How to Install Screen Savers on Vista

The Vista operating system from Microsoft has a variety of user-defined options. When you buy a computer with Vista installed, some of these options were preselected or set at the factory. You are not stuck with your manufacturer's choice of screen savers for your computer. The Windows operating system can use preinstalled screen savers, your personal photos or a favorite quotation as your screen saver. You can also tell Vista how long to wait before activating the screen saver. Customize your Vista desktop by installing a personalized screen saver.

Instructions

Install Standard Screen Savers

1. Click the Windows "Start" button and choose "Control Panel" from the Start menu list.

2. Select "Appearance and Personalization" in the Control Panel window. If you have previously set Vista to display the Control Panel in the Classic view, the title of the icon is "Personalization."

3. Choose "Change Screen Saver" in the Personalization section. In Classic view, highlight "Screen Saver" or click the icon next to the words.

4. Open the "Screen Saver Settings" drop down box by clicking on the inverted triangle. The box will display a list of installed screen savers.

5. Scroll through the list to find a screen saver that you like. When you select one of the choices, it will appear is a sample screen above the list box.

6. Increase or decrease the number of minutes that Vista will wait for your computer to be idle before the screen saver starts. Use the triangles next to the Wait box. The top triangle increases the wait time and the bottom one decreases it.

7. Check the screen saver that you chose by clicking on the "Preview" button. Vista will display it in full screen mode.

8. Choose "Apply" when the preview ends, if you are satisfied with your choice. Then Choose "OK" to close the window.

Install Customized Screen Savers

1. Install a customized photo screen saver for Vista by selecting "Windows Photo Gallery" from the Screen Saver Settings drop down box.

2. Use the "Settings" button to select options for this screen saver. In the Windows Photo Gallery Settings, select the first radio button to let Vista display all photos on your hard drive or to include or exclude them, using tags.

3. Pick the second radio button to let Vista display all the photos in the hard drive's Photos folder. Use the "Browse" button and select the correct folder, if yours are not in Photos.

4. Set the photo display speed and check the Shuffle contents tick box, if desired.

5. Confirm your photo settings by clicking "Save." Next click "Apply," and exit by pressing "OK."

6. Try the preinstalled 3D Text screen saver if you want display custom text like a quotation, your favorite team's slogan or even your own name. Choose it from the Screen Saver Settings drop down box.

7. Press "Settings" and select the "Custom Text" radio button. Type your name, quote or phrase in the text box. Change or keep other options like Rotation Type, Style, Speed and Size with the buttons, check boxes and slider bars.

8. Save your personalized 3D Text setting by choosing "OK." Choose "Apply" in the Screen Saver Settings window, then press "OK" to exit.

Tips & Warnings

• The preinstalled Vista screen savers that have user definable settings depend on which version of Vista you have installed on your computer. Most of the ones included in Vista Home and Vista Home Premium have no settings that you can change.

Resources

• Microsoft help Vista screen savers