "color": "#1D4ED880" } }
{ "desktop_appearance": { "accent": "opaque", "color": "#1D4ED820" } }
{ "desktop_appearance": { "accent": "blur", "color": "#00000010", "blur_radius": 30 } }
{ "desktop_appearance": { "accent": "normal", "color": "#00000000" } }
Maximized window enabled (opaque #B42318FF) with Notepad maximized: the taskbar switches to red.
Real screenshot · TranslucentTB 2026.2 · Windows build 26100Maximized window enabled (opaque #B42318FF) with Notepad maximized: the taskbar switches to red.
How this was captured

Captured October 29, 2026 on Windows build 26100 in our hands-on test; only cropped and resized. Settings used:

{ "maximized_window_appearance": { "enabled": true, "accent": "opaque", "color": "#B42318FF" } }
The real dialog for "accent": "Acrylic" (capital A). TranslucentTB then uses defaults for every setting.
Real screenshot · TranslucentTB 2026.2 · Windows build 26100The real dialog for "accent": "Acrylic" (capital A). TranslucentTB then uses defaults for every setting.
How this was captured

Captured October 29, 2026 on Windows build 26100 in our hands-on test; only cropped and resized. Settings used:

{ "desktop_appearance": { "accent": "Acrylic", "color": "#00000000" } }
MatchedDownload hashescomputed on Windows
ValidCode signatureCharles Milette, Microsoft-verified
14 MBPrivate memory0 ms CPU while idle
IdenticalDefault settings filebyte for byte with our builder

Read the full test report Who runs this site

01 / APPEARANCE

Five looks, and what each one really does

Every state in TranslucentTB uses one of five accents. They are not just presets: each maps to a different Windows mechanism, and two of them ignore part of your color.

normal

Windows' own taskbar, as if TranslucentTB were not running. Your color is ignored.

opaque

A solid color. The alpha in your color is forced to 100%, so it can never be see-through.

clear

Your color at your alpha, no blur. #00000000 makes the taskbar fully invisible.

blur

A Gaussian blur. On Windows 11 22H2+ its strength is blur_radius ÷ 3; on Windows 10 it is fixed.

acrylic

Fluent acrylic: strong blur, your tint and a grain texture. The default look of the Maximized window state (which is off until you turn it on).

Details, color format and per-Windows-version support: Appearance modes

02 / DYNAMIC MODES

When two states apply, which one wins?

A maximized window and an open Start menu can both be true. TranslucentTB checks states in a fixed order, read straight from its source. Toggle what is happening on screen and see the result.

Taskbar uses

Visible window

visible_window_appearance

Demo config: all states enabled with different looks. By default on Windows 11, Start and Search are off and battery saver is off. How the order works

03 / INSTALL

Four official ways to install it

All four come from the same developers and the same build. They differ in how updates arrive and where settings are stored. If unsure, use the Microsoft Store.

Microsoft Store recommended

Signed by Microsoft, updates itself in the background, works on Windows 10 and 11.

Open Store listing ↗Guide

winget

Same package as the Store, from the command line. Good for scripted setups.

PowerShell or Terminal
winget install CharlesMilette.TranslucentTB

App Installer file

The .appinstaller from GitHub installs the same MSIX and checks for updates every 24 hours. For PCs without the Store.

How to use it

Portable zip Windows 11 only

No install, settings next to the .exe. Needs the Visual C++ 2015–2022 runtime and two Store frameworks, which most PCs already have.

Portable requirements
04 / TROUBLESHOOTING

The messages people actually see

These are the exact strings from TranslucentTB's resources and logs. Each links to what causes it and how to fix it.

Failed to initialize XAML Diagnostics.Windows 11 refused the helper TranslucentTB loads into Explorer. Windows Explorer restarted twice in the last 30 seconds!A crash loop guard. Usually another taskbar mod. TranslucentTB was recently updated. Please restart Windows…Explorer still has the old helper loaded. Failed to deserialize JSON documentOne typo in settings.json resets every setting. …asked Windows to enable a startup task but Windows did not enable it.Open at boot broken, usually by a debloat script. Portable mode only works on Windows 11.Use the Store or App Installer build on Windows 10.
All problems and fixesRun the troubleshooter
05 / UNDER THE HOOD

How a taskbar becomes transparent

Windows has no setting for this. TranslucentTB takes two different routes depending on which taskbar you have, and on Windows 11 it has to run a small helper inside Explorer.

How TranslucentTB changes the taskbar TranslucentTB.exe watches window, Start, Search, Task View and battery saver events and reads settings.json. On the classic Windows 10 taskbar it calls SetWindowCompositionAttribute on the taskbar window, and ExplorerHooks.dll inside Explorer stops Explorer from resetting it. On the Windows 11 XAML taskbar it loads ExplorerTAP.dll into Explorer through XAML Diagnostics, and ExplorerTAP replaces the taskbar background brush with a solid, acrylic or blur brush. Windows events window shown, moved maximize, minimize Start or Search opens Task View opens battery saver changes settings.json reloaded 200 ms after save TranslucentTB.exe tray icon and menus picks one state per monitor's taskbar: battery › task view › start › search › maximized › visible › desktop explorer.exe SetWindowCompositionAttribute Classic taskbar Windows 10, or Windows 11 with a classic taskbar (ExplorerPatcher) ExplorerHooks.dll guards the accent Shell_TrayWnd accent policy XAML taskbar Windows 11 22H2 and later ExplorerTAP.dll loaded through XAML Diagnostics background brush SolidColorBrush AcrylicBrush blur brush
Read from the 2026.2 source: TaskbarAttributeWorker picks the state; ExplorerTAP and ExplorerHooks are the two DLLs that load into explorer.exe.

