JSI Tip 4271. How do I configure desktop themes in Windows XP?

A desktop theme allows you personalize your computer by giving it your look, feel, and sounds.

Windows XP allows you to use the Windows Classic look, pick a new theme, or modify an existing theme.

To select a different theme:

1. Control Panel / Appearance and Themes / Display or right-click an empty area of the desktop and press Properties.

2. Select the Themes tab.

3. Select a new theme in the Theme drop-down. This will display a Sample.

4. Press Apply and OK.

To create a new theme:

1. Control Panel / Appearance and Themes / Display or right-click an empty area of the desktop and press Properties.

2. Select the Themes tab.

3. Select the theme that you want to modify.

4. Use Save As to save this theme as a new name.

5. Follow the steps in select a different theme to select this new theme.

6. Change any elements you want to modify:

- To change the background , color, icons, or the position of the background, use the Desktop tab.

- To change the screen saver, use the Screen Saver tab.

- To change the color scheme, window and button styles, or font size, use the Appearance tab.

- To change your mouse pointer scheme or the appearance of individual pointers, use the Pointers tab in the Mouse Properties at Control Panel / Printers and Other Hardware / Mouse.

- To change a sound scheme or to apply a sound to individual program events, use the Sounds tab in Sounds and Audio Devices Properties at Control Panel / Sounds, Speech, and Audio Devices / Sounds and Audio Devices.

6. When you are finished, save the theme.

NOTE: If you leave the theme before saving the changes, they are lost.

NOTE: New themes have a .theme extension and are saved in your My Documents folder.

To delete a theme that you created:

1. Control Panel / Appearance and Themes / Display or right-click an empty area of the desktop and press Properties.

2. Select the Themes tab.

3. Select the theme that you want to delete.

4. Press Delete.