How Do I Restore My Windows Theme After I Download a Program?

Changing the theme used by Windows isn't difficult to do.

Some software tools will attempt to change the Windows theme after installation. The theme used by Windows includes the desktop wallpaper, the system sounds, the icons shown on the desktop, and the look and color of the windows and applications themselves. Resetting the Windows theme back to its default look is straightforward in all recent versions of the software.

Windows XP

Right-click on a blank area of the desktop and choose Properties from the menu that appears. Under the Theme tab, choose Windows XP from the list of options in the Theme drop-down list, then click OK.

Windows Vista

Right-click on a blank area of the desktop and choose Personalize from the menu that appears. Click the Theme option in the list that appears. You will be shown a drop-down list of options under a Theme heading. Choose Windows Vista to reapply the default theme, then click OK.

Windows 7

Right-click on a blank area of the desktop and choose Personalize from the menu that appears. The themes are listed in the main window. The Windows 7 thumbnail listed under Aero Themes is the default theme for the operating system. Click OK to confirm your choice.

References

• Microsoft: Working with themes in Windows XP
• Microsoft: Change the desktop theme in Vista
• Microsoft: Personalizing Windows 7