diff --git a/.config/i3/config b/.config/i3/config
index a7a326e..fb695b3 100644
--- a/.config/i3/config
+++ b/.config/i3/config
@@ -90,11 +90,11 @@ for_window [class="^.*"] border pixel 0
 # no gaps if there is only 1 window
 smart_gaps on
 # by default set some gaps when multiple windows are on the workspace
-gaps inner 5
+gaps inner 0
 gaps outer 0
 # enable / disable gaps (g disables, G enables)
-bindsym $mod+shift+g gaps inner current set 5; gaps outer current set 0
-bindsym $mod+g gaps inner current set 0; gaps outer current set 0
+bindsym $mod+shift+g gaps inner current set 15; gaps outer current set 0; exec picom_toggle_inactive_opacity on
+bindsym $mod+g gaps inner current set 0; gaps outer current set 0; exec picom_toggle_inactive_opacity off
 
 # Define names for default workspaces for which we configure key bindings later on.
 # We use variables to avoid repeating the names in multiple places.
diff --git a/.config/picom/picom.conf b/.config/picom/picom.conf
index 482ac09..e9146e6 100644
--- a/.config/picom/picom.conf
+++ b/.config/picom/picom.conf
@@ -105,25 +105,31 @@ shadow-ignore-shaped = false;
 #
 #################################
 
-inactive-opacity = 1;
-active-opacity = 1;
+inactive-opacity = 0.8;
+active-opacity = 0.9;
 frame-opacity = 1;
-inactive-opacity-override = false;
+inactive-opacity-override = true;
 
 # Dim inactive windows. (0.0 - 1.0)
 #inactive-dim = 0.1;
 # Do not let dimness adjust based on window opacity.
 # inactive-dim-fixed = true;
 # Blur background of transparent windows. Bad performance with X Render backend. GLX backend is preferred.
-blur-background = false;
+# blur-background = true;
 # Blur background of opaque windows with transparent frames as well.
-blur-background-frame = false;
+# blur-background-frame = false;
 # Do not let blur radius adjust based on window opacity.
-blur-background-fixed = true;
-blur-background-exclude = [
-    "window_type = 'dock'",
-    "window_type = 'desktop'"
-];
+# blur-background-fixed = true;
+# blur-background-exclude = [
+    # "window_type = 'dock'",
+    # "window_type = 'desktop'"
+# ];
+blur:
+{
+  method = "gaussian";
+  size = 10;
+  deviation = 5.0;
+};
 
 #################################
 #
diff --git a/.local/bin/picom_toggle_inactive_opacity b/.local/bin/picom_toggle_inactive_opacity
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..e1c656e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.local/bin/picom_toggle_inactive_opacity
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# toggle the translucency of inactive windows in the picom compositor
+# by substituting the true/false setting in the picom config file.
+# picom will automatically reload its settings on any config file changes.
+#
+# scipt can be called without arguments to toggle the value;
+# or with on / off to set it to translucent / opaque, respectively.
+
+piconf="$XDG_CONFIG_HOME"/picom/picom.conf
+
+line=$(grep -n "inactive-opacity-override" "$piconf")
+
+IFS=: read -r line text < <(grep -n "inactive-opacity-override" "$piconf")
+
+_replace() { # line file old new
+  sed -i "$1 s/$3/$4/" "$2"
+}
+
+if [ "$1" = "off" ]; then
+  _replace "$line" "$piconf" "true" "false"
+elif [ "$1" = "on" ]; then
+  _replace "$line" "$piconf" "false" "true"
+elif echo "$text" | grep -q "true"; then
+  _replace "$line" "$piconf" "true" "false"
+elif echo "$text" | grep -q "false"; then
+  _replace "$line" "$piconf" "false" "true"
+fi
diff --git a/.xinitrc b/.xinitrc
index 97be0a4..e9e1c00 100644
--- a/.xinitrc
+++ b/.xinitrc
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ type xcape >/dev/null 2>&1 && xcape -e 'Control_L=Escape'
 # if unclutter exists start it
 type unclutter >/dev/null 2>&1 && unclutter &
 # if picom exists then we can start it as our compositor
-type picom >/dev/null 2>&1 && picom &
+type picom >/dev/null 2>&1 && picom --experimental-backends &
 # same deal with flashfocus as our active window indicator
 type flashfocus >/dev/null 2>&1 && flashfocus -l never &
 # if redshift is installed run it