Windows customization is one of the aspects that most attract the attention of its users, so that they can modify its appearance to leave it as we see fit. The Microsoft operating system has different types of customization through themes, but that usually does not affect the search box. To give this section a little more visual beauty, we can use third-party applications developed for this purpose. This is the case of BeautySearch , which we will talk about below.
BeautySearch, as its name suggests, is responsible for giving the Windows 10 search tool a little more beauty, since its appearance is not usually affected by the themes that we install. It is a portable, simple and lightweight tool, so it does not have any negative effect on the performance of our computer. With this application we can not only modify the appearance of the search box, but it also allows us to customize the contextual menu.
In this way, this simple program allows us to change the color for the Start menu and the taskbar , being able to implement the dark mode also in the search results. It is also possible to hide the outlines when we use the mouse and remove the background of the icons of UWP applications. In addition, it provides us with different settings for the context menu, such as the ability to add shadows, round the corners, and add acrylic effects.
BeautySearch helps us change the appearance of Windows 10 elements
Once we run the application for the first time, a window appears where we find the different elements that we can mark to be installed. The options that are available to us are:
- Show accent color in search window.
- Follow the system theme.
- Remove background from UWP app icons.
- Add shadows to the context menu.
- Make context menu corners round.
- Add acrylic effects to the context menu.
- Hide the context menu borders.
- Hide button outlines when we use the mouse.
Once installed the chosen options will be applied immediately. For example, when adding the accent color to the search window, the effect is applied to the results panel on the left and at the top of the window, giving a more pleasant appearance than the one we can find by default in Windows. To get the dark theme , however, we must make a variation in the color scheme of the Windows Settings section. From here we go to the “Personalization” and “Colors” section. In the “Choose a color” tab we select the dark mode.
We can also check how the application is responsible for removing the background from all UWP application icons. The icons for all applications have a smooth mosaic background that makes the icon appear larger. In this way with this tool you can remove that background to make it look much better.
As for the contextual menu, it also has some simple adjustments such as shadows, rounded corners and a new acrylic effect that looks better. However, outlines make navigation easier and better so removing them can make our interface look a bit better. If we do not like the edges of the contextual menu we can deactivate it and it will work with the rest of the settings such as the shadow, rounded corners and the acrylic effect. The option to hide the button outlines when using the mouse did not work for us in our tests so we can uncheck it from the list of options.
Conclusions
If we are looking for a program that is responsible for adding new functions to the experience we have with Windows 10, this program is not the right one. However, the functions that are part of BeautySearch help us to improve the appearance of certain Windows functions that should have been added in the operating system by default at the time. The fact that the application is free can help us to test it, because in case it does not convince us, it can be uninstalled quickly and without leaving a trace of its use, re-enabling the Bing search when we remove the configuration.
Free Download BeautySearch
BeautySearch is an open source and completely free application that we can download from this link . It is compatible with the Windows 10 operating system in 32-bit and 64-bit versions. It is a portable application so it does not need installation and does not modify Windows registry parameters.
At the time of executing the installation we must grant them Administrator privileges so that it works correctly. It should also be mentioned that the application is not compatible with Bing search, so it disables the search function of the Start menu.
The latest version available is 1.2.3 corresponding to November 1, 2020. This shows a good support and update policy from the developer and the community with an application that is quite new.
Alternatives to BeautySearch
If we are looking for an application with which we can customize our Windows 10 computer, we propose some alternatives to BeautySearch that we should know:
Ashampoo Taskbar Customizer
This program is responsible for allowing us to customize a very important element in Windows such as the taskbar, giving it a translucent appearance. It also has a personalized method with which we can modify the default parameters as best interests us, being able to customize its color in real time, with an attractive gradient. We can download the application from this link.
Easy Context Menu
This application allows us to make different modifications to improve and organize the Windows context menu, which will allow us to access the most used operating system components quickly and easily. In addition, it has tools to lock the keyboard and mouse or delete temporary files, among others. Easy Context Menu is a completely free application that we can download from its website .
