Copying desktop themes to other Windows XP computers

by Greg Shultz | Nov 08, 2006 8:00:00 AM

Tags: Desktops, Operating systems, Greg Shultz, desktop theme, Microsoft Windows XP, desktop, Microsoft Windows, favorite desktop theme, computer, Windows XP Tips Newsletter

7 comment(s)

Takeaway: Familiar faces are most welcome�especially when it comes to working on your Windows XP computer. If you'd like to copy a unique or particularly creative desktop theme to another computer, Greg Shultz shows you how easy it is to make the move.

If you have created a favorite desktop theme and you work on more than one Windows XP computer, you may have considered recreating it on your other computers. However, manually recreating the desktop theme can be a tricky and time-consuming operation. Here's how you can easily copy your favorite desktop theme from one Windows XP computer to another:

On the computer containing your favorite desktop theme, launch Windows Explorer and access the My Documents folder.
Look for files with the .theme extension, locate your file, and copy it to a floppy disk or USB thumb drive.
Go to the other computer on which you would like to have your favorite desktop theme and copy the .theme file to My Documents.
Right-click the desktop and select Properties to open the Display Properties dialog box.
On the Themes tab, click the Theme drop-down and select Browse.
In the Open Theme dialog box, access the My Documents folder, locate your theme file, and double-click it.
Click OK to load the new theme and close the Display Properties dialog box.

While Windows XP loads the desktop theme, you'll see a Please Wait message in the middle of the screen. Your current desktop colors will fade to gray while the new settings are applied.

Note: This tip applies to both Windows XP Home and Windows XP Professional.