Windows Vista 2025 Edition Start Menu Style Using Windhawk

The Windows Vista 2025 Edition Start Menu Style Using Windhawk is a modern customization concept inspired by the classic Aero Glass design of Windows Vista. It brings a futuristic twist to the nostalgic interface while running on Windows 11.

In this guide, you will learn how to recreate the iconic Vista-style Start Menu using Windhawk and other customization tools.

What is Windows Vista 2025 Edition Start Menu Style?

This style is not an official Microsoft release. Instead, it is a visual customization that combines:

Classic Windows Vista Aero Glass design
Modern Windows 11 performance
Futuristic UI improvements (2025 concept style)

The result is a beautiful hybrid interface that feels both retro and futuristic.

About Windhawk

Windhawk is a powerful Windows customization tool that allows users to modify system UI elements easily and safely.

It is widely used for Start Menu modifications, taskbar tweaks, and visual enhancements.

Why Choose Windows Vista 2025 Edition Start Menu Style Using Windhawk?

Brings back Aero Glass transparency
Modernized Windows Vista look
Lightweight customization method
Improves desktop aesthetics

Requirements

Windows 11 PC
Windhawk installed
Basic system customization access

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Install Windhawk

Download and install Windhawk from its official website. Launch the application after installation.

Step 2: Open Mods Section

Go to the “Mods” tab inside Windhawk to explore available UI customization options.

Step 3: Enable Start Menu Customization

Search for Start Menu or UI-related mods and install one that supports classic or custom layouts.

Step 4: Apply Vista Aero Glass Style

Enable transparency, blur effects, and rounded glass-style borders to recreate the Vista look.

Step 5: Adjust Settings

Fine-tune opacity, blur strength, and menu alignment for the perfect Windows Vista 2025 Edition style.

Step 6: Restart Explorer

Restart Windows Explorer or reboot your PC to apply all changes.

