Taskbar Dimmer Autohotkey Script.md

Taskbar Dimmer Autohotkey Script

This Autohotkey script is intended to dim the taskbar when it is not needed in order to reduce the burn-in effect on OLED displays.

Source/Credit

This script originally came from: https://superuser.com/a/1691664

Original script from the link above:

SysGet, Monitor, Monitor                   ; Get monitor dimensions
SysGet, WorkArea, MonitorWorkArea          ; Get monitor work-area without taskbar
dimtop := % WorkAreaBottom + 1             ; taskbar is assumed to start below the work-area
Gui Color, 0,0                             ; Black color
Gui -Caption +ToolWindow +E0x20            ; No title bar, No taskbar button, Transparent for clicks
Gui Show, X0 Y%dimtop% W%MonitorRight% H63 ; Create a semi-transparent cover window
WinGet ID, ID, A                           ; Get its HWND/handle ID
Winset AlwaysOnTop,ON,ahk_id %ID%          ; Keep it always on the top
WinSet Transparent,99,ahk_id %ID%          ; Transparency 99/256
SetTimer, coverIt, 500                     ; Repeat setting it to be on top of the taskbar
return

coverIt:
    WinGet style, Style, A                 ; Get active window style and dimensions
    WinGetPos ,,,winW,winH, A
    ; 0x800000 is WS_BORDER.
    ; 0x20000000 is WS_MINIMIZE.
    ; check no border and not minimized
    isfull := ((style & 0x20800000) = 0 and winH >= A_ScreenHeight and winW >= A_ScreenWidth)
    if (isfull) {
        WinHide, ahk_id %ID%
    } else {
        WinShow, ahk_id %ID%
        Winset AlwaysOnTop,ON,ahk_id %ID%      ; Ensure it is still on the top
    }
    return

Usage

Save the script in a file called taskbardimmer.ahk and place it in C:\Users\USER-NAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup so it will start automatically upon login.

My modifications

I have created a modified version of the script which:

• Increases the darkening effect by changing the transparency from the default
• Suppresses the darkening effect if "explorer.exe" owns the active window. Without this modification, there is a compatibility issue with Windows 11 and ExplorerPatcher where the taskbar is dimmed while you are actively using it.

Modified script

SysGet, Monitor, Monitor                   ; Get monitor dimensions
SysGet, WorkArea, MonitorWorkArea          ; Get monitor work-area without taskbar
dimtop := % WorkAreaBottom             ; taskbar is assumed to start below the work-area
Gui Color, 0,0                             ; Black color
Gui -Caption +ToolWindow +E0x20            ; No title bar, No taskbar button, Transparent for clicks
Gui Show, X0 Y%dimtop% W%MonitorRight% H63 ; Create a semi-transparent cover window
WinGet ID, ID, A                           ; Get its HWND/handle ID
Winset AlwaysOnTop,ON,ahk_id %ID%          ; Keep it always on the top
WinSet Transparent,179,ahk_id %ID%          ; Transparency 99/256
SetTimer, coverIt, 500                     ; Repeat setting it to be on top of the taskbar
return

coverIt:
    WinGet style, Style, A                 ; Get active window style and dimensions
    WinGet pName, ProcessName, A           ; Get active window process name
    WinGetPos ,,,winW,winH, A
    ; 0x800000 is WS_BORDER.
    ; 0x20000000 is WS_MINIMIZE.
    ; check no border and not minimized
    isfull := (((style & 0x20800000) = 0 and winH >= A_ScreenHeight and winW >= A_ScreenWidth) or pName == "explorer.exe")
    if (isfull) {
        WinHide, ahk_id %ID%
    } else {
        WinShow, ahk_id %ID%
        Winset AlwaysOnTop,ON,ahk_id %ID%      ; Ensure it is still on the top
    }
    return