How to Use Windows Flip 3D in Windows Vista

Windows Flip 3D is part of Windows Aero in Windows Vista. This feature is available only in Windows Vista Home Premium, Business, Ultimate and Enterprise editions. Windows Aero must be turned on to use the Flip 3D feature. If you can't enable Windows Aero on your computer even though you are running an edition of Windows Vista that includes the feature, your computer may not have the system requirements necessary to use Aero. Your computer must have at least a 1 gigahertz (GHz) processor, 1 gigabyte (GB) of memory and a graphics card with at least 128 MB of memory to run Aero and Flip 3D. Your graphics card must also upport DirectX 9 graphics, a Windows Display Driver Model Driver, hardware-based Pixel Shader 2.0 and 32 bits per pixel.

Turning on Flip 3D

Click the "Switch between windows" button, which looks like a stack of windows, in the Quick Launch bar on the taskbar. If Quick Launch isn't displayed, right-click the taskbar and select "Properties." Click "Show Quick Launch," then click "OK."

You can also press CTRL, the Windows Logo key and the TAB key simultaneously to start Windows Flip 3D.

Using Flip 3D

Your open programs will appear on your desktop as a stack of pages in 3D. Use the scroll wheel on your mouse to rotate the stack of pages. If you prefer, press the TAB key to move between the pages in Flip 3D. Select any page from within the stack to view that program window. Alternatively, press the right or down arrow to move the windows forward, or press the left or up arrow to move them backward. Press ESC to close Flip 3D.

Troubleshooting Flip 3D

You can troubleshoot Windows Vista display features by clicking the "Start" button, selecting "Control Panel" and selecting "Appearance and Personalization." Click "Personalization," then click "Display Settings" to open the Display Settings window. Make sure that "Highest (32 bit)" is selected under "Colors." Click "Advanced Settings," then click the "Monitor" tab. Make sure that the monitor refresh rate is higher than 10 hertz (Hz.) Keep in mind that selecting the wrong refresh rate can damage your monitor. To avoid damage, click the check box beside "Hide modes that this monitor cannot display."

If your computer doesn't have the minimum system requirements for Windows Aero, it may be necessary to upgrade to use Flip 3D. Even if your computer does have the minimum processor speed, memory and graphics card to use Windows Aero and Flip 3D, you may still experience problems, especially if you have a large, high-resolution monitor. When upgrading, don't select just the minimum hardware necessary to run Windows Aero. Instead, review Microsoft's system recommendations to make sure that you choose the right hardware for your computer.

"Using Windows Flip 3D," Microsoft.com
"Troubleshoot problems with Windows Aero" Microsoft.com