To resize windows in the Windows OS, you would usually select the Restore down option and then drag the borders. However, it’s better to resize windows with the mouse wheel, which is something you can’t do unless you have the freeware Feel the Wheel utility. In addition, with Feel the Wheel we can also adjust the transparency of the windows with the mouse wheel.

This is the Feel the Wheel website page from which you can add it to XP, Vista, 7. Click on the as portable application option. Then click on the Feewhee.exe to launch the software. The software doesn’t have a system tray icon.

Open a software window, and move the cursor to its title bar at the top. Now scroll the wheel on the mouse to adjust the size of the window. Scroll the wheel down to reduce the window and upwards to expand.

To adjust the transparency, move the cursor to the title bar at the top of the window. Hold the Shift key and scroll the mouse wheel down. The window will then become more transparent as in the shot below. Scroll the mouse wheel up to reduce the transparency of the window.

Feel the Wheel is a great tool that Microsoft should have already added to Windows. With it you can quickly resize open windows, and adjust their transparency so that those in the background are more visible.