How to Disable Themes in Windows 7

Windows 7 Premium and above include the Windows Aero theme as the default desktop theme. Visual styles can be pleasing to the eye and provide a sleek modern look to the desktop environment. However, Windows themes may not always be practical. Fortunately, Windows 7 themes can be switched or for added control and performance, desktop themes can be completely disabled.

This guide will show how to disable desktop themes using the Windows Services.msc console in three steps:

* Locate Services.msc with the Search programs and files dialog box in the start menu
* (Alternate method) Open Services.msc from the Control Panel
* Stop the Themes service
* Disable the Themes service for the Windows desktop

Key Benefits to Disabling Windows Themes

* Increase computer performance
* Free up memory (RAM)
* Prevent other users from changing the default Windows desktop

Locating Services.msc with Search Programs and Files Dialog Box in the Start Menu

1. Click the blue Windows logo located on the left side of the taskbar
2. In the Search programs and files dialog box located at the bottom, type "services.msc"
3. After a few moments, Services should be visible under the programs menu
4. Single-click the Services link in the start menu
5. The Services.msc console opens

(Alternate Method) Locating the Services.msc Console Through the Control Panel

To locate Windows services through the Control Panel:

1. Click the blue Windows logo located on the left side of the taskbar
2. Select the Control Panel button located on the right side of the menu
3. Click System and Security located in the top left corner
4. Click Administrative Tools located near the bottom of the Control Panel window
5. The Administrative Tools window appears listing available tools
6. Double-click Services to open the Services.msc console

Stop the Themes Service

1. Each service is listed in alphabetical order, scroll down to locate the service labeled "Themes"
2. Select to highlight the Themes service
3. Two options appear on the left side of the box: Stop the service and Restart the service
4. Click Stop the service
5. The desktop should automatically revert to the Windows Classic desktop

Disable the Themes Service for the Windows Desktop

Even though the Themes service is stopped, the user must set the service to be disabled. If this is not done, the service will start automatically when the computer restarts.

1. With the Themes service highlighted, right-click on the selection
2. In the the menu, select the Properties menu option
3. With the Themes Properties window open locate the Startup type drop down box
4. click the drop down box and select disabled
5. When finished, click the Apply button

The Windows 7 desktop themes will now be disabled. In the future, if the user tries to select themes, only the Windows Classic desktop will be available.

Personalize Windows 7 with a Theme & Change Icons

You can personalize Windows 7 with a theme and change icons by follow these easy steps:

1. Firstly, you need to right-click on the desktop and then select personalize from the shortcut menu. Now the Personalization window will appear.

Note: In many cases, the window stays open as you make choices. If you need to open this window again, repeat Step 1.

2. Now navigate down through the themes displayed in the window. These themes are Windows 7 settings collection, such as desktop background, color, sounds and many more. You may need to explore the themes under these headings:

• My Themes: These are the themes that you can customize and save. If you have not saved a theme then you can see Unsaved Theme, which is your current setup.

• Aero Themes: These themes show beautiful photos as a changing desktop background and set
clear colors for windows. Specially the Landscapes and Nature themes are lovely. The Characters theme is freak.

• Basic and High Contrast Themes: These are easier, plainer themes which mostly have solid-color desktop backgrounds. For someone with a vision disability the high contrast may be useful or it may be handy in low light.

3. Click the Landscapes theme. If you can’t see the desktop, you may not notice a change. You can click the Minimize button or press Q+D on your keyboard to see the new desktop background. Other Personalization settings change with this theme, as well.

4. Now to return to the Personalization window you need to click its icon on the taskbar. Try various themes by clicking on it. Click the Unsaved Theme under My Themes to restore your original settings.

Change Desktop Icons

1. Icons on the desktop are the easy way to access certain files or programs. The Recycle Bin is the only icon on the Windows 7 desktop which is by default. The computer manufacturer may add other icons. The installation process may also add icons to the desktop. You can select a few Windows 7 icons to show on the desktop.

Now click the Change Desktop Icons link in the Navigation pane on the left in the Personalization window. Now the Desktop Icon Settings dialog box will appear.

2. Choose the check boxes next to the icons you want to add or deselect icons you want to remove and then click 'OK' to keep your changes or Cancel to discard changes.

To make it easy to find when you need to undelete files, leave the Recycle Bin check box selected. All the other icons are already displayed on the Start menu and in Windows Explorer also, so you may not need them on the desktop.

3. Now minimize the Personalization window and right-click the desktop to change the size of icons on the desktop. Choose View>Large Icons and repeat for Medium or Small Icons, whichever you prefer.

Some people consider desktop icons to be muddle that obstruct the desktop background. To solve this issue, you can hide all desktop icons by right-clicking the desktop and choosing View>Show Desktop Icons, which deselects and hides those icons. Repeat to bring the icons back.