The operating system is very flexible software that the user can customize to best suit his needs. For example, you can customize the theme. You can install themes on Windows starting from XP. Installing themes has not changed in Windows 8 or 10. There are several ways to transform the look of your operating system.
Standard installation of Windows 8 themes
Built-in OS capabilities allow you to customize the look. Here's what you need to do for this:
If the user does not like the pre-installed design, you can always turn to third-party sources. In the "Personalization" window, look for the link " Other topics on the Internet».
As a result, a browser with the official Microsoft page will open. There are elements in the form of tiles that can be downloaded in a couple of clicks. 
The file downloaded from the official source is very easy to install - double-click on it and all add-ons will automatically be transferred to the personalization window.
Installing themes using the UXTheme Multi-Patcher utility
There is a wide range of design options on the Microsoft website, but some users will want to download and install more original and beautiful themes for Windows 8. Using the utility UXTheme Multi-Patcher you can greatly transform the appearance of the system.
Where to download themes for Windows 8
There are a lot of sites where you can download themes for Windows 8 and 8.1. It is worth choosing very carefully, since virus sites may contain malicious files that will render the system inoperable, so be sure to creating a restore point in case of system failure.
One of the popular sites where you can download design for Windows, wallpapers and simply beautiful art is Deviantart.com (Attention! If the site does not work, most likely it is blocked and use VPN, proxy or anonymizers to bypass it).
When you download a set from Deviantart, drag it into the catalog C: / Windows / Resources / Theme.
Another popular resource with themes for any version of Windows is https://7themes.su. Everything is the same as with the previous option. There are also many instructions for installing third-party wallpapers, cursors, icons and skins for various programs. 
Some themes require replacing system files. Of course, if you use it, be sure to create restore point... After that, follow these instructions.
Today, Windows 8 has already taken its place in popular PC operating systems. Gradually, more and more new themes are created for it, which you can download on our website ... But after downloading, you will probably have such a question as "How can I install a theme on Windows 8?". In this article I'll tell you exactly about this ...First you need to download the patch. You will need it to install unofficial themes on Windows 8. Unofficial themes are those that are not signed by microsoft.
After installing the patch, you should download any theme you like from the section posted on our website.
Now unpack the archive and copy the theme files to the C: \\ Windows \\ Resources \\ Themes folder.
And finally, go to the desktop, right-click and open the "Personalization" section, where find and activate the theme you have set.
This completes the installation of the theme in Windows 8. Thanks for attention!
Over time, old themes and desktop backgrounds get bored and you want to change them. On older versions of Windows, this involved additional tweaks. For example, it was necessary to install special programs for installing themes.
These programs were distributed through various software sites. And there was always a chance to pick up some kind of virus when installing such programs.
Or put a theme for an older OS and then restore the system.
Microsoft finally solved this problem and you can download many themes from the official site. Simple, free and secure.
How to download and install a theme for Windows 8
Go to the desktop, right-click anywhere in the empty space and select “personalization”.
In the window that opens, where there are active topics, look for the link “other topics on the Internet” and click on it.
And you get to the Microsoft website, where you can choose and download a theme for your desktop from the presented ones.
Here you can download any theme without fear of safety.
The only thing that should not be forgotten is be sure to look at the description of the topic, it will be written there for which OS it is suitable.
This is done like this. Choose the category from which you want to download the theme.
Find there the theme you want to install and click on the "more details" link.
The topic page will open. There, just see if this theme is right for your operating system.
If it fits, then just press the “download” button and wait for the download to finish.
We return to the "personalization" window, which was opened earlier. The new desktop theme has already appeared there.
We activate it and that's it. The desktop theme is installed.
How to download and install a theme for Windows 10
This operating system has just been released, and unfortunately, themes have not yet been adapted for it. I do not recommend installing themes for older OS. For now, you'll have to use the default theme.
As soon as compatible desktop themes for Windows 10 are available, I'll expand this article.
Themes for Windows are packs of color, sound, desktop background, and other personalization settings. Users can download and apply these packages to spice up their computer.
Official and third-party themes for Windows
Windows users can use both the official themes that are available on the Microsoft website and many others from third-party developers. The most popular resource for many Windows themes is DeviantArt. Independent designers create and upload their own packages to this site.
