WinFadeX is a powerful yet lightweight AutoHotkey script that brings dynamic window transparency and overlay effects to your Windows desktop. Automatically fade in new windows, manually adjust opacity, or apply fullscreen/active overlays — all with simple hotkeys. Perfect for multitaskers, minimalists, and productivity enthusiasts.
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🪟 Auto Transparency
Automatically fades in newly opened windows to a semi-transparent state. -
🎛 Manual Transparency Toggle
Instantly toggle transparency for any active window using a hotkey. -
🌀 Adjustable Transparency
Fine-tune transparency with mouse wheel shortcuts. -
🧠 Smart Detection
System windows, desktop, and overlay windows are automatically excluded. -
📐 Overlay Modes
- Create fullscreen color overlays (Dark Blue, Green, Purple, Red).
- Also have options to apply overlays on top of individual active windows.
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📉 Focus Mode
Minimize all windows except the currently active one. -
⚡ Lightweight
Runs silently in the background with minimal resource usage.
WinFadeX.mp4
- Launch the script by running
WinFadeX.ahk. - The script runs continuously in the background.
- Use the hotkeys below to control window fading, overlays, and focus.
| Hotkey | Action Description |
|---|---|
Ctrl + Alt + Right Click |
Toggle transparency for the active window |
Ctrl + Alt + Wheel Up |
Increase transparency (make window more opaque) |
Ctrl + Alt + Wheel Down |
Decrease transparency (make window more transparent) |
Ctrl + Alt + M |
Minimize all windows except the active one |
Ctrl + Alt + 1 |
Toggle fullscreen overlay - Dark Blue |
Ctrl + Alt + 2 |
Toggle fullscreen overlay - Dark Green |
Ctrl + Alt + 3 |
Toggle fullscreen overlay - Dark Purple |
Ctrl + Alt + 4 |
Toggle fullscreen overlay - Dark Red |
Ctrl + Alt + 0 |
Remove the fullscreen overlay |
Ctrl + Alt + O |
Apply dark overlay to current active window only |
Ctrl + Alt + Shift + O |
Remove all active window overlays |
- Developers juggling multiple windows and terminals.
- Designers aiming for aesthetic, minimal desktops.
- Streamers or presenters using overlays for focus.
- Productivity lovers who want a cleaner workspace.
- Ensure AutoHotkey is installed.
- Download or clone this repository.
- Double-click
WinFadeX.ahkto launch the script. - Optionally, add the script to your startup for automatic launch on boot.
- Transparency levels are clamped between 50 (most transparent) and 255 (fully opaque).
- Overlays are non-interactive and always on top but can be dismissed with assigned hotkeys.
- Smart detection avoids applying transparency to system-reserved windows or overlays.
Feel free to fork, improve, and submit PRs. Suggestions and feedback are welcome!
This project is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.
You are free to use, share, and modify this script, even for commercial purposes — but you must give appropriate credit. If you publish or share this project elsewhere, please include a link to the original GitHub repository and credit the author.
© xaicat 2025