If you work with multiple open windows, perhaps you have iTunes running and playing music, you're surfing the Web in Internet Explorer, you're checking your mail with Windows Mail, and you're working on a document while comparing data with an open spreadsheet, you should be using Flip 3D to move among them. If you've never seen Flip 3-D, check it out. [See Image 1] Windows Flip 3-D offers a novel way to access and move among open windows and is used in conjunction with the Aero interface. (You can't use Flip 3D if your computer does not support Windows
Aero.)
Before you can use Flip 3D you need to enable Aero:
1. Right-click an empty area of the desktop, and click Personalize.
2. Click Windows Color and Appearance.
3. If you're currently using Windows Vista Basic, you'll see the Appearance Settings dialog box. [See Image 2] If you're currently using Windows Aero, you'll see the Aero options, where you can select a different color scheme, enable transparency, make changes to the color intensity, or show the color mixer. If you see the former, choose Windows Aero. [See Image 3]. If you see the latter, configure Aero as desired.
4. Click OK to close the window.
With Aero enabled, you can now use Flip 3D:
1. Open multiple windows.
2. Hold down the Start key (Windows key) and press the Tab key one time.
3. Click the Tab key again, while keeping the Start (Windows) key depressed.
4. When the window you want appears in the front of the list, let go of both keys.
If Flip 3D doesn't work, you will probably see the watered down version of it, Flip. [See Image 4] If not, try the key combination Alt + Tab. Whatever you use, whether its Flip or Flip 3D, moving through windows has never been easier.