The yellow border around certain windows or applications on your Windows 10 computer can be an annoying visual issue that may appear under specific circumstances. It often occurs when Windows 10’s Ease of Access or Visual Effects settings are activated, or sometimes due to problems with the graphics drivers. If you’re seeing this yellow border and want to remove it, there are several potential fixes to resolve the issue.
In this article, we’ll cover the common causes of the yellow border and guide you through the steps to remove it.
1. Check Ease of Access Settings
Windows 10 has built-in accessibility features that can trigger a yellow border around certain applications. This is typically related to the High Contrast settings or the Visual Cues feature.
To disable High Contrast Mode:
- Open Settings:
- Press Win + I to open Settings.
- Go to Ease of Access:
- Click on Ease of Access in the Settings menu.
- Disable High Contrast:
- Under the High Contrast section, check if Turn on high contrast is enabled.
- If it is, switch it off by selecting None from the high contrast themes dropdown.
- Check Visual Cues:
- Scroll down to Visual Cues and ensure that any settings related to borders or highlights are set to Off.
- Restart Your PC:
- After making changes, restart your computer to apply the settings.
2. Adjust Window Border Settings
Another possible cause for the yellow border is the way Windows 10 handles window borders in general. You can adjust or turn off certain visual effects that may be causing this issue.
To adjust window borders:
- Open System Properties:
- Right-click on This PC and select Properties.
- Click on Advanced system settings from the left sidebar.
- Open Performance Options:
- Under the Advanced tab, click on Settings in the Performance section.
- Disable Visual Effects:
- In the Performance Options window, ensure that Adjust for best performance is selected, which will disable all unnecessary visual effects.
- Alternatively, you can choose Custom, and uncheck individual effects like Animate windows when minimizing and maximizing or Show window contents while dragging.
- Apply Changes:
- Click Apply, then OK to save your settings.
- Restart your computer to see if the yellow border is removed.
3. Check for Graphics Driver Issues
Outdated or corrupt graphics drivers can cause various display issues, including the appearance of unusual borders around application windows. To fix this, you may need to update or reinstall your graphics driver.
To update your graphics driver:
- Open Device Manager:
- Right-click on the Start menu and select Device Manager.
- Update Graphics Driver:
- Expand the Display Adapters section.
- Right-click on your graphics card and select Update driver.
- Choose Search automatically for updated driver software.
- Reinstall the Driver:
- If updating doesn’t help, you can try uninstalling the driver and then reinstalling it.
- Right-click on your graphics card in Device Manager, select Uninstall device, and restart your computer.
- Windows will attempt to reinstall the correct driver upon reboot.
- Visit the Manufacturer’s Website:
- For more advanced options, visit the manufacturer’s website (e.g., NVIDIA, AMD, Intel) to download and install the latest driver for your graphics card.
4. Reset Display Settings
Sometimes, the yellow border issue can be caused by misconfigured display settings. If you’ve recently adjusted your display settings (e.g., resolution, multiple monitors), resetting them may resolve the issue.
To reset display settings:
- Right-click on the Desktop:
- Select Display settings.
- Set to Recommended Settings:
- In the Display settings window, make sure your Resolution is set to the Recommended value for your monitor.
- Also, ensure that Multiple Displays settings (if applicable) are configured correctly.
- Check Advanced Display Settings:
- Scroll down and click on Advanced display settings to verify the refresh rate and other parameters. If anything looks out of place, adjust it accordingly.
5. Check for Third-Party Software Conflicts
Some third-party software applications, especially those related to themes or customization (like window managers, desktop enhancers, or graphic utilities), can cause a yellow border to appear around windows. If you’ve recently installed such software, try disabling or uninstalling it to see if it resolves the issue.
To uninstall third-party software:
- Open Settings:
- Press Win + I and go to Apps.
- Find and Uninstall the Software:
- Look for any theme or window manager software you installed and uninstall it.
- You can also disable any background applications that may be interfering with your system settings.
- Restart Your Computer:
- After uninstalling or disabling the software, restart your computer to check if the yellow border has been removed.
6. Perform a System Restore (If Necessary)
If none of the above steps work, and the yellow border problem appeared after a recent update or change, you can perform a System Restore to revert your computer’s settings to an earlier point in time before the issue occurred.
To perform a system restore:
- Search for System Restore:
- Type System Restore in the Windows search bar and select Create a restore point.
- Open System Restore:
- In the System Properties window, click on the System Restore button.
- Select a Restore Point:
- Choose a restore point from before the yellow border issue began, and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.
Conclusion
The yellow border issue in Windows 10 can often be attributed to visual effects settings, accessibility features, or graphics driver issues. By following the steps outlined above, you can easily remove the yellow border and restore your system’s normal appearance. Whether it’s adjusting Ease of Access settings, updating graphics drivers, or resetting display settings, one of these solutions should help fix the issue.