However, you cannot install unofficial Windows themes. First, you need to remove Microsoft's restrictions on installing third-party themes. How to do it? Read on.
How to install official themes from Microsoft
If you want to install the official theme from Microsoft, then follow these few simple steps:
2. After the theme has been downloaded, double-click the downloaded file “ .themepack»To add a new theme to your library. Next, you need to apply it.
You can apply themes from the Personalization menu in Control Panel.
1. Go to the control panel, and select the section " Personalization».
2. Click on the icon of the theme you want to apply.
How to install third-party themes for Windows
If you cannot find a suitable theme among those offered by Microsoft, then you should use third-party themes. As we discussed earlier, DeviantArt is the most popular third-party theme resource for Windows. The following instructions will help you install a third party Windows theme.
1. Create backup!Using unofficial Windows themes may crash your operating system. We recommend that you create a restore point so that you can restore your computer to work.
2. Download and install the program UltraUXThemePatcher .
3. Find a suitable theme on special sites such as DeviantArt and download it.
4. Copy the downloaded files to a folder on your computer “ C:/ Windows/ Resources/ Themes».
5. Go to the control panel, section " Registration and Personalization»And click on" Change theme"Select and click on the theme you want to apply.
Now let's take a look at a few of the most interesting third-party themes for Windows.
1. Taiwan Culture Sketches by Cheng Ling
This is the only official Windows theme on our list. In fact, this is a standard theme with a collection of cool wallpapers and color matching. It should be noted that the wallpaper is great.
2. Penumbra by Scope10
To apply this theme, you must follow the instructions above, that is, download the patch and manually move the theme files to the desired folder.
Once that is done, you have a beautiful dark theme that is very nice to use at night.
3. Seda by unisira
Seda is another dark theme from DeviantArt. Unlike Penumbra, it is not completely dark, with light gray interface edges. A context menu in a lovely dark gray color completes the design perfectly.
4. Arc by neiio
Arc offers several options for a black and white theme. For maximum effect, you should install the Arc Icon Pack, which are also available on DeviantArt.
5. ClassicX by neiio
ClassicX brings back the aesthetics of the Windows 3.1 operating system. If you are nostalgic for gradient titles, rectangular buttons and beveled edges then this theme is for you.
6. Simplify 10 Light by dpcdpc11
This theme smoothes the Windows interface as much as possible, relying on subtle variations in gray and white to distinguish the main parts of the user interface.
7. LAB by Scope10
The main visual change for this theme is the black bar at the top of each window. It also dramatically lowers the contrast of the entire system, and improves the quality of most user interfaces.
8. Anthem Two by participant
Like the LAB, Anthem Two also has a black bar on all windows. It does not reduce contrast as much as LAB, but is softer on the eyes.
Conclusion
If you like to experiment and you are tired of the standard Windows interface, then be sure to try the official and third-party themes for Windows 10.
In the eight, as in its predecessor, it is possible to install additional themes. To use new visual styles, you need to download and install a special utility called UltraUX Theme Patcher - (131 Kb)
After the installation of the patcher is completed, you need to reboot:
Now, by right-clicking on the desktop, open the item " Personalization"And select the newly installed theme:
In addition to applying the main patch, for the most correct work of themes, it is recommended to disable the so-called ribbon menu of Windows 8 Explorer, for this download the Ribbon Disabler program - (69.5 Kb). After launching the utility in accordance with the bitness of your OS, click the Disable Ribbon Explorer button and the menu will be disabled. The second button, Enable Ribbon Explorer, returns the ribbon menu to the explorer.
You can also use another program to install themes on Windows 8 - link on the developer's website.
Installing themes on Windows 8.1
(Upd 04/08/2014)
Before the upcoming global update of Windows 8 to 8.1, the developers of the UltraUXThemePatcher have released a new version of their program for using third-party themes. As it became known, the beta version of the patcher was released in open access, which means the testing stage and does not exclude further work on it.
The programmers promise to fix all the problems that arise when installing non-official themes on the updated G8 of the first version.
Please note that before using the patcher and applying new themes, you need to create, in case of software malfunctions, it will help return the computer to a working state.
You can follow the progress of the utility development at. We, in turn, will also post the current version in this article.
