How to select, change, or download a Windows theme

Updated: 12/31/2020 past Figurer Hope

Windows Logo

The Windows operating system can utilise a theme, which is a collection of icons, images, mouse icons, and more for apply in Windows. There are thousands of themes available for Windows, many of them being costless to download.

Click a link beneath for more information about Windows themes and how to install or change a theme on your computer.

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

There are many types of Windows theme packs that yous can download and install on a calculator. Below is a listing 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 usually 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, similar Windows commencement-up, Windows errors, Windows notifications, calendar reminders, and new mail notifications.
  • New screen savers.

Each Windows theme is dissimilar, not merely in terms of what the theme is based on, but besides what type of content they include. Some themes may include new content for all v areas listed in a higher place, while others may simply include content for one to iii of the to a higher place areas. When browsing and downloading a theme, review its details to understand what is included and what areas in Windows it modifies. The details for a Windows theme should tell you what is included and what changes in Windows when using that theme.

When you use a Windows theme, the await and experience of Windows changes. The mouse cursor can change. The sounds y'all hear in Windows tin can change. The groundwork pictures on the desktop can change. The programme icons on the desktop tin can change. Even the colour of text for icons or the edge around program windows can change.

When you lot utilise a Windows theme, the changes made in Windows are not permanent. You can switch between multiple Windows themes at whatever fourth dimension. You can even switch back to the default or original Windows theme, the wait and experience of Windows when y'all offset used the computer later ownership it.

To install a new downloaded Windows theme or switch to whatsoever other theme that came with Windows, proceed 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 below for your version of Windows.

Windows Vista, vii, 8, ten

  1. Press the Windows primal+D or navigate to the Windows desktop.
  2. Right-click in any blank space on the desktop.
  3. Select Personalize from the driblet-down bill of fare that appears.
  4. On the left side, select Themes, and and then Theme settings.
  5. In the Personalize window that appears, click the Get more themes online option.
  6. When you click Get more themes online, you lot are directed to the Microsoft Windows theme page.
  7. Select the theme of your selection, then click the Download push button underneath information technology.
  8. In one case the file has finished downloading, double-click the file and your theme loads automatically.
  9. Get 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 you lot want to install and use.
  2. If the downloaded file is a Zip file, unzip the Null file to the C:\Windows\Resources\Themes\ binder.
  • How to extract or decompress a compressed file.
  1. Check the unzipped files to run across if at that place are desktop background pictures. If any are present, move those files to the My Pictures folder on the C: drive.
  2. To employ a new desktop background, select the background pic in the My Pictures folder.
  3. On the left side of the My Pictures binder, click the Ready every bit desktop background option.
  4. To utilize the new theme, right-click an empty area on the Windows desktop and select Backdrop in the popular-up 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 change a theme

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

Windows Vista, 7, 8, ten

  1. Press the Windows central+D, or navigate the Windows desktop.
  2. Right-click in whatever blank space on the desktop.
  3. Select Personalize from the drop-down carte du jour that appears.
  4. On the left side, select Themes. In Windows 7, you need to select Theme settings after selecting Themes.
  5. In the Themes window that appears, find a theme you'd similar to use and click it.

Windows XP

  1. On a bare area of the Windows desktop, right-click and select Properties in the pop-upwards card.
  2. In the Display Backdrop window that opens, click the Themes tab.
  3. Select the theme you lot want to modify to and click OK to utilize the theme to Windows.

How to alter private elements of a theme

Users may change different elements, such as the desktop background, window colour, notification sounds, and screen saver, past following the steps below.

  1. Printing the Windows central+D or navigate to the Windows desktop.
  2. Right-click in any blank space on the desktop.
  3. Select Personalize from the drop-downwardly 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 department containing options titled Background, Sounds, and Color. In Windows vii, it may look like the picture below. In Windows 8 and x, it looks slightly different, but accept most of the same options.

Windows theme options

  1. Click whatever of the custom theme options to adjust individual aspects of your theme.

Tip

Once you lot've created a theme, you can save information technology past clicking the Save theme text or button in the heart of the Personalize window.

Save theme in Windows