Winaero Tweaker

Wolfzz said:

Winaero Tweaker's 'Reset to Defaults' setting is corrupting Windows 11 systems​

If you use the Winaero Tweaker app, a Reddit user, RemarkableOil451, has put out a warning about using the software on Windows 11 over dangerous Reset to Defaults settings that can cause system corruption on Microsoft's newest OS. According to the Redditor, pressing the "Reset this page to defaults" button in the Advanced Appearance module executes an immediate, persistent registry write without asking the user for confirmation.

The reset function in Winaero Tweaker injects legacy binary values (static 9pt Segoe UI) into the Windows 11 Registry Keys. This legacy data conflicts with Windows 11's native Accessibility subsystem by overriding the Text Size scaling and rendering the UI illegible on high-DPI displays.

If you manage to muck up your system settings, the Redditor reports that manually deleting the injected registry values does not fully resolve the issue, with the font face bring broken entirely, forcing a system-wide fallback to Arial. While unconfirmed, the Redditor thinks that the app might inject hidden dependencies elsewhere, perhaps FontSubstitutes, that survive cleanup.

To restore their Windows 11 back to a fully normal state, RemarkableOil451 had to perform a full system restore. While the OP didn't realize it at the time, as it was later mentioned in the comments, there is a way to fix the issue without a full system restore. Apparently, you can do the following steps to get your system back to normal:

Delete the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics key via Registry Editor.

• Go into Windows Settings, Display, and set the scaling to an arbitrary value (e.g., 175%).
• Sign out and sign back in to force the OS to "recompute" the default values.
• Then restore the original scaling.

If you are using Winaero Tweaker then, be sure not to restore the defaults as you'll end up with extra work on your hands, though, it's not as catastrophic as needing to do a system restore. To be honest though, if you are not happy with your system screwing up, perhaps using a tweaker to make unofficial changes isn't the best idea.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows11/comments/1pevd1t/public_service_announcement_winaero_tweakers

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Stigg said:

The Reddit user claims he had comments censored from the Winaero Tweaker developer's website.
Where do I find the Winaero Tweaker comments?

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Stigg said:

The Reddit user claims he had comments censored from the Winaero Tweaker developer's website.
Where do I find the Winaero Tweaker comments?

Click to expand...

Winaero Tweaker 1.64 is out with new features

It is finally here. After more than a year hiatus, I am happy to introduce Winaero Tweaker 1.64. The app has got a number of new tweaks, the ability to

winaero.com

Stigg said:

I only extract the files and run it as a portable, although it still adds a registry entry, which I remove manually.

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Josey Wales said:

Winaero Tweaker 1.64.1

Added the ability to disable display animation when you connect a new display to your Windows 11 device. Starting in Windows 22H2, it can be disabled in the Registry, so the app now offers a GUI for that. You will find the checkbox under Appearance > Disable Display Change Animation. I say thanks to "Aerath Xlythe" for this.

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FrancoDT said:

Didn't see anything in the release notes about the "Reset to Defaults settings that can cause system corruption" that was posted earlier yet though. I'd say continue to avoid that for the time being.

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Winaero Tweaker 1.64.1​

• Users can now disable the display animation that occurs when connecting a new monitor in Windows 11 (22H2 and later).
• This option is available under Appearance > Disable Display Change Animation.
• Credit for this suggestion goes to Reddit user “Aerath Xlythe.”

• All dialog boxes now properly follow the dark mode theme, including About, Reset All Tweaks, Import/Export Tweaks, and Visible Tweaks dialogs.
• Previously, disabled controls appeared with black text on a dark background; most of these issues have been fixed (some remain, see Known Issues
• The search pane now also respects dark mode.

• Most taskbar-related options are now hidden on Windows 11, as they no longer function.
• Options remain for users combining Winaero Tweaker with ExplorerPatcher, though it is currently broken in Windows 11 25H2.
• For a full classic taskbar experience, StartAllBack is recommended. It is a paid but affordable solution that restores the lost taskbar flexibility.

