How to Change Cortana Search Box Background Transparency in Windows 10

warning   Warning
This tutorial will no longer work starting with Windows 10 version 1903.

information   Information
Searching in Cortana on your taskbar makes it easier for you to search the web and Windows.

Starting with Windows 10 build 15014, you can change the transparency level of the Cortana search box background to opaque (white), semi-transparent (default), or fully transparent.

While the Cortana search box background is fully transparent, the color of the taskbar will show through it.

This tutorial will how you how to change the transparency level of the Cortana search box background for your account in Windows 10.

Note   Note
The downloadable .bat files below will modify the DWORD value in the registry keys below.

Code:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search\Flighting\0\SearchBoxTransparencyBackground

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search\Flighting\1\SearchBoxTransparencyBackground

Value DWORD

0 = Transparent
60 (decimal) = Semi-transparent
100 (decimal) = Opaque (solid white)

You can manually modify the Value DWORD to a decimal value of 0 to 100 for a custom transparency level.


EXAMPLE: Opaque, semi-transparent, and transparent Cortana search box
Change Cortana Search Box Background Transparency in Windows 10-opaque_white_cortana_search_box.png
Change Cortana Search Box Background Transparency in Windows 10-default_semi_transparent_cortana_search_box.png
Change Cortana Search Box Background Transparency in Windows 10-transparent_cortana_search_box.png



Here's How:

1. Do step 2 (opaque), step 3 (semi-transparent), step 4 (transparent) below for what you would like to do.


 2. To Change Cortana Search Box Background Transparency to Opaque

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below, and go to step 5 below.

Opaque_Cortana_Search_Box.bat

Download


 3. To Change Cortana Search Box Background Transparency to Semi-transparent

NOTE: This is the default setting.

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below, and go to step 5 below.

Default_semi-transparent_Cortana_Search_Box.bat

Download


 4. To Change Cortana Search Box Background Transparency to Transparent

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below, and go to step 5 below.

Transparent_Cortana_Search_Box.bat

Download

5. Save the .bat file to your desktop.

6. Unblock the .bat file.

7. Run the .bat file.

8. You will now notice your screen flicker and a command prompt quickly opens and close as explorer is restarted to apply the registry changes.

9. When finished, you can delete the downloaded .bat file if you like.

10. It is recommended that you also change the Cortana search box text color to black or white depending on what you set above to see the text better against the background.


That's it,
Shawn


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