How To Change Desktop Theme In Windows 7

How to select, change, or download a Windows theme

Updated: 12/31/2020 by Computer Hope

The Windows operating system can use a theme, which is a collection of icons, images, mouse icons, and more than for use in Windows. In that location are thousands of themes available for Windows, many of them being free to download.

Click a link beneath for more information about Windows themes and how to install or alter 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 tin can download and install on a calculator. Below is a listing of the various types of content a Windows theme can incorporate.

Desktop background pictures.
New icons for My Figurer, My Documents, Recycle Bin, and other normally 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 beginning-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, but also what blazon of content they include. Some themes may include new content for all v areas listed above, while others may just include content for one to three of the above 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 yous what is included and what changes in Windows when using that theme.

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

When y'all use a Windows theme, the changes made in Windows are non permanent. You can switch between multiple Windows themes at any time. You tin can even switch back to the default or original Windows theme, the wait and feel of Windows when you beginning used the figurer after ownership it.

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

How to download and install a new theme

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

Windows Vista, 7, 8, 10

Press the Windows central+D or navigate to the Windows desktop.
Right-click in any bare space on the desktop.
Select Personalize from the drop-down carte du jour that appears.
On the left side, select Themes, and and then Theme settings.
In the Personalize window that appears, click the Get more themes online option.
When you click Get more themes online, you are directed to the Microsoft Windows theme page.
Select the theme of your choice, then click the Download button underneath it.
Once the file has finished downloading, double-click the file and your theme loads automatically.
Go dorsum to the Personalize window and select your new theme from the My Themes section.

Windows XP

Download the new Windows XP theme pack y'all desire to install and use.
If the downloaded file is a Naught file, unzip the Naught file to the C:\Windows\Resources\Themes\ folder.

How to excerpt or decompress a compressed file.

Check the unzipped files to see if in that location are desktop groundwork pictures. If whatever are present, move those files to the My Pictures folder on the C: drive.
To apply a new desktop background, select the background picture in the My Pictures folder.
On the left side of the My Pictures folder, click the Set as desktop background selection.
To apply the new theme, right-click an empty area on the Windows desktop and select Properties in the pop-upwardly carte.
In the Brandish properties window, click the Themes tab.
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 current theme or set a theme, follow the steps below for your version of Windows.

Windows Vista, vii, 8, 10

Press the Windows fundamental+D, or navigate the Windows desktop.
Right-click in any blank space on the desktop.
Select Personalize from the drop-down menu that appears.
On the left side, select Themes. In Windows 7, you lot demand to select Theme settings subsequently selecting Themes.
In the Themes window that appears, find a theme you lot'd like to employ and click it.

Windows XP

On a blank area of the Windows desktop, right-click and select Properties in the pop-upward carte.
In the Display Backdrop window that opens, click the Themes tab.
Select the theme you desire to modify to and click OK to utilise the theme to Windows.

How to change private elements of a theme

Users may modify different elements, such equally the desktop background, window color, notification sounds, and screen saver, past following the steps below.

Press the Windows key+D or navigate to the Windows desktop.
Right-click in any blank infinite on the desktop.
Select Personalize from the drop-down menu that appears.
On the left side, select Themes. In Windows seven, select Theme settings.
On the Personalize window that appears, locate the department containing options titled Groundwork, Sounds, and Color. In Windows 7, it may look like the picture below. In Windows eight and 10, it looks slightly dissimilar, but have most of the same options.