{
  "theme": "Windows Vista Start Menu by Link Vegas",
  "controlStyles[0].target": "Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Grid#TopLevelSuggestionsListHeader",
  "controlStyles[0].styles[0]": "Width=450",
  "controlStyles[1].target": "Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Grid#NoTopLevelSuggestionsText",
  "controlStyles[1].styles[0]": "Height=0",
  "controlStyles[2].target": "Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Grid#TopLevelSuggestionsContainer",
  "controlStyles[2].styles[0]": "Height=0",
  "controlStyles[3].target": "Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Grid#ShowMoreSuggestions",
  "controlStyles[3].styles[0]": "RenderTransform:=<TranslateTransform Y=\"-474\" X=\"-132\" />",
  "controlStyles[4].target": "StartMenu.PinnedList",
  "controlStyles[4].styles[0]": "Height=504",
  "controlStyles[4].styles[1]": "RenderTransform:=<TranslateTransform Y=\"50\" X=\"290\" />",
  "controlStyles[5].target": "Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Grid#ShowMoreSuggestions > Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Button > Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.ContentPresenter > Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.StackPanel > Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.TextBlock",
  "controlStyles[5].styles[0]": "Text=Recommended",
  "controlStyles[6].target": "StartDocked.StartSizingFrame",
  "controlStyles[6].styles[0]": "MaxWidth=500",
  "controlStyles[6].styles[1]": "MinWidth=500",
  "controlStyles[6].styles[2]": "MaxHeight=650",
  "controlStyles[6].styles[3]": "CornerRadius=8",
  "controlStyles[7].target": "Grid#RootContent",
  "controlStyles[7].styles[0]": "MinWidth=500",
  "controlStyles[7].styles[1]": "CornerRadius=8",
  "controlStyles[8].target": "Border#AcrylicOverlay",
  "controlStyles[8].styles[0]": "CornerRadius=8",
  "controlStyles[8].styles[1]": "Margin=0,30,0,-10",
  "controlStyles[8].styles[2]": "Background:=<AcrylicBrush TintColor=\"{ThemeResource CardStrokeColorDefaultSolid}\" FallbackColor=\"{ThemeResource CardStrokeColorDefaultSolid}\" TintOpacity=\"0\" TintLuminosityOpacity=\".35\" Opacity=\"1\"/>",
  "controlStyles[8].styles[3]": "RenderTransform:=<TranslateTransform Y=\"58\" X=\"0\" />",
  "controlStyles[9].target": "Border#AcrylicBorder",
  "controlStyles[9].styles[0]": "Background:=<AcrylicBrush TintColor=\"{ThemeResource CardStrokeColorDefaultSolid}\" FallbackColor=\"{ThemeResource CardStrokeColorDefaultSolid}\" TintOpacity=\"0\" TintLuminosityOpacity=\".40\" Opacity=\"1\"/>",
  "controlStyles[9].styles[1]": "BorderBrush:=<AcrylicBrush TintColor=\"{ThemeResource SurfaceStrokeColorDefault}\" FallbackColor=\"{ThemeResource SurfaceStrokeColorDefault}\" TintOpacity=\"0\" TintLuminosityOpacity=\".0\" Opacity=\"1\"/>",
  "controlStyles[9].styles[2]": "BorderThickness=1",
  "controlStyles[9].styles[3]": "CornerRadius=5",
  "controlStyles[9].styles[4]": "Margin=0",
  "controlStyles[10].target": "Border#DropShadow",
  "controlStyles[10].styles[0]": "CornerRadius=30",
  "controlStyles[10].styles[1]": "Margin=0",
  "controlStyles[11].target": "StartDocked.SearchBoxToggleButton#StartMenuSearchBox",
  "controlStyles[12].target": "StartDocked.SearchBoxToggleButton",
  "controlStyles[12].styles[0]": "Height=38",
  "controlStyles[12].styles[2]": "CornerRadius=20",
  "controlStyles[12].styles[1]": "RenderTransform:=<TranslateTransform Y=\"0\" X=\"0\" />",
  "controlStyles[13].target": "StartDocked.SearchBoxToggleButton > Grid > Border",
  "controlStyles[13].styles[0]": "Background:=<AcrylicBrush TintColor=\"{ThemeResource CardStrokeColorDefaultSolid}\" FallbackColor=\"{ThemeResource CardStrokeColorDefaultSolid}\" TintOpacity=\"0\" TintLuminosityOpacity=\".30\" Opacity=\"1\"/>",
  "controlStyles[13].styles[1]": "RenderTransform:=<TranslateTransform Y=\"0\" X=\"0\" />",
  "controlStyles[14].target": "StartDocked.LauncherFrame > Grid#RootGrid > Grid#RootContent > Grid#MainContent > Grid#InnerContent > Rectangle",
  "controlStyles[14].styles[0]": "RenderTransform:=<TranslateTransform Y=\"555\" X=\"0\" />",
  "controlStyles[15].target": "StartDocked.SearchBoxToggleButton",
  "controlStyles[15].styles[0]": "Canvas.ZIndex=1",
  "controlStyles[15].styles[1]": "RenderTransform:=<TranslateTransform Y=\"565\" X=\"0\" />",
  "controlStyles[16].target": "StartDocked.NavigationPaneView",
  "controlStyles[16].styles[0]": "RenderTransform:=<TranslateTransform Y=\"-570\" X=\"-30\" />",
  "controlStyles[17].target": "StartDocked.UserTileView#UserTile",
  "controlStyles[17].styles[0]": "RenderTransform:=<TranslateTransform Y=\"0\" X=\"0\" />",
  "controlStyles[18].target": "StartDocked.AppListViewItem > Grid > ContentPresenter",
  "controlStyles[19].target": "StartDocked.PowerOptionsView",
 "controlStyles[19].styles[0]": "RenderTransform:=<TranslateTransform Y=\"0\" X=\"30\" />",
  "controlStyles[20].target": "StartDocked.LauncherFrame > Grid#RootGrid > Grid#RootContent > Grid#MainContent > Grid#InnerContent > Rectangle",
  "controlStyles[20].styles[0]": "Visibility=Collapsed",
  "controlStyles[21].target": "Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Grid#AllAppsRoot",
  "controlStyles[21].styles[0]": "Margin=0,0,0,0",
