How to Change the Color of the Windows XP Start Button
Getting sick of looking at that obnoxious green Windows XP Start Button? It's time for a change! Check out how easy it is to change the Windows XP Start Button to whatever you want in a few easy steps, conveniently located directly below this brief introduction.
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Instructions
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Download two free programs
First you need to download a program called Style XP and another program called StyleBuilder, which is kind of an add-on to Style XP. Both of these programs are free. Style XP gives you a bunch of tools that allow you to enhance Microsoft's built-in visual style engine, and StyleBuilder is what lets you easily change the color of the Windows XP start menu. Here's the links:
Style XP: http://www.tgtsoft.com/download.html
StyleBuilder: http://www.tgtsoft.com/download.php?show=StyleBuilderInstall these two light programs and restart your computer.
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Run StyleBuilder
Click that nasty green Start button and choose All Programs, then choose TGTSoft, and finally click on StyleBuilder. This opens, you guessed it, StyleBuilder! Easy step. Moving on.
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Choose an image editor
Pick your favorite image editing program that StyleBuilder will use to customize your Windows XP Start Button.
Do this by clicking the Tools menu in the StyleBuilder program, and then click on Options. Click the Image Editors tab, and then click on the New button. Type in the name of your image editing program, then click on the ellipsis button that's next to the text box. Now you have to tell it where your image editing program is located on your hard drive, so look around until you find it. Click OK to save your image editor preferences.
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Get ready to customize your Windows XP Start Button
There's three main themes used by the default Windows XP Theme, which is called Luna. The three themes Luna uses are Blue (default), Homestead and Metallic. These are listed on the left-hand side of the StyleBuilder screen. So click on the Blue selection first. Now click on the Task Bar thumbnail, and then click on the Start Button located in the Preview window, and finally right-click on the Start Button that's in the Part window on the upper-right-hand of your screen. A few options will pop up in the right-click menu. Click the first choice, which should be something like, "Edit C:\" and a directory location on your hard drive.
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Now it's time to draw!
The image editor you chose earlier will open up with an image of the current Start Button. Now all you have to do is apply your artistic vision and make it your own. Do whatever you want to, just keep in mind that it will be your Start Button, so you probably want to keep it legible. But again, you can do whatever you want!
When you're done customizing your Start Button, click File and Save. Now exit out of your image editor and get back to StyleBuilder.
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View your masterpiece
In the Part Window in the upper-right-hand corner of your screen, click Reset. Do the same thing in the Preview Window, located in the middle center of the screen. Now on the toolbar at the top click the Apply button. Type in a name for your new Windows XP Start Button, then click OK.
StyleBuilder will now compile and apply your theme. This takes a few minutes, so maybe get up and do some jumping jacks or something. When you get back and your theme has been compiled and applied, click on the Test button in the toolbar. Click OK on the warning message.
Now you'll see a bunch of things listed on the left of your screen like Buttons, CheckBoxes, Radio Controls, etc. Click on each of these items to get a preview of what the controls will look like. If everything looks kosher click the Close button.
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Send your new Start Button to all your buddies
Click on the Zip button in the toolbar and tell it you want to Attach the Zip file to an email and hit OK.
Type in your pal's email address, a subject and a brief message telling them what in the world you're doing sending them this weird file, and then click OK. Now your friend can have a sweet Windows XP Button just like you!
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Tips & Warnings
If you screw something up and want to go back to the old Start Button:
Right-click on your desktop and click Properties, then the Appearance tab
Change the thing that says Windows and Buttons to the Windows XP Style
Below select either Blue, Olive or Silver color schemes
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Resources
- Photo Credit How to Change the Color of the Windows XP Start Button by John Rapp © 2009
