Theme - Change or Save

How to Change or Save a Windows 7 Theme​

   Information

This will show you how to choose a theme to change the pictures (desktop background), colors, and sounds on your computer all at once in Windows 7.

You will also see how to save and delete your custom theme. Saving or deleting a theme is not available in Windows 7 Starter and Home Basic.

   Note

• My Themes is your current theme. These .theme files are located in the hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Themes folder.
• Aero Themes are the Windows Aero themes. They are located in the C:\Windows\Resources\Themes folder.
• Basic and High Contrast Themes are the Windows 7 Basic, Windows Classic, High Contrast #1, High Contrast #2, High Contrast Black, and High Contrast White themes. They are located in the C:\Windows\Resources\Ease of Access Themes folder.
• Regional Themes - See: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1176-themes-regional.html

   Tip

• If you would like to, you can also load a theme pack to your computer from a friend or website to have available to use as your current theme.
• For free themes from Microsoft, see: Windows 7 themes - Microsoft Windows

OPTION ONE

To Change the Theme in Windows 7 Starter and Home Basic

1. Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click on the Display icon.

2. In the left blue pane, click on the Change color scheme link. (see screenshot below)

3. Select the color scheme (theme) that you would like, and click on Apply to test to see how you like it. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: Aero themes are not available in the Windows 7 Starter and Home Basic editions.

4. When finished, click on OK. (see screenshot below step 3)

5. Close the Display window. (see screenshot below step 1)

OPTION TWO

To Change the Theme in Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise

1. Right click on a empty space on the desktop and click on Personalize. (See screenshot below)

2. To Change the Theme
A) Click on one of the available themes. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: See the NOTE box at the top of the tutorial for more about these. To have the regional themes added, see: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1176-themes-regional.html.

B) Go to step 4.
3. To Create a Custom Theme
NOTE: Any changes that you make to a theme that you have already saved will automatically be updated and saved to it. There will be no need to save it as a new theme again in step 4 below unless you want a new theme.
A) Change the Desktop Background picture and settings.

B) Change the Window Color and Appearance settings.

C) Change the Sounds for the Windows 7 sound events to any sound file that you would like instead.

D) Change the Screen Saver and settings to be used for this theme pack.

E) Change, add, or remove any Desktop Icons that you want to with.

F) Change the Mouse Pointers to use pointers of your choice.

G) Proceed to OPTION TWO below to save your customized theme as a theme pack.
4. To Save the Current Theme to a File
NOTE: This will be your custom theme with a picture (desktop background), colors, sounds, and screen saver that you have selected and put together for the theme.
A) Under My Themes, click on the Save theme link towards the right. (See screenshot above)
NOTE: This will save your theme as .theme file for use on your computer only. If you want to share the theme with family and friends, then see: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2026-theme-pack-create-save-install-delete.html.

B) Type in a name you want for this theme, and click on the Save button. (See screenshot below)

5. To Delete a Selected Theme
NOTE: You cannot delete the current theme. If you want to delete the current theme, then you must select another theme in step 2 first.
A) Under My Themes, right click on the saved theme you want to delete and click on Delete theme. (See screenshot below)

B) Click on Yes to confirm the deletion. (See screenshot below)

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Allow or Prevent Changing Theme
• How to Make your own Windows 7 Theme Pack
• How to Change the Windows 7 Desktop Background
• How to Change the Window Color and Appearance in Windows 7
• How to Enable or Disable Windows 7 Transparency
• How to Change the Event Sound Effects in Windows 7
• How to Create a Desktop Slideshow in Windows 7
• How to Prevent or Allow Themes to Change Windows 7 Desktop Icons
• How to Use the Regional Themes in Windows 7
• How to Change or Restore Default Windows 7 Desktop Icons
• How to Change the Screen Saver in Windows 7
• How to Change the Mouse Pointers in Windows 7
• How to Prevent or Allow Themes to Change Windows 7 Mouse Pointers
• How to Create a Windows 7 Personalization Shortcut
• How to Apply Custom Themes in Windows 7
• How to Enable or Disable the Windows 7 Taskbar Thumbnail Previews
• How to Specify a Default Theme to Load for New Users in Windows 7
• Change Windows 7 to Look and Function like Windows XP again
• How to Enable Custom Themes without Modifying System Files
• How to Add or Remove "Personalize" from Desktop Context Menu in Windows 7 and Windows 8

 

[seven2010]

Themes in Windows 7 directory

Can you please tell me where the themes directory in Windows 7 is? Is it C:\Windows\Resources\Themes?

Thanks,
Michael Higham

 

[Brink]

Hello Michael, and welcome to Windows 7 Forums.

Yes, there and at C:\Windows\Resources\Ease of Access Themes.

Shawn

 

[seven2010]

Getting additional themes from a website

Hi Shawn,

From the Themes Website (which have Classic themes), where do I place these downloaded Windows Classic themes to? And also, where do I place these downloaded Windows Aero type themes to?

