How to select, change, or download a Windows theme

Updated: 12/31/2020 by Figurer Hope

Windows Logo

The Windows operating system tin utilize a theme, which is a drove of icons, images, mouse icons, and more for use in Windows. There are thousands of themes available for Windows, many of them existence free to download.

Click a link below for more than information virtually Windows themes and how to install or modify a theme on your estimator.

What is included in a Windows theme and what does it do?

There are many types of Windows theme packs that you can download and install on a calculator. Below is a list of the various types of content a Windows theme can contain.

  • Desktop background pictures.
  • New icons for My Computer, My Documents, Recycle Bin, and other commonly used programs.
  • Colors for icon text, the Taskbar, the Start menu, and outlines of program windows.
  • New mouse cursors and text cursors.
  • New sounds for actions in Windows and Windows programs, like Windows starting time-up, Windows errors, Windows notifications, calendar reminders, and new mail notifications.
  • New screen savers.

Each Windows theme is different, not only in terms of what the theme is based on, merely also what blazon of content they include. Some themes may include new content for all v areas listed above, while others may simply include content for one to three of the above areas. When browsing and downloading a theme, review its details to sympathise what is included and what areas in Windows it modifies. The details for a Windows theme should tell y'all what is included and what changes in Windows when using that theme.

When you use a Windows theme, the wait and feel of Windows changes. The mouse cursor tin can modify. The sounds you hear in Windows can alter. The background pictures on the desktop tin can alter. The program icons on the desktop can modify. Even the color of text for icons or the border around programme windows can change.

When you use a Windows theme, the changes made in Windows are not permanent. You can switch between multiple Windows themes at any time. You can even switch back to the default or original Windows theme, the expect and feel of Windows when you outset used the calculator after buying it.

To install a new downloaded Windows theme or switch to whatever other theme that came with Windows, go along to the next section below.

How to download and install a new theme

To modify the electric current theme or set a theme, follow the steps beneath for your version of Windows.

Windows Vista, vii, 8, 10

  1. Press the Windows key+D or navigate to the Windows desktop.
  2. Right-click in whatsoever bare space on the desktop.
  3. Select Personalize from the drop-down menu that appears.
  4. On the left side, select Themes, and and then Theme settings.
  5. In the Personalize window that appears, click the Go more themes online option.
  6. When you lot click Get more themes online, yous are directed to the Microsoft Windows theme page.
  7. Select the theme of your selection, then click the Download button underneath it.
  8. In one case the file has finished downloading, double-click the file and your theme loads automatically.
  9. Go back to the Personalize window and select your new theme from the My Themes section.

Windows XP

  1. Download the new Windows XP theme pack y'all want to install and use.
  2. If the downloaded file is a ZIP file, unzip the ZIP file to the C:\Windows\Resources\Themes\ folder.
  • How to extract or decompress a compressed file.
  1. Check the unzipped files to run into if there are desktop groundwork pictures. If any are nowadays, move those files to the My Pictures folder on the C: drive.
  2. To apply a new desktop background, select the background picture in the My Pictures folder.
  3. On the left side of the My Pictures binder, click the Fix as desktop background option.
  4. To use the new theme, right-click an empty area on the Windows desktop and select Properties in the popular-upwards menu.
  5. In the Display properties window, click the Themes tab.
  6. Select the newly added theme in the list of Themes and click OK to apply the new theme to Windows.

How to select or modify a theme

To change the current theme or set a theme, follow the steps below for your version of Windows.

Windows Vista, 7, viii, 10

  1. Press the Windows key+D, or navigate the Windows desktop.
  2. Right-click in any bare infinite on the desktop.
  3. Select Personalize from the drop-downwardly menu that appears.
  4. On the left side, select Themes. In Windows vii, you need to select Theme settings after selecting Themes.
  5. In the Themes window that appears, find a theme you'd like to use and click it.

Windows XP

  1. On a blank area of the Windows desktop, right-click and select Backdrop in the pop-up menu.
  2. In the Display Properties window that opens, click the Themes tab.
  3. Select the theme you lot want to alter to and click OK to use the theme to Windows.

How to change individual elements of a theme

Users may change different elements, such equally the desktop groundwork, window color, notification sounds, and screen saver, by following the steps below.

  1. Press the Windows key+D or navigate to the Windows desktop.
  2. Correct-click in any bare space on the desktop.
  3. Select Personalize from the drop-downwards menu that appears.
  4. On the left side, select Themes. In Windows seven, select Theme settings.
  5. On the Personalize window that appears, locate the section containing options titled Groundwork, Sounds, and Color. In Windows 7, it may look like the motion picture beneath. In Windows 8 and 10, information technology looks slightly different, but have most of the same options.

Windows theme options

  1. Click any of the custom theme options to accommodate private aspects of your theme.

Tip

Once you've created a theme, you can save information technology by clicking the Save theme text or push button in the middle of the Personalize window.

Save theme in Windows