The desktop theme feature was first introduced with Windows 7 and is exist in the latest Windows 10 as well. While a desktop theme usually includes a bunch of cool wallpapers, it’s possible to bundle mouse cursors, sound schemes, desktop icons, and screen savers with it.
In Windows 7 and 8/8.1, we could easily install new themes and switch between installed themes by opening the Personalization window.
In Windows 10, when you right-click on the desktop and click Personalize option, the Personalization section of the Settings app is launched instead of the classic Personalization window. Because of this, if you want to change the default theme to a newly installed one in Windows 10 or uninstall a desktop theme to free up some disk space, you need to follow a couple of extra steps.
Whether you want to switch between installed themes or uninstall a theme in Windows 10, you can use the directions mentioned in below given methods.
NOTE: Desktop themes are entirely different from visual styles. This guide covers only installing and switching between desktop themes and not visual styles.
To change the current theme
Step 1: Right-click on desktop, click Personalize option to open and navigate to Personalization section of the Settings app.
Step 2: Switch to Themes by clicking on Themes.
Step 3: The Change theme section displays all installed themes. To apply a theme, click on it. To download more themes, click the Get more themes in Microsoft Store link to open the themes page in the Windows 10 Store app and then install themes you want.
And if you want to change the default color, please follow our how to open the Color and Appearance window in Windows 10 guide. The theme color can be changed under the Settings app as well.
To install a new theme
Step 1: There are many safe places on the web from where you can download hundreds of elegant themes. One of them is Microsoft’s own personalization gallery page.
Visit the official Windows personalization gallery page to download as many themes as you want. The Personalization gallery features over 300 themes. Note that themes that were released for Windows 7 and Windows 8 are compatible with Windows 10, as well.
Step 2: After downloading themes, double-click on a theme to install and apply the theme.
Alternatively, you can right-click on a theme and then click the Open option to install and apply the theme. The installed theme can be seen by navigating to Settings > Personalization > Themes.
To switch between installed themes, please follow the instructions mentioned in Method 1 or Method 3.
Install themes from Store in Windows 10
The official Store app now offers hundreds of themes for Windows 10. Here is how to install themes from Store in Windows 10.
Step 1: Click here to open the Windows Themes section in your current web browser. Browse all the themes click on a theme to view all wallpapers included in the theme.
Step 2: Click the Get button. When you get the prompt asking permission to open the page in Microsoft Store, click the Open Microsoft Store or Yes button.
Step 3: The selected theme’s page will now be opened with the Store app. Click the Get button to install the theme. All installed themes can be seen by navigating to Settings > Personalization > Themes page.
How often do you install new desktop themes?
ACG says
Seeing this unsettling and alarming culture of associating a background color to a theme. This is similar to using the tires on a car as an indicator of the make and model. Illogical beyond words.
Rodney says
Found it here:
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-start/is-the-ability-to-customize-themes-gone-in-windows/76a7fe05-5f52-492e-8777-8423382dfea6
You need to press:
WIN + R
Then copy/paste the following:
control /name Microsoft.Personalization /page pageWallpaper
Then press:
Rodney says
Yes I’m having the same problem. I cannot find the option to slow down the speed at which the them background changes. It is too quick for more. In Windows 7 it was easy to select the time frame. The option seems to have disappeared with Windows 10, unless there is a hidden way to access it? Maybe a registry key?
Tas Gandy says
Thanks for the “change themes” instructions, they work well. However unlike theme settings in Windows 8.1, it appears that one is not able to change the “time” that the background desktop images are displayed. My question is “how can we change the timing?”
Thanking you in advance. Tas
Jeffrey L Culbert says
Thought I would post a follow-up to my question. Yes, it was Bing that was causing the problem. Once I uninstalled Bing, I have had no further problems with my desktop independently changing. Hope this helps someone who might be experiencing the same problem.
Jeffrey L Culbert says
I recently changed my desktop theme to a Halloween type called, “Ticket To Fear” … I am running Windows 10 Pro. The problem is every few minutes is reverts back to a different desktop ( it might be Bing ). Even when I delete all other themes except the one I want, it still changes. Any suggestions ? Thanks
DR, DAVID HUANG says
HOW TO AUTOMATIC THEME PICTURE CHANGE WITH TIME CONTROL IN 10 SECONDS, 20 SECONDS, OR ONE MINUTES AUTOMATICALLY THEME PICTURES CHANGE ON MONITOR SCREEN AS WINDOW 8 DOES.
PLEASE DO EMAIL ME AND LET ME KNOW THE INSTRUCTION.
WINDOW 10 SUPPOSE TO BE MORE POWERFUL THAN WINDOW 8, REALLY NEED MY MONITOR SCREEN TO HAVE THE OPTION TO HAVE THEME PICTURES CHANGE AUTOMATICALLY AS WINDOW 8 DOES PLEASE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
DR. DAVID HUANG