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I've recently started learning Win32 programming and have practiced window styles. I looked at my windows... they looked very bleak and ordinary (I'm using Windows 7) so I want to add some uniqueness to them. After looking at other applications such as Google Chrome, it got me thinking... all these sleek looking windows, whats so different about mine?

So my question is, in Win32 how do I get border-less windows as well as customize the title bar (for example completely remove it)? I figured out that iTunes uses its own rules, but how is this possible?? When you call CreateWindow with your windowclass you include things like WM_Thinkborder (not real just an example) how does iTunes do it, and more importantly, how can I?

Some examples: window 1 is Google Chrome, which has no title bar and no solid border! Window 2 is iTunes on OSX Yosemite, the concept is the same on windows, no border or title bar!

Google Chrome Window, Minimal Title bar, No Window itunes 12 window, No Border and No Title Bar!

Frank Lastname
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    The Desktop Window Manager (DWM) APIs are what you are looking for: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/bb688195%28v=vs.85%29.aspx. Incidentally, your second screenshot is of iTunes *on OSX*, not Windows. – peterdn May 03 '15 at 18:48
  • Added! Appreciate it ill check it out! – Frank Lastname May 03 '15 at 18:50
  • What exactly is your question. You need to be much more specific. – David Heffernan May 04 '15 at 03:53
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    The most you can get with the DWM API is the Chrome effect of getting tabs in the titlebar. iTunes draws its own UI, using its own rules. You can use Windows themes to get a sense of how your programs *should* look, but other than that you're on your own for the overall sleekness. – andlabs May 04 '15 at 22:39
  • @DavidHeffernan thats as specific as need be and it took a while but I figured out that itunes uses its own rules, but how is this possible?? When you call CreateWindow with your windowclass you include things like WM_Thinkborder (not real just an example) how does itunes do it?? – Frank Lastname May 07 '15 at 20:26
  • @andlabs ^^^^ thats mostly for you – Frank Lastname May 07 '15 at 20:28
  • OK, if you can't be more specific, so be it – David Heffernan May 07 '15 at 20:29
  • iTunes doesn't specify `WS_THICKFRAME`, as you specified. It also uses `WM_NCCALCSIZE`, `WM_NCHITTEST`, and `WM_NCPAINT` to make its decorations. IIRC the DWM API docs will tell you about these messages. – andlabs May 07 '15 at 20:36

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