Windows 7 is available in six different editions: Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate editions. Of all the editions, the Starter and Home Basic editions aren’t available in retail stores and they ship only with a PC in select regions.
Both Starter and Home Basic editions have some limitations. They don’t ship with a Media Center and don’t have many advanced features available in higher editions.
It’s a well known fact that the Home Basic edition of Windows 7 doesn’t support Aero by default. In order to enable Aero feature in Windows 7, you need to have Home Premium or higher editions. Users who’re on Home Basic edition and want to enable the Aero glass transparency are in luck as a small tool named Aero Enabler is now available to enable the missing feature with a click.
Related: How to enable Aero glass feature in Windows 8 and enable Aero glass with blur effect in Windows 8.
Enable Aero in Windows 7 Home Basic edition
Additionally, Windows 7 might not enable Aero on Home Premium or higher editions if your PC lacks the minimum hardware required to enable and run Aero. When you install Windows 7 on a computer Windows checks for minimum requirements before enabling the Aero. Users who would like to enable Aero on Home Premium or higher editions running on a machine without Aero compatible hardware can also use Aero Enabler to enable the feature.
Aero Enabler is a small tool for Windows 7 that can enable Aero on Home Basic edition and additionally disable hardware check if required. So if your PC running Windows 7 Home Premium or Ultimate without Windows Display Driver Model specifications, you will be able enable Aero with this tool.
Sometimes, if your PC doesn’t meet Windows 7 minimum system requirements, you will not be able to see Aero. And if you’re running Home Premium or higher edition of Aero and the Aero glass feature is missing, we suggest you check out how to fix Aero glass issues in Windows 7 with the help of the official diagnostic tool.
If you also own a computer running on Windows 8, don’t forget to download Aero theme for Windows 8.
Download Aero Enabler
keepcalm.remainresilient. says
wow, it worked on my win7 home basic. i guess, my laptop met the hardware requirements. thank you.
Katuji says
It can work however….
Katuji says
128MB video card.
Intel 945+ WDDM Driver or 910/ 915 (if you can make a driver)
Pixel shading 2.0+
Host Controller
Task Scheduling
BIOS with 8 MB on start up.
Just FYI- it wont work on the 915 chipset.. yet. I know it can though because it worked in the 2006/7 release models of Vista Beta.
ami says
like directx9 acceleration
ami says
please attach the all requirments files for enable aero theme
raman says
i used aero enabler in windows 7 home basic.my pc meets ll the requirememts .it is having very complicated hardware but i still cannot enable transparency.overall it doesn’t work.can you tell me another methods to run windows 7 ultimate themes.
EP says
Forget it, Damian. Aero Enabler can NOT enable Aero Transparency. On the Aero Enabler’s web site it says the following:
“On Windows Vista / 7 Home Basic, it’s not possible to enabler transparency. However, you can enable the taskbar-preview”
Sorry folks, Aero Enabler can NOT fully enable Aero on Home Basic edition of Windows 7.
And if your computer uses an Intel Graphics chipsets, see this Intel page on troubleshooting Windows Aero:
http://www.intel.com/support/graphics/sb/cs-023607.htm
If you want FULL support for Aero (not partial support), step up to Windows 7 Home Premium or greater as the Aero Enabler tool isn’t worth it.
Damian says
Same thing happens with me. I click enable aero and nothing happens. it would be amazing if someone could get this working.
Dan says
Doesn’t work for me either. Win7 home basic spanish.
chaitanya says
hi.
I downloaded this tool and i have windows 7 home basic but this does not work . It always shows to enable aero but never does .
help me.
I have 32 bit windows and all requirements.
admin says
It also works for Windows Vista Home Basic edition (according to the author). Note that I haven’t tried it on my system.