Read how it works Is that safe?

06 / RELEASES

Nine years, 24 releases

TranslucentTB ships about once or twice a year. Download counts include automatic updates, which is why recent installer packages count in the millions.

Downloads of each GitHub releaseAll files attached to the release, counted by GitHub

Source: GitHub Releases API, fetched Oct 29, 2026

Show the data
ReleaseDownloads
2017.298.1k
2017.3361k
2018.126.6k
2018.2327k
2019.125.7k
2019.2169k
2020.1143k
2020.2444k
2021.4166k
2021.53.8M
2022.13.7M
2023.13.4M
2023.22.8M
2024.111.2M
2024.35.6M
2024.441.6k
2025.115.3M
2026.15.6M
2026.23.4M

Full changelog

THE WHOLE SITE

Everything on translucenttb.dev

Every guide, reference page and tool, grouped by what you are trying to do.

Get it

Learn it

Use the tools

Fix and decide

About this site

07 / QUICK ANSWERS

TranslucentTB FAQ

Short answers to what people search for most. Each links to the full explanation.

What is TranslucentTB?

TranslucentTB is a free, open-source (GPLv3) Windows app that changes how the taskbar looks: normal, opaque, clear, blur or acrylic, with your own color. It can switch looks automatically when a window is open or maximized, or when Start, Search or Task View is open. It lives in the system tray and uses a few MB of RAM.

Is TranslucentTB free and safe?

Yes. It is free with no ads or paid tier, and the source is public on GitHub. The Store package is signed by Microsoft's Store certificate and the portable .exe by a Microsoft-verified certificate issued to the lead developer. It loads small helper DLLs into Explorer, which is why some antivirus tools flag it. See Is TranslucentTB safe?

Does TranslucentTB work on Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2?

Version 2026.2 supports the Windows 11 XAML taskbar used by 22H2 and later, including 24H2 and 25H2. Big Windows updates and Insider builds sometimes break it until a new release ships. See the Windows 11 guide.

How do I make the taskbar fully transparent?

Right-click the TranslucentTB tray icon, open Desktop and choose Clear. Clear with the default color #00000000 is fully invisible. If windows make it change, set Visible window and Maximized window to Clear as well, or turn them off.

Where is the TranslucentTB settings file?

For the Store, winget and App Installer versions: %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\28017CharlesMilette.TranslucentTB_v826wp6bftszj\RoamingState\settings.json. For the portable version: settings.json in the same folder as TranslucentTB.exe. Open it from the tray icon with Advanced › Edit settings.

Why did my settings reset to default?

If settings.json contains a single invalid value, such as "Acrylic" instead of "acrylic", TranslucentTB rejects the whole file and uses defaults for everything. Paste your file into the settings validator to find the line.

Is TranslucentTB free? Is there a Pro version?

It is completely free and open source under GPLv3, with no ads, no paid tier and no "Pro" or "Premium" edition. Apps or downloads that sell a "TranslucentTB Pro" are not from the developers. If you want to support the project, it takes donations on Liberapay.

What is TranslucentTB.exe?

It is the TranslucentTB app itself: the process that shows the tray icon, reads settings.json and tells the taskbar which look to use. The Store version runs it from C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\28017CharlesMilette.TranslucentTB_…; the portable one from wherever you unzipped it. It is signed by "Charles Milette". If you did not install TranslucentTB on purpose, see Is TranslucentTB safe?

Is there TranslucentTB for Mac, Linux or Android?

No. TranslucentTB only works on Windows 10 (version 1903 or later) and Windows 11, because it changes the Windows taskbar specifically. macOS and Linux desktops such as KDE Plasma have their own settings or themes for a see-through dock or panel, and Android has no taskbar for it to change. Any "TranslucentTB APK" or Mac download is not the real app.

Does TranslucentTB work on Windows 7 or 8.1?

No. Every current TranslucentTB package requires Windows 10 version 1903 (build 18362) or later; that minimum is in the app's package manifest.

Does TranslucentTB slow down my PC?

Not measurably. In our Windows test it used about 9 to 14 MB of private memory and 0 ms of CPU while the taskbar sat idle, and 78 ms of CPU while we opened, maximized and closed windows 18 times in 30 seconds. See the performance page for the full numbers and what to change if your taskbar ever feels slow.

Design every taskbar state, then export settings.json.

Use your own wallpaper, set all seven states and per-app rules, and download a file TranslucentTB will accept the first time.

Open the builderRead the guide