  "controlStyles[22].target": "Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.TextBlock#PinnedListHeaderText",
  "controlStyles[23].target": "Border#ContentBorder@CommonStates > Grid#DroppedFlickerWorkaroundWrapper > Border",
  "controlStyles[23].styles[0]": "FocusVisualPrimaryBrush:=<SolidColorBrush Color=\"#b3cefd\" Opacity=\".10\"/>",
  "controlStyles[23].styles[1]": "CornerRadius=5",
  "controlStyles[23].styles[2]": "Height=80",
  "controlStyles[23].styles[3]": "Width=92",
  "controlStyles[24].target": "StartMenu.PinnedList#StartMenuPinnedList",
  "controlStyles[24].styles[0]": "MaxWidth=475",
  "controlStyles[24].styles[1]": "Margin=-550,0,0,0",
  "controlStyles[24].styles[2]": "Height=410",
  "controlStyles[25].target": "Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Border#ContentBorder@CommonStates > Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Grid#DroppedFlickerWorkaroundWrapper > Border#BackgroundBorder",
  "controlStyles[25].styles[0]": "Background@Normal:=<AcrylicBrush TintColor=\"{ThemeResource CardStrokeColorDefaultSolid}\" FallbackColor=\"{ThemeResource CardStrokeColorDefaultSolid}\" TintOpacity=\"0\" TintLuminosityOpacity=\".45\" Opacity=\"2\"/>",
  "controlStyles[25].styles[1]": "Background@PointerOver:=<AcrylicBrush TintColor=\"{ThemeResource CardStrokeColorDefaultSolid}\" FallbackColor=\"{ThemeResource CardStrokeColorDefaultSolid}\" TintOpacity=\"0\" TintLuminosityOpacity=\".30\" Opacity=\"1\"/>",
  "controlStyles[26].target": "Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Grid#MoreSuggestionsRoot",
  "controlStyles[26].styles[0]": "Margin=0,0,0,0",
  "controlStyles[27].target": "StartDocked.AppListView#NavigationPanePlacesListView > Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Border",
  "controlStyles[27].styles[0]": "Background:=<AcrylicBrush TintColor=\"{ThemeResource CardStrokeColorDefaultSolid}\" FallbackColor=\"{ThemeResource CardStrokeColorDefaultSolid}\" TintOpacity=\"0\" TintLuminosityOpacity=\".55\" Opacity=\"1\"/>",
  "controlStyles[27].styles[1]": "CornerRadius=18",
  "controlStyles[27].styles[2]": "Margin=0,0,0,0",
  "controlStyles[28].target": "StartDocked.NavigationPaneButton#PowerButton > Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Grid@CommonStates > Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Border#BackgroundBorder",
  "controlStyles[28].styles[0]": "Background:=<AcrylicBrush TintColor=\"{ThemeResource CardStrokeColorDefaultSolid}\" FallbackColor=\"{ThemeResource CardStrokeColorDefaultSolid}\" TintOpacity=\"0\" TintLuminosityOpacity=\"1\" Opacity=\"1\"/>",
  "controlStyles[28].styles[1]": "BorderBrush@Normal:=<AcrylicBrush TintColor=\"{ThemeResource SurfaceStrokeColorDefault}\" FallbackColor=\"{ThemeResource SurfaceStrokeColorDefault}\" TintOpacity=\"0\" TintLuminosityOpacity=\".1\" Opacity=\"1\"/>",
  "controlStyles[28].styles[2]": "CornerRadius=30",
  "controlStyles[28].styles[3]": "BorderThickness=5",
  "controlStyles[28].styles[4]": "Margin=0",
  "controlStyles[28].styles[5]": "BorderBrush@PointerOver:=<AcrylicBrush TintColor=\"{ThemeResource SystemAccentColor}\" FallbackColor=\"{ThemeResource SystemAccentColor}\" TintOpacity=\".8\" TintLuminosityOpacity=\".5\" Opacity=\".55\"/>",
  "controlStyles[29].target": "Button#ShowAllAppsButton > ContentPresenter@CommonStates",
  "controlStyles[29].styles[0]": "Margin=0,0,0,0",
"controlStyles[30].target": "StartDocked.NavigationPaneButton#PowerButton > Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Grid@CommonStates > Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Border#BackgroundBorder",
  "controlStyles[30].styles[0]": "Background:=<AcrylicBrush TintColor=\"{ThemeResource CardStrokeColorDefaultSolid}\" FallbackColor=\"{ThemeResource CardStrokeColorDefaultSolid}\" TintOpacity=\"0\" TintLuminosityOpacity=\"1\" Opacity=\"1\"/>",
  "controlStyles[30].styles[1]": "BorderBrush@Normal:=<AcrylicBrush TintColor=\"{ThemeResource SurfaceStrokeColorDefault}\" FallbackColor=\"{ThemeResource SurfaceStrokeColorDefault}\" TintOpacity=\"0\" TintLuminosityOpacity=\".1\" Opacity=\"1\"/>",
  "controlStyles[30].styles[2]": "CornerRadius=30",
  "controlStyles[30].styles[3]": "BorderThickness=5",
  "controlStyles[30].styles[4]": "Margin=-7",
  "controlStyles[30].styles[5]": "BorderBrush@PointerOver:=<AcrylicBrush TintColor=\"{ThemeResource SystemAccentColor}\" FallbackColor=\"{ThemeResource SystemAccentColor}\" TintOpacity=\".8\" TintLuminosityOpacity=\".5\" Opacity=\"1\"/>",
 "controlStyles[31].target": "StartDocked.NavigationPaneButton#UserTileButton > Grid > Border#BackgroundBorder",
  "controlStyles[31].styles[0]": "Background:=<AcrylicBrush TintColor=\"{ThemeResource CardStrokeColorDefaultSolid}\" FallbackColor=\"{ThemeResource CardStrokeColorDefaultSolid}\" TintOpacity=\"0\" TintLuminosityOpacity=\".5\" Opacity=\"1\"/>",
  "controlStyles[31].styles[1]": "CornerRadius=18"
}

Customization Tips

Use dark or glass wallpapers for better Aero effect
Enable system-wide transparency in Windows settings
Combine with classic icons for a nostalgic feel

Is This an Official Windows Version?

No, the Windows Vista 2025 Edition Start Menu Style Using Windhawk is not an official Microsoft release. It is a community-based visual customization inspired by Windows Vista.