Latest Windows Update Screwed Up The Mica Effect

That would be unexpected.

What build of Windows 11 are you using?

25H2 I just updated it before the issue started.

Hello,
Sorry to hear you are having issues. Need to know your OS Build number too. Use Winver.exe. Also post some screenshots would also help us understand your issue better.

Thank you,
Basj,
Stardock Community  Assistant.

25H2 I just updated it before the issue started.What build of Windows 11 are you using?

we need these number please.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community  Assistant

26200.8457 is the build number

Also, here is a screenshot showing it's a solid colour with no transparency at all

 I just installed the update, too, and the Mica effect definitely looks off now. Transparency and window blending don’t feel as smooth as before, especially in File Explorer and some system apps. Hopefully, Microsoft notices it quickly and fixes it in the next patch because the UI looked much cleaner before this update.

Hello,
I have forwarded your problem/question to Stardock Support Team for their assistance. Please keep an eye on this thread for any updates. We appreciate your feedback and patience. Thank you.

Basj,
Stardock Community  Assistant

Hi FRiNGE07,

Thanks for posting.

I haven't been able to reproduce an issue with the Mica effect.  In my picture below with Mica On, the solid bright pink background makes the background of my Start menu show as pink: 

For comparison, with Mica set to Off, I can adjust the background transparency level slider to 11%, making it show through to what's behind it:

Please let us know if that helps to clarify and find a setting that works best for you.

Best regards,

Adam McGuinness
Stardock Support Specialist

I don't care that it works for you. I have been using this software for 12 years, so I know how to use it. Stop making it seem like it's on my end when it clearly is not. Other people have confirmed it in this thread. It is broken! plain and simple! Literally, 3 people just said they have this problem. learn how to read before you assume someone else is incompetent.

Maybe you should make sure you're on the newest Start11 update and the newest Windows update

It does not matter if I put it on 11% solid or 100% solid; it looks exactly the same.

What we are saying is that with the mica effect on, you cannot adjust the transparency like before. Your photos and remarks clearly confirm you did not understand.

Firstly lets all be nice to each other.

Secondly, I am unsure if there is some misunderstanding here.

The Mica effect has always shown you a blurred, darkened or lightened (depending on mode) and largely featureless version of the desktop wallpaper.  The transparency slider does impact things, on Win 7 style it will reduce how solid the menu is over the effect and on the other styles it will where the background is not already almost entirely invisible (so top bar, or right bar area typically).

The Mica effect itself has light / darkness applied to it but generally is much less obvious in dark mode than light mode and it looks like your taskbar / startmenu at least is in dark mode.

If you look closely at your screenshots you can see it isn't a single tone, there is visible blue gradient showing which stops at the right hand side where it is darker.  If you set the slider to 11% you will find the right hand side then matches the left showing it is doing something.  What you are seeing is 100% mica with nothing painted over it on the left.  I am guessing you are using the Windows wallpaper thats dark around the edges and blue in the middle.

I have tested v2.5 as well just to confirm there is no change here.  As this is our own implementation of Mica it is also not being impacted by any OS changes which might have happened.

There were three different users posting here, one is banned for reasons I am unsure of, one is yourself and the other report is from someone who is reporting OS wide issues with transparency which would be an entirely different issue.

In short, as best I can tell the Mica feature in Start11 is both working as designed and working as it was before so I am scratching my head here as to what could be the issue.  Please note that the effect is very wallpaper dependent and doesn't always show as well in dark mode as light.  As a test set Windows to light mode and see if you can see the effect then.

Let's be very clear, here. There are rules which govern Stardock's forums and sites: No abuse of any kind of any member of this community (Stardock personnel or community members) will be tolerated. 

https://www.stardock.com/policies/terms#StardockOnlineCommunityTermsofUse-MemberConduct

I don't mind confirming this for you.  I'd also like to add that in investigating your report, we have taken at your word that you are on Start11 v2 and fully updated as-well.  

The version of Start11 v2 is, as Neil noted here, seemingly irrelevant anyway.  Although I hadn't mentioned earlier, I also tested this on 2.5 before replying to you and couldn't identify a difference.

My intent here was not to imply incompetence.  I merely sought to demonstrate the Mica feature's intended function in a test.  I apologize if this was unclear from my post.  To demonstrate this better, here is a side-by-side comparison of Mica when I turned it on (in the Windows Pro style), with a 100% solid black background:

The same background, Mica on, this time with 11% solid set in the "menu background transparency level" slider:

Notice there is a clear difference.  To be perfectly clear about my intent in demonstrating this, it is to help you understand what else may have changed in the time you noticed a difference.  Windows has an array of display settings with various functions, and my hope is an additional set of eyes (and computer) looking at/testing the report can help isolate what might be different on your end.  

If we can help you find a way to get Start11 to work as you are hoping, I am here to support that effort.

Best regards,

Adam McGuinness
Stardock Support Specialist

I was sure that the mica effect had a little bit of translucency to it. Or I would not have said anything. I didn't touch any settings except to update Windows. That's when I noticed the issue. Then I went to check star 11 for an update, and there was one, so I updated it, but it did not fix the issue. I have transparency on in Windows personalization settings if that helps. It looked exactly like this before, with transparency

Here is what I get when I askes an AI on what Mica effect actually does.