Thanks,
Michael

 

[Brink]

Hi Michael,

I would save the .theme files at:

Aero: C:\Windows\Resources\Themes

and

Classic: C:\Windows\Resources\Ease of Access Themes

 

[seven2010]

Getting Windows Vista themes to work in Windows 7...

Hello,Will Windows Vista themes work on Windows 7 or will only Windows 7 themes work on Windows 7?Thanks,Michael

 

[Brink]

Good question Michael.

I have not tried that yet. Vista only comes with the aero.theme and Windows Classic.theme files and Windows 7 already includes these.

I would image that as long as it was a .theme file it may work, but I cannot confirm that.

 

[swarfega]

Hello,Will Windows Vista themes work on Windows 7 or will only Windows 7 themes work on Windows 7?Thanks,Michael

I have a suspicion they wont work because of the new taskbar. Just my unconfirmed thought though.

 

[Brink]

This tutorial has been updated due to changes made in the 7057 build.

Shawn

 

[juanelo]

Theme does not keep as Default

Hello, and thanks for reading this.

My problem is this: Ive already set my background pictures (presentation), colors, sounds and screensaver as I wished, I saved it and set it as default, but, once I reboot, I found that the theme has changed and the current one appears (in Personalize window) as "Not saved Theme" and actually keeps the last picture used on the theme I created (wich appears right next to this new one) as its ONLY pic.

I can re-set mine again, but everytime I turn on my pc, that will happen over n over again, in fact, I just reinstalled W7 2 nights ago, but the problem remains. I think could b something related to my config or so (I wish).

By the way, Im using Kaspersky I S -2010, Google Desktop and a couple little programs starting with Windows.
Thougth that might help.


Please help me, the cool appearance and presentation features is one of the things I like the most about Seven (among a lot of other great stuff).


Again, please help me.


Thankful


Juan Sebastian Jiménez

 

[Brink]

Hello Juan, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Delete the theme that you do not want at the top to leave only the one you want to use. Any changes that you make to a theme that you have already saved will automatically be updated and saved to it. There will be no need to save it as a new theme again unless you just wanted to.

You can also use the tutorial below to be able to save the theme as a themepack as a backup that can be used to restore your theme after a reinstall.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2026-theme-pack-create-save-install-delete.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[juanelo]

Got it fixed !!

SHAWN...

Thank you so very much for reading and replying my post.

Now, I already did several times everything you said, but, once I reboot, W7 seems to automatically "create" a new Theme called "Not saved Theme" out of the last picture shown by MY theme before shutdown, but as ONLY PICTURE instead of Slideshow.

That will happen everytime I reboot, no matter how many times I save my theme and delete the unwanted ones. BUT !!!

Reading from post to post on the web, I found what looks like an incompatibility issue of W7 with some kind of pics and directories when talkin about background effects. I first tried by setting my Pictures Library on it, but after reboot didnt do, then I tried the Windows Backgrounds Folder and IT DID WORK OUT !! so I noticed there was something about directories making it happen, so I stored all the pics I wanted to show in my Desktop BG, on a new folder in different location and it worked like magic!!!! so my problem is solved now.....

Although, I wonder what made it happen, 'cause at first (just when RC version got public for download) it worked just fine but a few weeks ago it started to give me trouble. I personally dont think that has something to do with my files or programs running what so ever, but with some Windows updates made automatically.

I hope you guys keep aware of this kind of "minor but anoying" problems.

Again thanks alot for your attention and your time.

Yours

Juan Sebastian Jiménez
Psychologist (P)

 

[Brink]

Juan,

I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted out. Thank you for posting back what you found to be the problem causing this.

 

[Ysabel]

Shawn

Great tutorial.

I see many of the themes have either a white background or black background.
What I mean is when I use Windows Explorer to move between folders, I get the white background for most themes or black background if I chose the High Contrast #1/#2/Black.

Is it possible to have other colors like grey or brown which is easier on the eye than the glaring white or black.

I know you can go to Windows Classic theme and get the grey background but that means you lose the overall feel of Windows 7.

 

[Brink]

Hello Ysabel, and welcome to Seven Forums.

The only other way than the Windows Classic theme that I know of is to use a 3rd party program like Windows Blinds for Vista.

Hope this helps some,
Shawn

 

[vegas247]

Thanx!

Thanks for the info :huh:

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Vegas, and welcome to Seven Forums.

 

[liptochron]

Having a similar issue to Juan's. Changing the theme creates a new theme called "Unsaved Theme". What is the directory for the Windows Background folder? I can't seem to find it.

 

[Brink]

Hello Liptochron,

This is normal since making any changes to the current saved theme makes it a new theme, and it will have to be save again to keep it.

You can see the different default locations for the default background folders in the NOTE and TIP box at the top of the tutorial below.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/281-desktop-background-change.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Darryl Licht]

Why didnt MS give us the ability to modify a theme?

I agree that it is amazing that we cannot make changes to an existing theme, unless we save as a new theme.
I was even more amazed when I tried to save as the same name... it didnt overwrite the existing theme but created a 2nd theme with the same name... that's not normal MS behavior!