• How to change the startup style in Windows 7. Setting the cursor display and mouse settings

    Hello friends. We'll be there today change theme in Windows 7. Well, you will probably agree with me that the same type of desktop every day gets boring very quickly, and you want something new and fresh. Well, fortunately the operating system Windows 7 gives us such an opportunity.

    You can change the desktop wallpaper, sounds, window color or screensaver. But it’s much easier to change all this with a few clicks of the mouse, simply by changing the theme. Themes contain all the interface components, and by changing the theme, you can change the window color and wallpaper. Moreover, the interface Aero very beautiful and very easy to set up. Let's change the subject! For something new and interesting. Moreover, when, for example, autumn or spring comes, you want to create the appropriate weather on the computer.

    Changing the theme in Windows 7

    1. On the desktop, right-click on the empty bark and select “Personalization”, or go through: Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Personalization.

    2. In the window that opens we see a list of topics. First come “My themes”, these are the ones that you downloaded or created your own, by the way, you can save your themes, there is a button there “Save topic”. Next are the standard Aero themes. And even lower are simplified themes, this is something from the Windows 98 series, although many people find it very convenient to work with this design.

    3. Whatever activate theme, you just need to click on it and that’s it, in a few minutes the theme will change.

    4. Below you can see more buttons, “Window color”, etc.

    If you click on these buttons, you can configure different elements separately, and you will get your own, unique theme.

    5. You can download additional themes on the Internet, but I advise you to go to the official Microsoft website and download themes from there, there is plenty to choose from. Just in the personalization settings window, click “Other topics on the Internet” and a site with a gallery of Microsoft themes will open in the browser. Well, there you can download the theme you like in one click.

    With these simple steps you can liven up your computer and create a festive mood by simply changing the theme. You can also add the gadgets I wrote about to your desktop. I remember on New Year’s I had a Christmas tree, it was so beautiful :). Good luck!

    Starting with the version of XP, in Windows it became possible not only to change the desktop picture and adjust the color scheme, but also to use different design schemes that are differently demanding on resources. For example, if you don’t want memory to be wasted on video effects like smoothly minimizing windows and the like, you can assign the “Classic” theme to XP.

    And also work with some registry settings that are responsible for displaying interface elements. Similar actions are recommended for owners of weak computers. Windows 7 also has a similar feature and it’s called “simplified style”. We will discuss how to install a simplified style in Windows 7 in our article.

    The Windows 7 interface traces its origins to the Aero interface, which appeared in the previous version of the system - Vista. In the new version of the OS, some more design elements were added, but in general the “Seven” desktop remains very similar to its ancestor.

    Vista also included an option to force special effects to be turned off. It was there that the simplified style appeared as a separate Windows concept. It was also there that the technology of automatically switching to a simplified style appeared for the first time if the computer’s resources were insufficient for the operating system to function in normal mode.

    When else is it recommended to switch the desktop to a simplified display of its elements? The first example that comes to mind is removing special effects to ensure better gaming performance. Current operating systems spend a lot of resources on the GUI. These resources can be freed up for more practical use. True, this is achieved at the expense of some loss in terms of visual design. So, how to manually set the simplified style in Windows 7?

    Enable simplified style

    The Windows 7 operating system offers two options for accessing the simplified style:

    • Through the "Control Panel". To do this, you need to open the “Control Panel”, go to the “System and Security” section, the “Performance” subsection, and configure work in simplified mode in the settings.
    • Through the “Personalization” menu of the desktop: right-click on an empty space on the display, select the “Personalization” menu item and select the simplified mode.

    Here's what it looks like in the picture:

    In this lesson you will learn how to change the background image on your desktop in Windows 7. By default, the system already has a number of images and, as you will see, changing them is very easy. You can also install your photos or images taken from the Internet on your desktop. You can find suitable pictures on countless websites with a huge selection of wallpapers for every taste. You can find these sites simply, go to any of the search engines (I recommend using Google or Yandex), enter the query “desktop wallpaper” in the search bar.

    Changing the desktop wallpaper in Windows 7

    You can change your Windows 7 desktop wallpaper by right-clicking on your desktop and selecting Personalize.

    In the window that opens, select the “Desktop Background” option.

    There are already some preset images here, and to select your own image, use the “Browse” button.

    Now all that remains is to confirm your actions by clicking on the “Save Changes” button, the picture on the desktop will change to yours.

    As in Windows XP, in Windows 7 there is an option that affects how the picture will be positioned on the desktop, here it is called “Image Position”, the “Fill” item is most often used.

    To the delight of Windows 7 users, the ability to automatically change the desktop background is already built into it, and there is no need to use third-party programs.

    Using this option, you can, having previously selected several pictures, set the order and interval for their change.

    Windows 7 decoration

    In addition to changing the desktop background, in the Personalization window, it is very easy to change the theme.

    The theme changes not only the background, but also colors, sounds, mouse pointer shapes, etc...

