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The Windows imaging Component contains a wealth of useful features for manipulating images in different formats. Delphi partially encapsulates this functionality into the TWICImage class of Vcl.Graphics which is a TGraphics descendent. The following code resizes pf32bit bitmaps with transparency using TWICImage, at a much better quality than can be achieved with StretchDraw for example or anything else I have tried.. Uses Winapi.Wincodec, Vcl.Graphics; procedure ResizeBitmap(Bitmap: TBitmap; const NewWidth, NewHeight: integer); var Factory: IWICImagingFactory; Scaler: IWICBitmapScaler; Source : TWICImage; begin Bitmap.AlphaFormat := afDefined; Source := TWICImage.Create; try Factory := TWICImage.ImagingFactory; Source.Assign(Bitmap); Factory.CreateBitmapScaler(Scaler); Scaler.Initialize(Source.Handle, NewWidth, NewHeight, WICBitmapInterpolationModeHighQualityCubic); Source.Handle := IWICBitmap(Scaler); Bitmap.Assign(Source); Scaler := nil; Factory := nil; finally Source.Free; end; end; Some key points: Setting the AlphaFormat to alDefined is crucial for maintaining the transparency. If you do not release the ImageFactory before you destroy the TWICImage you will get access violations next time you call this procedure. (Have a look at TWICImage .Destroy).

In the project file (the DPR file) I do this before the first form is created: if (CheckWin32Version(6, 0)) then begin // Application.DefaultFont is the font used when TForm.ParentFont=True. // It is Tahoma by default but should be Segoe UI on Vista and later (according to MS UI guide lines). // See InitDefFontData() in graphics.pas Application.DefaultFont.Assign(Screen.MessageFont); // DefFontData.Name specifies the default font for everything that doesn't specify a specific font. // For now we leave it as is (Tahoma). At some point it should follow the system default like above: // DefFontData.Name := Screen.MessageFont.Name; end; And then I just make sure to set all forms ParentFont=True at design time.

...and this is from an era when I was already using Try ... Finally blocks! Seriously, most of my first codes make me want to give up development and be a baker instead.