How to install themes on your Windows 10 PC in 2022

Gratis or paid, give your taskbar a makeover

(Image: © Gorodenkoff / Shutterstock)

Changing the desktop theme in Windows has been around e'er since the days of Windows 98. In 2022, information technology's easier than ever to install a full 4K theme for your PC that transforms your icons and windows, not just the color scheme.

At that place are plenty of methods to install a Windows x or Windows xi theme, such as from the Microsoft Store, or past using other applications that tin change the colour scheme to your windows and taskbar.

In that location are plenty of opportunities right at present to change the look and feel of your PC into something tailored to y'all.

With this in mind, here'south how to install some themes to brand your PC shine even more, and not just on the outside with your RGB.

How to install official themes

Before Windows 8, there really wasn't an official method to install new themes, but with the introduction of the Microsoft Store, it was fabricated much easier.

Go to the themes department in the Microsoft Store. Browse the section and if yous want to install 1, merely click on a theme, press 'Become' and information technology will install. Navigate to Settings > Personalization > Themes and information technology will testify alongside the existing themes, prepare to give your PC a change in looks.

However, as the store isn't the greatest in displaying what a theme can await like across the whole PC, alongside its clunky user interface, it's almost a needle in the haystack of finding one that you will like.

How to install unofficial themes

This is where third-party themes come up in. An application called UltraUXThemePatcher needs to be downloaded first in order for 3rd-party themes to be installed. It modifies certain files in Windows ten that are responsible for modifying the user interface, only it does restore these back to normal if UltraUXThemePatcher is uninstalled.

Once installed, you can head over to DeviantArt or ThemePack and wait for a theme that best suits you.

Once you've found a theme yous like, drop them into 'Windows\Resources\Themes'.

Restart your PC, so go to Settings > Personalization > Themes, and they will prove up aslope the official variants, set up to have effect.

There'south also another awarding that we demand to mention that tin showcase your desktop even further.

Wallpaper Engine

Wallpaper Engine features a plethora of animated backgrounds, where you tin download even more, thank you to the Steam Workshop integration where many users have contributed their ain designs. You can have information technology scheduled to feature a different wallpaper for each day if you wish, or sure times throughout the mean solar day.

You can customize the colors, the objects, the speed in which the animations play, and much more. It fifty-fifty works on multiple monitors, so you could take a wallpaper that has an blitheness that runs across all of your screens, making for a striking effect.

Our choice of the all-time Windows x themes

Simplify Orangish Blue

Simplify Orange theme for Windows 10 — (Image credit: dpcdpc11)

The Simplify theme flattens the user interface merely gives it a warm gradient that makes it looks like a modernized theme of Windows XP. Everything looks tidier and very make clean when browsing File Explorer, while everything in this theme is optimized for 4K displays. The theme does cost $2.99 (most £2 / AUS$4), simply you gain a very sophisticated theme with a deep color-scheme for your PC.

macOS 12

Windows 10 Theme of macOS Big Sur — (Epitome credit: Skinpacks)

Want to accept the appearance of Apple'south operating organisation without owning a Mac? Here's the best of both worlds for you. This macOS theme transforms your entire Windows x theme into the latest macOS release, with icons, wallpapers, and fifty-fifty a dock where you can drag and drib application shortcuts into it, ready to become. It's very easy to install while transforming your PC into an iMac.

Nemo Skin

Back in 2003, Microsoft was working on the Windows XP successor codenamed Longhorn, with concept art that showcased how it was going to redefine the user interface. While it didn't work out, this theme looks as shut every bit how that vision was, with hues of dark blue and green beyond the theme as a peachy contrast to give the user interface composure.

Papryos

Instead of one theme, you go five themes here, with each one showcasing vivid, vibrant colors that expect like a cross betwixt Linux and the now depreciated Cloth user interface from Google'south Android.

XP Themes

The themes of Windows XP, now on Windows 10. Some of these were once exclusively bachelor on certain versions of Windows XP, with the Royale theme beingness a detail nostalgic throwback to 2004.

The taskbar and the color scheme are the ii important points here, easily mixed into the Windows ten of today. Even in 2022 with the latest 20H2 update in Windows x, the themes all piece of work hither, Royale especially looks fantastic with its almost fluorescent blue and greenish colors, while Zune brings a keen mix of black and orangish to the desktop.

As they're all optimized for displays upward to 4K, all of these await very sharp for any monitor. While information technology does cost $xi.99 (most £8.49 / AUS$15.49), it's a small price to pay for a complete, elegant makeover of your Windows 10 PC from 2001.

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Daryl had been freelancing for 3 years before joining TechRadar, now reporting on everything software-related. In his spare fourth dimension he's written a book, 'The Making of Tomb Raider', alongside podcasting and usually found playing games old and new on his PC and MacBook Pro. If you have a story virtually an updated app or one that'south about to launch, driblet him a line.