Switching Desktop Themes in Windows 7

Changing the Windows Aero Theme With Two Easy Methods

For most computers with a higher end graphics card, Microsoft's Windows 7 Aero is the default theme. However, either for practical reasons or personal taste, the user may want to switch from Windows 7 Aero.

Windows users can use two different and simple methods to change the Windows Aero theme.

1. Switch Windows Aero through the start menu
2. Change Windows Aero from the desktop

Key benefits to switching from Windows Aero:

1. Increased desktop performance. Windows 7 Aero transparency effect can bog down some video cards. Switching to Basic or Classic visual styles can help improve performance.
2. Ability to modify the desktop to fit the user's personal tastes.

This article will show step by step both methods for switching Windows 7 desktop themes.

How to Switch From Windows Aero Through the Start Menu

To switch from Windows Aero, do the following:

1. Click the blue Windows logo located on the left side of the taskbar
2. Select the Control Panel button located on the right side of the menu
3. In the Control Panel window, click Appearance and Personalization
4. Under the Personalization heading, click Change the theme
5. The user is presented with a number of theme options. The first group are variations of Windows Aero.
6. Skip down to the Basic and High Contrast Themes category
7. The user can choose: Windows 7 Basic, which is the modern Windows 7 theme without the transparency, Windows Classic, or High Contrast for those with special vision requirements
8. Select one of the themes

Once the user makes a theme selection, the Windows desktop will briefly change to black and white while the changes take effect. Once the process is complete, the user's selection will now be the default theme for the Windows 7 desktop. If the user does not like the visual results of the chosen theme, the user can simply select another theme in the Change the theme window.

How to Change Windows Aero From the Desktop

To change Windows Aero from the desktop:

1. Right-Click anywhere on an empty desktop space
2. Select Personalize from the menu
3. The Change the visuals and sounds on your computer window will appear
4. The user is presented with a number of theme options. The first group are variations of Windows Aero.
5. Skip down to the Basic and High Contrast Themes category
6. The user can choose: Windows 7 Basic with no transparency, Windows Classic, or High Contrast for those with special vision requirements
7. Select one of the themes

Which ever method users choose to change Windows Aero, either from the start menu or from the desktop, the appearance of Windows 7 can be easily customized to fit the user's needs and tastes.

>> suite101.com <<