Guide for Windows customization

[Seahorsepip Veteran]

Changelog

 

20-06-14: Warning for uxstyle issue

13-06-14: First revision

 

 

Download themes
 
Windows 8.1 themes can be found on multiple places:

• This forum section
• deviantART: http://www.deviantart.com/customization/skins/windows8/visualstyles8/

 

 

Install themes
 
Your system must be patched  to support 3rd party themes, there are multiple methods available for this:

• Uxtheme patcher: http://www.syssel.net/hoefs/software_uxtheme.php?lang=en
• Uxstyle: http://uxstyle.com/(Not recommend at the moment because of a black screen issue that prevents from booting into safe mode)

The big difference between these two methods is that Uxstyle injects code into the memory and Uxtheme patches the uxtheme.dll file to modify the windows theme signature requirements.

 

 
The theme files are inside a .zip file in most cases which must be opened first to get the actual files, this file can be opened with windows itself by doubble click or with programs like 7-zip and winrar. Sometimes the theme files are inside a .rar file, this file can not be opened by windows itself and must be opened with programs like 7-zip and winrar.
 
The theme consists of 1 file and 1 folder(with folders and files inside it) in most cases, as example:
-example.theme (file)
-example (folder)

--Shell (folder inside example)

---NormalColor (folder inside Shell)

----en-US (folder inside NormalColor)

-----shellstyle.dll.mui (folder inside NormalColor)

----shellstyle.dll (file inside NormalColor)

--example.msstyles (file inside example)

 
Copy this file and folder of your theme to C:/Windows/Resources/Themes.
On most PC's the windows partition letter is C but it can be also a different letter.
 
To apply your theme go to Control Panel\Appearance and Personalisation\Personalisation and select your theme.

 

 

Create themes

 

Themes for windows 8.1 can be created with Windows Style Builder: http://vistastylebuilder.com/

This is not freeware, if you want to create themes for free you can try modifying aero.msstyles with a resource editor.

 

 

Change icons
 
Icons can be modified in multiple ways:

• Iconpackager: http://www.stardock.com/products/iconpackager/
• C:/Windows/System32/imageres.dll modification with a resource editor
• Registry modifications and desktop.ini modifications, see sevenforums for tutorials about these methods and other methods: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/

 

Help?

 

If you have any trouble with installing a theme or something else feel free to reply to this thread or to create a new thread.

 

Suggestions, improvements, additional information?

 

You can post a comment or sent me a private message about it.

[Marshall Veteran]

Thanks for writing this up!

 

Pinned

[DaveGreen93]

Having a bit of an issue after installing the UXtheme patcher...

 

 

This is happening to the start screen, and explorer.exe is crashing. Know of any reasons why this happening?

 

I really liked your Sharp Flat theme and wanted to give it a go, can't even copy the theme over before Explorer crashes.

[DaveGreen93]

My bad, restored to last night. Tried again, this time running as Admin and all is well.

[Seahorsepip Veteran]

Great to hear your problem was solved,weird that you was able to install uxtheme without admin, normally it wouldn't install then.

[Seahorsepip Veteran]

Updated the OP for windows 10 and WindowBlinds.

[illage3]

Can UXStyle be used on Windows 10?

[Seahorsepip Veteran]

  On 29/11/2015 at 04:38, illage3 said:

Can UXStyle be used on Windows 10?

Expand  

Yes

For pre november update(Build 10586) windows 10 you can use uxstyle or uxtheme depending on which you prefer. If you got the november update(Build 10586) you have to use a workaround to get themes working which is a combination of uxtheme and uxstyle: http://www.cleodesktop.com/2015/11/install-uxthemepatcher-for-windows-10.html

 

I'll update the OP with this info in a minute.

[argnil]

intersting

 

[Royalty]

These are good tips and tricks. Will refer back to this when I need it. Thanks.

[wendy oltman]

Thanks for these helpful tips and compiling this guide.