Recommended Posts

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:

 

 

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

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.

 
methods_neowin_by_seahorsepip-d7m7sjf.pn

 
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:

 

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.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1217859-guide-for-windows-customization/
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

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

 

post-438852-0-36176300-1403965349.jpg

 

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.

  • 1 year later...
  • 2 months later...
  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.

  • 4 weeks later...
  • 8 months later...
  • Daniel F. unpinned this topic
This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Posts

    • OneDrive search is currently broken for many users by Taras Buria If you are trying to find a certain file in your OneDrive storage, but the service just won't give you the stuff you need, you are likely experiencing an issue that Microsoft has just confirmed. The company updated the official OneDrive documentation with a list of known bugs to clarify that the service currently exhibits problems with the search functionality. According to Microsoft, the bug affects four platforms: Windows, iOS, Android, and Web (macOS users are spared). The company says that affected users see black search results, and the storage does not return files that certainly exist (do not blame Microsoft if OneDrive cannot find the file you accidentally deleted or renamed). Fortunately, files are intact—it is just the search that cannot find them and present them to you. Another good thing is that the issue does not appear to affect 100% of users. Microsoft says only "a subset of users" experience the bug. Neowin checked a bunch of systems with personal and work OneDrive accounts, and all of them found the requested files without any issues. Unfortunately, if you are affected, there is nothing you can do at this point. Microsoft made it clear that there are no workarounds. Therefore, you will have to manually scavenge your OneDrive folders (they can now be colored!) to search for the needed file. Microsoft added that it understands how disruptive this bug could be, and it is "working with urgency" to resolve the bug as quickly as possible. You can check out the list of known OneDrive bugs and their possible workarounds in the official support document. In other news about OneDrive frustration, Microsoft recently locked out a user who was attempting to move a bunch of important data from old hard drives to OneDrive. Eighteen attempts to resolve the issue led to nothing but automated replies from Microsoft. You can read more about that wild story here.
    • If anyone thinks bringing manufacturing back will result in a bazillion jobs should heed this information. They will be plants full of robots with human supervisors. It’s the only way the products have a chance to be affordable.
    • You can’t sell BS unless you have autonomy as a sales gimmick. They don’t have the technology, I’ve been in several Tesla Swasticars, they are not safe and self driving barely works - their implementation is incredibly dangerous and still very error prone. They are selling this as a feature to assure safety, the reality is they know their technology isn’t safe and have humans there when it’s not fully able to do what you want it to. If they hired drivers and didn’t have any self driving they are then basically competing with uber and they don’t have the numbers of cars to compete so they sell fake self driving with humans and hope they fix their problems in the meantime. Felon skum has always been a snake oil salesman and people fall for it.
    • Exactly, this defeats the point entirely.
  • Recent Achievements

    • Week One Done
      BlakeBringer earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Week One Done
      Helen Shafer earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • First Post
      emptyother earned a badge
      First Post
    • Week One Done
      Crunchy6 earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • One Month Later
      KynanSEIT earned a badge
      One Month Later
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      670
    2. 2
      ATLien_0
      271
    3. 3
      Michael Scrip
      229
    4. 4
      Steven P.
      166
    5. 5
      +FloatingFatMan
      161
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!