How to Install a Screen Saver in Windows XP

Install a screen saver in Windows XP to run while your computer sits idle. Computer screens can get impressions burned into them by images that remain stationary for long periods of time. A screen saver protects the screen by running animation that is constantly changing. Windows XP has a feature that cuts the signal to the monitor and leaves a black screen before damage can occur, but the operating system still includes choices of screen savers. Computer engineers have designed screen savers to be entertaining. Some even use sound to accompany the sequences.

Instructions

1. Click the "Start" button at the lower left of your screen. A box will appear with two columns of options listed.

2. Click the "Control Panel" option. It will be in the central portion of the column on the right.

3. Choose the "Display" selection on the Control Panel page. This is usually marked with an icon that pictures a type of computer monitor. Double-click that selection to view Display properties.

4. Click the "Screen Saver" tab in the Display properties box. The tab will show the current screen saver setting. On a new computer, or after a new software installation, there will be no screen saver activated.

5. Click the drop-down menu under the image of the monitor screen. If no screen saver is active, the box will show the word "none" in parentheses. Clicking the box will open a drop-down list of screen saver choices.

6. Choose any of the screen saver descriptions and click to see a preview. A small-scale sample of the screen saver in action will show inside the monitor image in the box. To see a full-screen image, click the "Preview" button to the right of the menu. Sample all the available choices to find your preference.

7. Pick a screen saver and set it up. Select your favorite screen saver, then click the "Settings" button. There are different choices for setting the various screen savers. Some of the options include changing the shape, adjusting the speed, changing the color in cycles and even exploding the moving shape in the animation sequence. Use the slide bars and check boxes to choose options, then click the "OK" button to view the scene in the monitor image. Experiment with the settings to find what you enjoy best.

8. Select the timing for your screen saver to appear. Under the drop-down menu, you'll see a box next to the word "Wait." Use the up or down arrows inside the box to select the number of minutes the computer can remain inactive before the screen saver begins to run. Click the "OK" button at the bottom of the Display properties box to activate your screen saver with all the chosen settings.