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Windows Vista

Personalizing the Appearance of Windows Vista

This document will show you how to personalize the appearance of Windows Vista for your own use. This document will also familiarize you with Windows Vista backgrounds, screen savers, and themes and show you how to change them to fit your individual needs.

NOTE: UW-Eau Claire students cannot save personalized settings to their student account. However, changing and saving personalized settings for off-campus or non-networked computers is still possible.

return to topAccessing the Personalization Settings

The screen you see after logging in is called the Desktop. You can personalize the Desktop to fit your needs in the Personalization settings.

Accessing the Personalization Settings: Start Menu Option

  1. From the Start menuStart button, select Control Panel
    The Control Panel appears.

  2. Click APPEARANCE AND PERSONALIZATION
    The Appearance and Personalization pane appears.

  3. Click PERSONALIZATION
    The Personalize appearance and sounds pane appears.

Accessing the Personalization Settings: Right Click Option

  1. Right click anywhere in a blank part of the Desktop » select Personalize
    The Personalize appearance and sounds pane appears.
    Personalize Appearance and Sounds task pane

return to topChanging the Windows Theme

Windows Vista offers you the option of changing the theme of your computer. The theme affects the appearance of menus, backgrounds, and screen savers.

  1. Access the Personalization Settings

  2. Click THEME
    The Theme Settings dialog box appears.
    Theme Settings dialog box

  3. From the Theme pull-down menu, select the desired theme

  4. Click APPLY
    The theme is changed.

  5. Click OK

return to topChanging the Window Color and Appearance

Changing the appearance of Windows Vista is very easy. The Aero theme is the default setting. Every setting offers a transparent glass-like design with a wide range of colors and the option to mix your own colors. Changing the appearance will affect the color of the windows, the Start menu, and the Taskbar.

Changing the Window Color

  1. Access the Personalization Settings

  2. Click WINDOW COLOR AND APPEARANCE
    The Window Color and Appearance pane appears.
    Window Color and Appearance pane

  3. To select a color, click on the desired color

  4. OPTIONAL: To adjust the color intensity, from Color intensity, click and drag the sliding bar

  5. To create your own color,
    1. Click SHOW COLOR MIXERShow Color Mixer button

    2. From the color mixer, click and drag the sliding bars to adjust the color's Hue, Saturation, and Brightness

  6. Click OK
    The changes are made.
    You are returned to the Personalize appearance and sounds task pane.

Changing the Window Appearance

  1. Access the Personalization Settings

  2. Click WINDOW COLOR AND APPEARANCE
    The Window Color and Appearance pane appears.

  3. Click OPEN CLASSIC APPEARANCE PROPERTIES FOR MORE COLOR OPTIONS
    The Appearance Settings dialog box appears.
    Appearance Settings dialog box

  4. From the Color scheme scroll box list, select the desired scheme

  5. OPTIONAL: To make advanced changes to the window's appearance,
    1. Click ADVANCED...
      The Advanced Appearance dialog box appears.
    2. From the Item pull-down list, select the appearance element you wish to change
    3. Make changes to size, color, and fonts as desired

    4. Click OK
      You are returned to the Appearance Settings dialog box.

  6. To cancel changes, click CANCEL
    To accept changes and exit, click OK
    To accept changes and remain in the dialog box, click APPLY

return to topChanging the Desktop Background

The background image on the Desktop can be changed. Once you have found an image or background you would like to apply, you must set it as the background.

  1. Access the Personalization Settings

  2. Click DESKTOP BACKGROUND
    The Desktop Background pane appears.

  3. To change the background, from the scroll list, select an image
    HINT: When you select an image, a preview appears on the desktop.
    OR
    To locate an image file
    1. Click BROWSE...
      The Browse dialog box appears.
    2. Navigate to and select the appropriate image file

    3. Click OPEN

  4. To change the picture position, from How should the picture be positioned?, select the desired position
    NOTE: The options are Stretched, Tiled, and Centered.

  5. To apply the background, click OK

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