How do I customize the appearance of the window borders?

pfeel1 · 07 Jan 2014

Hi,

If this has been covered elsewhere, my apologies, but I haven't been able to locate an answer to this yet.
I basically like my Win 7 Aero theme, but what bugs me is the two-toned appearance of the window border, i.e. lighter gray for the top 1/3 of the window, and darker gray for the bottom 2/3s. This is especially distracting and annoying when editing photos. I could go with a basic theme, but would prefer to keep the borders fat - as long as they can be made to have just one (preferably dark gray) color. For now, I've just cranked the color intensity and brightness all the way, which gets rid of the two-toned look, but leaves me with too light a gray.

Thanks!

Bongo · 07 Jan 2014

Welcome to the Seven Forums

Are you talking about the borders I have the red arrows pointing to?

How do I customize the appearance of the window borders?-1_7_2014-8_18_17-am-1_7_2014-8_18_17-am-local-date_time.png

If not could you please post a screenshot showing what you have.
Use these tutorials for posting screenshots.
Screenshot with Paint
How to Use the Snipping Tool in Vista - Vista Forums
Screenshots and Files - Upload and Post in Seven Forums

Jerry

pfeel1 · 07 Jan 2014

Hi Jerry,

Yes, that's exactly what I mean! You can see how the bottom of the border/frame is much darker.

Bongo · 07 Jan 2014

I can change that for you, using Windows Style Builder and post it here in a zip folder.

This will be a custom theme and you will need to do 1 of these 2 ways of Enabling custom themes for it to work.
Enabling Custom Themes - Windows 7
Or
Theme - How to Apply Custom Themes

Give me about 2 hours and I will post it here.

Jerry

Bongo · 07 Jan 2014

Here you go download the zip folder at the bottom of this post extract it to your desktop put both the pfeel1 theme folder and pfeel1.theme file in C:\Windows\Resources\Themes

How do I customize the appearance of the window borders?-pfeel1.png

It will show up in Personalization under Installed Themes as pfeel1.

How do I customize the appearance of the window borders?-personalization.png

Jerry

pfeel1 · 07 Jan 2014

Awesome, thanks so much! I will try it when I get home tonight and will let you know.

Bongo · 07 Jan 2014

You're welcome, let me know what you think after you're done.

Jerry

pfeel1 · 08 Jan 2014

Very cool, Jerry. Thanks a lot! I also appreciate the added "show desktop" short cut.

Is there any way that I can adjust the color myself? I think I would prefer a darker gray, but really I would love to tinker with it - and maybe even save different themes.

Actually, I just figured it out. Just need to figure out all the terminology and what is what. Thanks!

pfeel1 · 08 Jan 2014

One last question: Could I somehow get the Win 7 ball back in place of the Start button, or would that require a whole other theme? I started looking late last night, but couldn't find an easy solution. If it's not easy, I'll be fine without it, you have already helped a lot!

Thanks!

Bongo · 08 Jan 2014

pfeel1 said:

Very cool, Jerry. Thanks a lot! I also appreciate the added "show desktop" short cut.

I don't understand the added "show desktop" short cut, could you post a screenshot for me please?

pfeel1 said:

One last question: Could I somehow get the Win 7 ball back in place of the Start button, or would that require a whole other theme? I started looking late last night, but couldn't find an easy solution. If it's not easy, I'll be fine without it, you have already helped a lot!

Thanks!

Are you talking about the start orb in the lower left corner, themes should not have changed that?

Screenshot would help there also.

Jerry