How to configure Desktop themes in Windows XP

A desktop theme is a set of predefined window elements that allow you to personalize your computer to give it a unique look. Themes affect the overall appearance of your desktop, including the background, screen saver, icons, fonts, colors, Windows, mouse pointers, and sounds.

In Windows XP, you can use the Windows Classic look as a theme, you can switch desktop themes, or modify elements of an existing theme to create a new theme and customize the desktop with the look you want.

Select a different desktop theme

To select a different desktop theme, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Control Panel, click Appearance and Theme, and then click Show. Alternatively, right-click an empty area of the desktop, and then click Properties.

2. Click the Topic tab, and then select a new topic in the topic list.

The preview of the theme is displayed in the example box.

3. Select the topic you want, and then click OK.

Your computer then applies this desktop theme.

Create your own desktop theme

When you modify any element of a topic, it is recommended that you always save your changes with a new theme name. If you have not saved a new theme, the changes to the original theme will be lost.

To create your own desktop theme, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Control Panel, click Appearance and Theme, and then click Show. Alternatively, right-click an empty area of the desktop, and then click Properties.

2. Click the Topic tab, and then click the topic you want to modify in the list of topics.

3. The theme elements that need to be modified are changed the way you want them to.

The following list lists the various desktop theme elements, along with the corresponding Display Properties dialog box tab or its location on the control Panel:? To change the location of the background design, color, or background design on the screen, click the Desktop tab in the Display Properties dialog box.

To change the icon on the desktop, click the Desktop tab in the Display Properties dialog box, and then click Custom Desktop.

To change your screen saver, click the Screen Saver tab in the Display Properties dialog box.

To change the color scheme, window and button styles, or font size, click the Appearance tab in the Display Properties dialog box.

To change the color, size, and font settings for a specific window element, click the Appearance tab in the Display Properties dialog box, and then click Advanced.

To change the mouse pointer scheme or the appearance of a specific pointer, click the Pointer tab in the Mouse Properties dialog box. (Click Start, click Control Panel, click Printers and Other Hardware, and then click the mouse.) )

To change a sound scheme or apply a sound to a specific program event, click the Sound tab in the sound and Audio Device Properties dialog box. (Click Start, click Control Panel, click Sound, Voice, and audio devices, and then click Sound and Audio Devices.) )

4. After you complete the changes you want, click the Themes tab in the Display Properties dialog box, and then click Apply.

The changes you made to the theme are saved as "previous theme names (changes)." This name appears in the list of topics and is the default theme name when you modify the theme (but before you save it with a new name).

5. Click Save As.

6. In the Save As dialog box, type a name for your new topic (for example, MyNewTheme), and then click Save.

7. Click OK.

This new topic will be displayed in the topic list and applied to your desktop.

New topics are saved in the My Documents folder with. theme for file extensions (for example, Mynewtheme.theme). To open the My Documents folder, click Start, and then click My document.

Remove Desktop theme

You can delete any topics you create, install from a CD-ROM, or download from the Internet. You cannot remove Windows XP's own themes, such as Windows XP and Windows Classic themes.

To remove a desktop theme, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Control Panel, click Appearance and Theme, and then click Show. Alternatively, right-click an empty area of the desktop, and then click Properties.

2. Click the Topic tab, and then click the topic you want to delete in the list of topics.

The preview of the theme is displayed in the example box.

3. Click Delete.

The desktop theme that you selected is removed from your hard disk.