9 of the Best Windows 10 Themes You Should Check Out | Tutorial
In terms of themes and visual features, Windows 10 isn’t generally seen as a super-customizable platform like Linux. Be that as it may, there are still plenty of official and unofficial themes for Windows 10, with which you can give your desktop some pretty incredible makeovers.
So whether you’re looking for a nostalgic theme that takes you back to the fledgling years of Windows or something a little more edgy from a designer at DeviantArt, you’ll find something here.
1. Windows XP
Let’s get started with possibly the most nostalgic and universally-loved theme in Windows history – Windows XP. Doesn’t that blue-and-green taskbar just look so welcoming and bouncy?
To get an authentic Windows XP look, you first need to get Classic Shell, which provides the necessary customization tools for Windows 10. After that you can get the Classic Shell XP suite for Windows 10 to get that unadulterated XP look.
2. Taiwan Culture Sketches
Taiwan Culture Sketches is the only theme that’s actually from Microsoft that made it onto the list. It’s basically a glorified collection of wallpaper images with some color matching. The included wallpapers are great.
3. Penumbra by Scope10
Like the other themes we review in the rest of this list, Penumbra is not made by Microsoft. You’ll need to apply the patches above before and manually place the theme’s files in the right folder before you can use the theme. But once you have it set up, it’s a beautiful, dark theme that makes using your system at night a pleasure.
4. Seda
Seda is another dark theme from DeviantArt. Unlike Penumbra, it’s not completely dark, with light grays sprucing up the interface. It also themes the context menu in a lovely dark gray to complete the look.
5. Arc
Arc includes several variations of its main black and white theme. For maximum effect, you’ll want to install the Arc icon pack alongside the theme, also from DeviantArt.
6. ClassicX
ClassicX restores as much of the now-ancient Windows 3.1 operating system’s aesthetic as it can. If you’ve been hoping to return to gradient title bars, rectangular buttons and beveled edges, this theme will bring you there.
7. Simplify 10 Light
Simplify 10 Light is actually a pack of Windows 10 themes, all collected around the same simple aesthetic. It flattens the Windows interface as much as possible, relying on subtle variations in grey and white to distinguish different parts of the UI. It also shrinks the window control buttons, which may or may not be to your liking.
8. LAB
AB‘s major visual change is a heavy black bar that runs across the top of every themed window. It also reduces contrast dramatically across the entire system and reskins most of the UI.
9. Anthem Two
Like LAB, Anthem Two also adds a heavy black bar to the top of all themed windows. It doesn’t reduce contrast as much as LAB, however, making it a little easier on the eyes.
Conclusion
If you’re willing to risk a little frustration to get a much better-looking system, these Windows 10 themes will be right up your alley.