How to install third-party themes on windows 7. Can I change the theme

(1.6 Mb) (Tried it on my system - everything works fine), it will allow the system to use skins that do not have digital signature Microsoft.
The program is striking in its simplicity - installation, launch, two clicks, reboot and you're done! Allows you to change themes not only in the "seven", but also in Windows XP SP3, Vista.

After installation, run the program and proceed according to the screenshot:

After rebooting, run the program again and pay attention to the shield icon of the computer icon, if a checkmark appears, then the files are patched.

From now on you can install themes, to do this, open the C: / Windows / Resources / Themes folder and drag the downloaded files here:

Now just right-click on the desktop and go to "Personalization" and select the uploaded theme.

Another program for installing third-party themes - Universal theme patcher (0.15 Mb), it will allow the use of themes in the system that do not have a digital signature by Microsoft. Download and run the app. Choose a language and click OK.

The utility will tell you what we need to do in order to put new themes, click Yes.

In the next step, there will be such a window, click Patch for all three files:

After that, the program will offer to reboot, we agree.

In some archives with themes, you can see some system files, for example - ExplorerFrame.dll (usually located in the ... Windows \\ System32 folder), they need to be replaced for full functionality of this theme. (this is not a prerequisite, for most themes, writing files to C: / Windows / Resources / Themes will be sufficient)

A skin is a collection of specific data that allows you to change the appearance of an operating system interface. These can be controls, icons, wallpapers, windows, cursors, and other visual components. In this article, we will talk about how to install such themes on a computer under windows management 7.

All versions of Win 7, except Starter and Home Basic, have a theme change function. The corresponding setting block is called "Personalization" and includes several design options by default. Here you can also create your own theme or download a package from the official Microsoft support site.

Using the methods given in the article above, you can quickly change some elements or find a simple topic on the net. We'll go ahead and look at installing custom themes created by enthusiasts. There are two types of design packages. The former contain only the necessary files and require manual work. The latter are packed into special installers or archives for automatic or semi-automatic installation.

Training

In order to get started, we need to do a little preparation - download and install two programs that allow you to use third-party themes. They are Theme-resource-changer and Universal Theme Patcher.

notethat all subsequent operations, including the installation of the themes themselves, you perform at your own peril and risk. This is especially true for users of pirated assemblies of the "seven".

Before starting the installation, you need to create a restore point, as some system files will be changed, which in turn can lead to the collapse of Windows. This action will help to restore her working capacity in case of a failed experiment.

1. Unpack the resulting archives using 7-Zip or WinRar.

   

2. Open the folder with Theme-resource-changer and run the file corresponding to the bitness of our OS as administrator.

   

3. Leave the default path and click "Further".

   

4. We agree to the terms of the license by setting the switch to the position indicated in the screenshot, and click "Further".

   

5. After a short wait, during which it will reboot "Conductor", the program will be installed. The window can be closed by clicking OK.

   

6. We go into the folder with the Universal Theme Patcher and also run one of the files on behalf of the administrator, guided by the bitness.

   

7. Choose a language and click OK.

   

8. Next, UTP will scan the system and display a window asking you to patch several (usually only three) system files. Push "Yes".

   

9. We press in turn three buttons with the name "Patch", each time confirming their intention.

   

10. After completing the operation, the program will recommend restarting the PC. We agree.

    

11. Done, you can proceed to installing themes.

Option 1: Skin Packs

This is the easiest option. Such a design package is an archive containing the necessary data and a special installer.

1. We unpack all the contents into a separate folder and run the file with the extension EXE as administrator.

   

2. We study the information in the start window and click "Next".

   

3. We put the checkbox to accept the license and click again "Next".

   

4. The next window contains a list of items to be installed. If a complete change is planned appearance, then we leave all the jackdaws in place. If the task is to change only, for example, the theme, wallpaper or cursors, then leave the checkboxes only near these positions. Items "Restore Point" and "UXTheme" must remain checked anyway. At the end of the configuration, click "Install".

   

5. After the package is fully installed, click "Next".

   

6. We reboot the PC using the installer or manually.

   

In order to restore the appearance of the elements, it is enough to remove the package like a normal program.

Option 2: 7tsp packages

This method involves the use of another helper program - 7tsp GUI. Packages for it have the extension 7tsp, 7z or ZIP.

Don't forget to create a system restore point!

1. Open the archive with the downloaded program and extract a single file to any convenient location.

   

2. Run as administrator.

   

3. Click the button for adding a new package.

   

4. We find the archive with the theme, also pre-downloaded from the Internet, and click "Open".

   

5. Further, if required, we determine whether to allow the program to change the welcome screen, the sidebar "Explorer" and the button "Start"... This is done by checkboxes on the right side of the interface.

   

6. Launch the installation with the button shown in the screenshot below.

   

7. 7tsp will show a window listing the upcoming operations. Click here "Yes".

   

8. We are waiting for the installation to complete, during which the computer will need to be restarted, and, in some cases, twice.

   

You can restore everything "as it was" using a previously created restore point. However, some icons may remain the same. To get rid of this problem, open « Command line» and execute the commands in turn

taskkill / F / IM explorer.exe

del / a "C: \\ Users \\ Lumpics \\ AppData \\ Local \\ IconCache.db"

start explorer.exe

Here "C:" - letter system disk, "Lumpics" - your name account on the computer. The first command stops "Conductor", the second deletes the file containing the icon cache, and the third launches explorer.exe again.

Option 3: Manual installation

This option involves manual movement required files to the system folder and manually replace resources. Such themes are delivered packed and must be pre-extracted into a separate directory.

Copying files

Please note that in all cases with the contents of this folder ( "Themes", in the downloaded package) you don't need to do anything else.

Replacing system files

In order to be able to replace the system files responsible for the controls, you need to obtain the rights to modify them (delete, copy, etc.). This can be done using the Take Control utility.

Attention: disconnect antivirus programif installed on the PC.

1. Unpack the contents of the downloaded archive into a prepared directory.

   

2. Run the utility as administrator.

   

3. Press the button "Add".

   

4. For our package, only the file needs to be replaced ExplorerFrame.dll... We follow the path

   C: \\ Windows \\ System32

   Select it and click "Open".

   

5. Push the button "Take control".

   

6. After completing the operation of the procedure, the utility will inform us about its successful completion.

   

Other system files can also be changed, for example, Explorer.exe, Shell32.dll, Imageres.dll etc. All of them can be found in the corresponding directories of the downloaded package.

1. The next step is to replace files. Go to the folder "ExplorerFrames" (in the downloaded and unpacked package).

   

2. We open another directory, if present, corresponding to the bitness of the system.

   

3. Copy the file ExplorerFrame.dll.

   

4. Go to the address

   C: \\ Windows \\ System32

   Find the original file and rename it. It is advisable to leave the full name here, only by adding some extension to it, for example, ".Old".

   

5. Paste the copied document.

   

You can apply changes by restarting your PC or "Conductor", as in the block about recovery in the second paragraph, using the first and third commands in turn. The installed theme itself can be found in the section "Personalization".

Replacing icons

Usually such packages do not contain icons and must be downloaded and installed separately. Below we will provide a link to an article containing instructions for Windows 10, but they are also suitable for the "seven".

Replacing the Start Button

With buttons "Start" the situation is the same as with icons. Sometimes they are already built into the package, and sometimes they need to be downloaded and installed.

Conclusion

Change theme windows design - a very exciting business, but requires some care from the user. Make sure that all files are placed in the appropriate folders, and do not forget to create restore points to avoid various problems in the form of failures or complete loss of system performance.

Probably every computer user wants to make it something special. Currently, there is an opportunity to impressively modify the interface not only of the desktop, but of the entire system. It will be difficult for an inexperienced person to do this, but having the right information, you can succeed.

Microsoft Corporation actively warns that the use of pirated software products can lead to system failures. There is not a drop of lies in this judgment. However, some people want to create an individual style for their interface. The reason for this is the fact that the official products are pretty monotonous.

What it is

A theme is a complex of images, colors and sounds of a computer. It usually includes a splash screen, desktop screen saver and sound design (on / off, information signals, etc.). Folder icons and cursor can also be changed.

You can set the theme to windows computer 7 of those suggested by the developer. So, the Aero extension is very popular, which allows you to make your own customization. They are built into the operating system. If they were not enough, you can download additional options on the official Microsoft website.

It is also possible to install non-certified products. You can find countless of them on the Internet. They are able to highlight the individuality of each user. However, there are certain risks, as downloads often include various malicious utilities.

How to install

You do not have to use the themes that Microsoft offers. It is possible to use third party products. It is very important to install them correctly, otherwise critical errors are possible.

In order to do this, the first step is to find a theme you like. They are presented in huge numbers on the Internet. In this case, do not forget about the bitness of your system (32 or 64 bits). You can view this parameter by clicking on the "my computer" icon and invoking the context menu.

Important! Do not download archives from unverified resources. Chances are good that you will get a Trojan or virus software.

Create a restore point before starting the installation. In case something goes wrong, you can return everything back.

Video: a new look for Windows

Patching system files

Tip: by windows default hides access to system folders... Therefore, you will have to open it for a while by clicking on the appropriate tab (most likely, it will come out when you open a system directive).

• Now you will need to go to the personalization tab (it can be found in the toolbar). In it, select the theme you just installed from the archive. If you did everything correctly, the appearance of the interface will change.

Changing the elements of the explorer

This is not all that can be done. It is possible to modify the elements of the conductor.

We do it as follows:

Change the Start button

Installing most themes does not change the START button. Many would like to modify this element in the form of a ball with colored squares. To do this you need to use a special software... Let's take an example Start Orb Changer.

This utility is distributed free of charge. You can download it on the resource of the same name. It works with all digits.

Important! When installing, uncheck unnecessary checkboxes so as not to get unnecessary toolbars.

So, we do the following:

There may be cases when after such an operation the desktop and taskbar disappear completely. This is due to the incompatibility of files with a particular system.

To get everything back, do the following:

How to install a default theme on Windows 7

Sometimes users get too carried away with modifying their operating system. This can lead to many problems: performance degradation, virus infection, loss of control over some elements, etc. As a result, it becomes necessary to return everything to standard settings... There may be several solutions.

In the simplest case, we do the following:

The above method only helps if the system files have not been edited. In other situations, the fix will be a little more difficult.

If you once created a backup system restore point (it was mentioned at the beginning of the article), then everything will be as simple as possible.

If you have not shown foresight, then you will have to use another method. This requires a disk (or flash drive) with Windows. We insert it and select the item "system recovery". Then follow the instructions.

Photo: 7th generation OS recovery tools

As a rule, the described methods help in these situations. If they also turn out to be powerless (which happens extremely rarely), then there is only one way out - reinstalling the operating system. In the seventh generation of Windows, this operation is not difficult, even for inexperienced users.

Well, that's all, as you can see, editing the interface in Windows is not such a difficult task. However, do not get too carried away with this. Many extensions can degrade computer performance. Therefore, it is best to use verified files (built into the OS, or downloaded from the official site).

Hello dear readers.

Again I wanted to talk about the design of the operating system. I have already said how to change the appearance of Win different versions... There was also an article about icons. Of course, with the help of these tools you can make your skin unique. But what if the theme is not installed on Windows 7? I will try to tell you possible reasons and solutions.

I already talked about how you can quickly change colors and other settings on the eighth version of the OS in. In principle, the same method is applicable to the seventh and tenth modifications of the operating system from Microsoft. The main option is to download a suitable design from the Internet from the official website.

After the file is on your computer, just run it - it should change automatically. But sometimes it doesn't. Why are the themes not installed, which were taken from the main resource?

It is also important to note that this is accompanied by a window that asks about the application to run the file. Usually such situations arise when there is simply no association with documents. This means that the system does not provide for the launch of these design components.

The reason for this is that each combination of visual settings is suitable for specific versions of operating systems. You just need to read the description in more detail.

Poor or missing activation( )

It is known that every copy of an OS from Microsoft must be activated. If this does not happen, even with the Maximum problems, problems may begin. For example, when changing the window decoration, only a certain solid color is selected. One gets the feeling that the Aero theme is simply missing. And if you install a background picture, nothing happens - a black screen remains.

The reason is precisely the correct activation of the operating system. After the process itself, you must restart your computer. The problem must be resolved.

Self-installation( )

Some users want to use other developers' themes instead of standard themes. But this is not provided in the system. Especially for such manipulations, you must additionally use a patch. Where to install downloaded themes? There is a special folder for them: C: \\ Windows \\ Resources \\ Themes.

To work correctly, you need to copy the design files to the specified folder and install the desired patch. You can download it here.

Insufficient assembly( )

Another option for a tool that does not work to change the appearance of the OS is an undersized assembly version. Such problems are observed among users who have Win installed " home Basic". What to do in this case?

No worries. This problem can be solved in several ways. So, for example, this version of the shell from Microsoft provides special tool Windows Anytime Upgrade. It can be found in “ Start"In the" "tab.

The application will help those who wish to update the version to " Home extended". And it already provides options for changing the appearance. Just use the tool and reboot. Everything should work.

A person spends a significant part of his time working at a computer and it is important that workplace (in this case, the interface) was convenient and did not evoke a feeling of oppression. An integrated solution the problem of boring design will be installing a graphical theme on Windows, as shown in our new article below.

Modern versions of the operating room windows systems 7, 8 and 10 have a variety of personalization options to customize the desktop and Explorer to suit every user's taste. Changes to elements such as:

• background (static wallpaper or dynamic slideshow);
• colors and transparency of windows;
• screensavers and screensavers;
• notification and greeting sounds;
• buttons and panels (in non-standard themes).

Following our instructions, you can independently change the design of the system interface by installing themes from an official or third-party developer.

Installing themes on Windows 7

Installing and applying a new Windows 7 theme is not difficult, especially if it is downloaded from an official source. First, let's look at the easiest way - getting a certified shell.

Important! The steps in this chapter are not suitable forWindows 7 Starter and Home Basic.

The algorithm of actions is as follows:

1. Go to the Microsoft website at the link https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/13768/desktop-themes-featured, where we find an archive of all skins for 7, 8.1 and 10 versions.

1. Next to the theme you like, click on the download link and install the downloaded package on your PC.

In this menu, we are looking for the installed theme. Just one click on it, and the design will change in a few seconds.

It would seem that this is the end of the article, but the problem is that the official designs for Windows 7 have some limitations: there is no replacement of buttons and panels, there are no new interactive elements. To completely customize the look of the shell, we need themes from an unofficial source and a special installer.

We do the following:

1. We download one of two programs:
   • Universal Theme Patcher (for patching system files);
   • UxStyle-Core (to disable certificate validation).

For example, we will choose the second software, which can be downloaded from http://uxstyle.com (there is also a version for Windows 8.1 and 10).

Download the archive on the site and unpack it directly in the folder "Downloads".

1. Copy the unpacked contents of the archive to the folder "Themes"located along the path "C: / Windows / Resources".

1. We go to "Personalization" and select our theme, which should be displayed there.

We immediately notice that the interface has changed, but partially: without buttons and navigation bars.

Having launched TakeOwnershipEx, click on "Get access rights"where we mark the file "Explorer.exe"on the way « C:Windows ".

We are looking for a folder with the files of our theme, or, more precisely, an image with the BMP extension and click on it.

The Start replacement will be visible after restarting the PC.

1. Now we need to replace the navigation buttons with already installed program TakeOwnershipEx. We need to get access rights to ExplorerFrame.dll, which is located on the path "C: / Windows / System32".

Change the name of this file to ExplorerFrame.dllold, and instead copy the file from the theme folder into this directory.

We reboot the computer and see the result.

The second option, how to install a theme on Windows, is not easy, but as a result, you will get a unique style of desktop and conductor design, from which you “can't take your eyes off”.

Installing themes on Windows 7 Starter and Home Basic

OS Windows 7 Starter and Home Basic are stripped-down versions of the full seven. The "Personalization" menu, without which it is impossible to install new themes, has been completely cut out. But to the delight of the owners of these OS, there is a utility with which you can add this item context menu - Personalization Panel.

We start by downloading and installing the Personalization Panel utility.

1. We go to the developer's website winaero.com/download.php and find the software we need.

1. Download, unpack and install it on your computer.

After a couple of seconds, Personalization Panel will notify you that the Personalization menu has been successfully installed. You can check its availability by clicking right button mouse anywhere on the desktop.

After these preparations, you can follow the previous chapter for instructions on how to install the theme on Windows 7.

New themes for Windows 8 and 10

Initially on Windows 10 it was impossible to change the default and install new themes, but after several global updates, the option was returned. Having entered the updated personalization menu, the user will see the familiar seven-way method of customizing the graphic design.

Unlike the previous "seven" in Windows 8.1 and 10 built-in Microsoft online store for downloading certified software. These include the themes that we will install.

For this:

Click with the mouse on any option you like.

1. After uploading the file, go back to Personalization and select new topic main.

This is where the process of transforming the interface appearance can be completed. If you want to find a unique theme with advanced features and button changes - follow the steps from the first chapter of the article.

1. Download the already known program UxStyle-Core (version for Win 8 or 10) or UXTheme Multi-Patcher, which can be downloaded from the website http://www.windowsxlive.net/uxtheme-multi-patcher/.

1. Unpack the archive and run the software. We put a patch for system files. We leave two checkboxes opposite the parameters.

1. Download the theme from third-party sources and move its files to a folder "Themes",located in "C: / Windows / Resources"... Then open the menu "Personalization" and click on the automatically appeared new topic.

For deeper customization of buttons and panels, use the TakeOwnershipEx utility. How to use it is described in the chapter on windows themes 7.

At the end

In our today's article, we told you about several ways to install a theme for windows 7, 8.1 and 10. This question is often asked on forums and thematic sites, since the process of installing and activating uncertified designs is quite complicated and has some negative nuances. When an inexperienced or inattentive user tries to change system files, the system may malfunction: Explorer or icons of some virtual buttons may disappear.

In the end we will give you a small helpful advice: Do not modify or rename system files unnecessarily. Limit yourself to standard themes or those in the Microsoft store. If you decide to make changes, download the installers only on the official website of the publisher.

Be careful and you will succeed!