This paper gives the results of the investigations of four types of apodized (soft) apertures for beam shaping of UV, visible and IR high-power lasers with near-Gaussian and flat-top transmittance. The apodized apertures (AA) are ≈3–45 mm in diameter, but the principles of fabrication of such apertures lends the possibility of apodizing beams with diameter <1 mm and >200 mm. The examples of studies of the AA in high-power lasers are presented. The possibility of avoiding the Fresnel diffraction ripples is proved experimentally.