Windows XP Themes

A desktop theme is a predefined set of icons, fonts, colors, sounds, and other window elements that give your desktop a unified and distinctive look. You can switch themes, create your own theme by changing a theme and then saving it with a new name, or restore the traditional Windows Classic look as your theme.

If you modify any element of a theme, such as your desktop background or screen saver, it is recommended that you save your changes with a new theme name. If you modify your desktop and don't save your changes with a new name, your changes will be lost if you select a different theme.

Themes

To create your own desktop theme

Open Display in Control Panel.

On the Themes tab, under Theme, click the theme you want to modify.

Make your changes to the theme. The following items are saved as part of a theme:

Control Panel	Tab	Item
Display	Desktop	Background, Position, and Color
Display	Desktop	Icons (click Customize Desktop to change icons)
Display	Screen Saver	Screen saver
Display	Appearance	Windows and buttons, Color scheme, and Font size
Display	Appearance	All features on the Advanced Appearance dialog box (click Advanced)
Mouse	Pointers	Scheme or individual pointers
Sounds and Audio Devices	Sounds	Sound scheme and Program events

When you finish making changes, click Apply on the Themes tab in the Display Properties dialog box, and then click Save As.

Type a name for the theme and click OK.

Note

•	To open Display, click Start, click Control Panel, click Appearance and Themes, and then click Display.
•	If you modify a theme without saving it, your changes are saved with the name *Previous theme name* (Modified). However, your modified theme will be lost if you select a different theme.
•	New themes are saved in My Documents. To open the My Documents folder, click Start, and then click My Documents.