How to change the window borders in Windows 10?

[VerMishelb]

Windows Version: Windows 10 22H2 19045.2846

Question
When trying to replace the window frames in aero.msstyles, only the top one is affected. I have modified every class in DWMWindow that might be related to left frame but it's still a one coloured pixel.

Things you already tried

• Modified every class that could be used instead of LEFTFRAME. No effect.
• Tried changing sizing margins to and fro. No effect.
• Tried removing my theme cache from Windows/Resources/VSCache (by the way, add this one somewhere, like in wiki, it's quite important as windows LOVES to cache these). No effect.
• Tried using aerolite.msstyles as a base instead of aero.msstyles. Succeeded, kinda, but it brought another issue:
  
  The SIZINGMARGINS affected several items at once, probably because aerolite relies on images way less than aero, and I have no idea how to prevent it from doing that. It appears that trying to use aerolite as a base for a custom theme results in this without any modifications, too. Due to that it also increased the frame width from defined 5 pixels to 8: 5 of my image atlas rect and another 3 of plain colour. It is also shown on the image that the buttons are thick too, which is super annoying.

Additional context
A picture featuring left frame class, the same theme applied and the testing window that continues to use thin borders.

Checklist

• My uxtheme.dll is patched (SecureUXTheme)
• I am using the latest version of msstyleEditor
• I checked the Wiki
• None of the other issues cover this

[VerMishelb]

Ok apparently aero.msstyles in Windows 10 is made in such way that it always renders 1 pixel of the border and omits the rest because... because. Aerolite doesn't. Is msstyles format researched far enough to change the border rendering for aero.msstyles?

Also, what is UNKNOWN_5103_COLORLIST in BOTTOMFRAME of aerolite? I can't even find it in the list when adding the property manually.

UPD: Saving aerolite without editing a single element results in the aforementioned graphical corruptions

and this thing with Firefox (for both aerolite and aero):

The problem is that I simply don't know whether it's msstyleEditor's issue or SecureUXTheme's. This happens if I test the theme, too. I'll update the original post accordingly.
It is worth noting that the original aerolite does not make Firefox's buttons white.

UPD2: I have checked with UltraUXThemePatcher and the result is the same so I assume it's msstyleEditor doing something weird.

Probably I should move this entire corruption thing to a different issue not to clutter this one.

[nptr]

I really don't know how it renders the border in practice and if there is a way to change it. I keep maintaining this editor but I am not actively modding anymore. Does aerolite really behave differently, even when you set the properties the same as in aero? Because that would imply some special casing which I don't think (or at least hope) Microsoft does.

UNKNOWN_5103_COLORLIST is one of the properties where I couldn't find documentation on. I only know its identifier is 5103 and it seems to be a list of color. Possibly the input for a gradient or some animation? The started appearing with Windows 10 as far as I remember.

Does a theme saved by msstyleEditor but applied with one of the other tools result in the graphical glitches? Meaning, is the tool at fault or the theme? I'd guess that its how msstyleEditor applies the theme rather than the theme itself. Reminds me a bit of this previous issue: #91

Yes, dedicated issue is probably easier and more likely that i keep track of it. Especially if you have more datapoints for the various combination of themes and tools.

[VerMishelb]

Okay my small brain finally decided to actually try not to rename the msstyles file because I could not assume it had to do with corruptions.

Keeping it as aerolite but in my own dedicated folder fixed:
• Firefox title bar corruptions
• Thick buttons
• Cursed checkboxes
• Incorrect frame width

It did not fix:
• BUTTON[IN]ACTIVECAPTION[END] not being replaced, like, at all. Not sure what goes wrong here. Testing the theme applies these but launching it with UUXTP does not.

[VerMishelb]

There is something more about checkboxes. The original file worked fine. I've replaced it to my own, layed out the same way with the same dimensions, not touching other options. Launching the test and they are broken again, as if they are taking completely wrong states (e.g. tristate instead of hovering with a tick). The last time I tried to do this on aero there wasn't any issues with checkboxes in particular, but aerolite seems haunted.

[Pandaman123456]

Hello, can you send me that theme with the thick borders, because im on windows 11, and I miss the thick window borders. Even if it's not completely working, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks :)