Solved Creating My Own Themes In Win 11

I need some direction in my quest to create my own themes using photos that I have on my hard drive. Like from various trips etc. I don't quite know where to start. I go into personalizing, themes but don't see how to proceed. Help to get going on this would be appreciated. Latest updated version of 11.

You can then tweak even further how Windows looks by using Win Tools Classic Color Panel Customize Colors in Windows 10 - WinTools.Info

That first article should tell you what Windows 11 will allow you to change. Personally, I like to control every aspect of the way Windows looks like back in the Windows 7 days where we could fine tune every aspect of both our desktop and a window. What I have done is install Windows 7 as a virtual machine for no purpose other than theme building.
I build my themes, export them to a file, and then use the themes in Windows 11. It works great.

I don't think this is what I am after. I guess what I want to do is have my desktop background act like a delayed slideshow like the themes that I have already downloaded for win 10 and 11 from Microsoft, but with my selected images, not someone else's.

That's easy.

• Settings
• Select Personalization > Background
• Select Slideshow and then click on the Browse button
• Select the folder where you have placed all your preferred wallpaper pictures
• Change other settings like:
  • Change picture every
  • Shuffle the picture order
  • Choose a fit for your desktop image

needlenoses said:

I guess what I want to do is have my desktop background act like a delayed slideshow like the themes that I have already downloaded for win 10 and 11 from Microsoft, but with my selected images, not someone else's.

Click to expand...

glasskuter said:

That's easy.

• Settings
• Select Personalization > Background
• Select Slideshow and then click on the Browse button
• Select the folder where you have placed all your preferred wallpaper pictures
• Change other settings like:
  • Change picture every
  • Shuffle the picture order
  • Choose a fit for your desktop image

Click to expand...

Glasscutter is correct, in fact I have done exactly that on all my machines. See my post #598 here:

I'm back; busy week here; I will give these steps a go this afternoon when I get a break. Much appreciated.

I am guessing that this process might even work on altering existing themes!!

needlenoses said:

altering existing themes!!

Click to expand...

Actually, no. The folder for default themes is C:\Windows\Resources\Themes. When you use one of the default themes as the base of your new theme, alter it, and save it, it goes to %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Themes. The existing default theme still exists in the original folder.

Ok, got that about altering themes; so I managed to create a theme using a folder with some pics in just for testing; worked fine but how to I save it and give the file a name etc.

Sorry; found where to save the files; no problem now; thanks to all for the help.

needlenoses said:

Sorry; found where to save the files; no problem now; thanks to all for the help.

Click to expand...

Glad you found that for yourself.

For the benefit of others reading this thread, there are two stages in saving your custom theme. The first is to save its setting to your PC so that you can give the theme a name and select it again whenever you need. To do that click the Save button in Personalisation > Themes. That will add it to the list of available themes to select from.




The second stage is optional, useful if you want to save your theme to a deskthemepack file (including the files of any custom images, sounds or cursors it may use). This can then be used to import your theme to another PC, or reinstall it on this PC should you ever need to do a clean install of Windows. To do that right-click on your (now) saved them and select 'Save theme for sharing'.

Good addition to the thread; for my use at this time I am good the way it is; no need to play with icons or colours. tks.