• In version 1.64, the Xmouse feature was re-enabled after a long hiatus. However, a coding oversight accidentally removed the ability to disable it. Version 1.64.1 addresses this, restoring the option to toggle Xmouse on or off as intended.

• The "Advanced Appearance" section previously relied on legacy, hardcoded font values optimized for Windows 7. On newer versions of Windows, resetting these options could incorrectly apply outdated Registry values for system fonts, status bar, desktop icons, and menus.

• Tweaks now read and operate using current Registry values.
• Backup copies of font binary data are created automatically.
• Resetting to defaults restores the original system fonts accurately.
• No hardcoded font values are used, and there are no visible changes for users.
• This issue was first reported by a Reddit user, highlighting that even minor or infrequently used tweaks can harbor hidden bugs. Importantly, claims that the software intentionally damages user systems are unfounded; any problems were easily reversible without requiring System Restore.

• Winaero Tweaker is a personal, community-oriented project—not a commercial product.
• Use is voluntary, and undocumented behavior may change or cause issues unexpectedly.
• Like any software, Winaero Tweaker may contain bugs or imperfect code, similar to Windows itself.

• Even after being disabled, the OneDrive icon may reappear. This is due to the OneDrive client restoring it automatically. A workaround is planned, and testing is underway.

• Some UI tables, such as the lower table in the Terminal context menu tweak, appear white when disabled. No reliable solution has been found yet.

• Toolbar icons remain blurry.
• Icons on the "Information" page are still blurry.
• The "Disable Windows Update" page does not yet allow selection of the method to use.
• These issues are expected to be resolved in the next app release.

Winaero Tweaker

Winaero Tweaker is a free app for all versions of Windows that lets you adjust (i.e. tweak) hidden secret settings that Microsoft does not let you adjust

winaero.com

Wolfzz said:

Version 1.64.1 completely rewrites the Advanced Appearance logic:

• Tweaks now read and operate using current Registry values.
• Backup copies of font binary data are created automatically.
• Resetting to defaults restores the original system fonts accurately.
• No hardcoded font values are used, and there are no visible changes for users.
• This issue was first reported by a Reddit user, highlighting that even minor or infrequently used tweaks can harbor hidden bugs. Importantly, claims that the software intentionally damages user systems are unfounded; any problems were easily reversible without requiring System Restore.

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Wolfzz said:

Version 1.64.1 completely rewrites the Advanced Appearance logic:​

• Tweaks now read and operate using current Registry values.
• Backup copies of font binary data are created automatically.
• Resetting to defaults restores the original system fonts accurately.
• No hardcoded font values are used, and there are no visible changes for users.
• This issue was first reported by a Reddit user, highlighting that even minor or infrequently used tweaks can harbor hidden bugs. Importantly, claims that the software intentionally damages user systems are unfounded; any problems were easily reversible without requiring System Restore.

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Eric Shun said:

I lost Nvidia Control Panel since updating to 591.44 and then using this new version of WAT to tweak a few things.
Nvidia Control Panel is gone from the desktop right click menu. The Nvidia tray menu is there, but that does not open Nvidia Control Panel.
Not blaming WAT. I will do a quick backup restore and see what happens.

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Get-AppxPackage 'NVIDIACorp.NVIDIAControlPanel' | % { Copy-Item -LiteralPath $_.InstallLocation -Destination $Env:USERPROFILE\Desktop -Recurse -Force; Invoke-Item "$Env:USERPROFILE\Desktop\NVIDIACorp.NVIDIAControlPanel_*\nvcplui.exe" }

Josey Wales said:

Now just to get the NVIDIA app out of the systray .

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dacrone said:

it was most likely only gone from your context menu. dont need tor reinstall for that... just for future reference


you dont want it showing in the tray?

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