    If the installed themes are not enough for you, then you can use the opportunity to download new themes from the Internet, to do this, just click the link “Other themes on the Internet”

    You can also create your own themes by changing the “Desktop Background”, “Window Color”, “Sounds”, and “Splash Screen”

    How to change wallpaper in Windows 7 Starter?

    Unfortunately, not all versions of Windows 7 allow you to change the desktop background. The younger version of the seven - “Starter”, is deprived of this opportunity. This can be circumvented using a small and very simple program called Starter Wallpaper Changer. It’s very easy to use, you don’t need to install it, just unzip it and it’s ready to use right away.

    Using the “Browse” button, select the image you need and click the “Apply” button.

    For the changes to take effect, you need to log out of your account and log in again, and the picture on your desktop will change.

    Using the “Restore” button, you can always return your native Windows 7 Starter background.

    Download the program to change wallpaper in Windows 7 Starter

    Some users are careless when choosing a theme for the operating system interface. And it must be said that it is in vain, since its correct selection reduces eye strain, helps to concentrate, which, in general, leads to an increase in performance. Therefore, if you spend a fairly large amount of time at the computer, using it for work, then experts advise choosing background images with calm tones that do not contain aggressive colors. Let's figure out how to set a suitable background design on a computer running Windows 7.

    The design of the interface can be divided into two main components: the desktop background (wallpaper) and the color of the windows. Wallpaper is the actual picture that the user sees when the desktop is displayed on the screen. Windows are the interface area of ​​Windows Explorer or applications. By changing the theme, you can change the color of their frames. Now let's directly see how exactly you can change the design.

    Method 1: Using built-in Windows themes

    First of all, let's look at how to install built-in Windows themes.

    1. Go to the desktop and right-click on it. In the list that opens, select a position "Personalization".

      You can also go to the desired section through the menu "Start". Click on the button "Start" in the lower left corner of the screen. In the menu that opens, go to the item "Control Panel".

      In a neglected Control panels go to subsection "Changing Theme" in the block "Design and personalization".

    2. A tool called “Changing the picture and sound on your computer”. The options presented in it are divided into two large groups of objects:
      • Aero Themes;
      • Basic and high contrast themes.

      Selecting a background from the Aero group allows you to make the interface design as presentable as possible, thanks to a complex combination of shades and the use of translucent windows. But, at the same time, the use of background pictures from this group creates a relatively high load on computer resources. Therefore, it is not recommended to use this type of design on weak PCs. This group contains the following topics:

      • Windows 7;
      • Characters;
      • Scenes;
      • Nature;
      • Landscapes;
      • Architecture.

      Each of them has the additional ability to select a desktop background from the built-in pictures. We'll talk about how to do this below.

      The basic options are represented by a much simpler type of design with a high degree of contrast. They are not as visually attractive as Aero themes, but their use allows you to save system computing resources. This group contains the following built-in themes:

      • Windows 7 – simplified style;
      • High contrast #1;
      • High contrast #2;
      • Contrast black;
      • Contrasting white;
      • Classic.

      So, choose any of the options you like from the Aero groups or basic themes. After this, double-click with the left mouse button on the selected element. If we select an element from the Aero group, the desktop background will be set to the picture that is the first in the icon of a particular theme. By default, every 30 minutes it will change to the next one and so on in a circle. But each basic theme has only one desktop background option attached to it.

    Method 2: choosing a theme on the Internet

    If you are not satisfied with the set of 12 options that are presented by default in the operating system, then you can download additional design elements from the official Microsoft website. There is a selection divided into categories, many times greater than the number of topics that are built into Windows.


    There are also many other themes available on third party sites. For example, design in the style of the Mac OS operating system is especially popular.

    Method 3: Create your own theme

    But often the built-in and downloaded options from the Internet do not satisfy users, and therefore they use additional settings related to changing the desktop picture and window color that suit their personal preferences.

    1. If we want to change the background image on the desktop or the display order, then we should click on the name at the bottom of the window for changing images "Desktop background". Above the specified name is a preview image of the currently installed background.

    2. The background image selection window opens. These pictures are also commonly called wallpaper. Their list is located in the central region. All pictures are divided into four groups, navigation between which can be done using the switch "Image Locations":
      • Windows Desktop Backgrounds(here are built-in pictures, divided into groups of topics discussed above);
      • Image Library(all pictures located in the folder go here "Images" in the user profile on disk C);
      • Most Popular Photos(any pictures on the hard drive that the user accessed most often);
      • Solid colors(a set of backgrounds in one solid color).

      The user can check the boxes next to those pictures that he wants to alternate when changing the desktop background in the first three categories.

      If the presented set of pictures does not contain the image that the user wants to set as the desktop background, but the desired picture is available on the computer’s hard drive, then click on the button "Review…".

      A small window opens in which, using the hard drive navigation tools, you need to select the folder where the desired picture or pictures are stored.

      After this, the selected folder will be added as a separate category to the wallpaper selection window. All image files located in it will now be available for selection.

      In the field "Image Position" It is possible to set exactly how the background image will be located on the monitor screen:

      • Filling(default);
      • Stretch(the picture stretches across the entire monitor screen);
      • Centered(the picture is used in its natural size, located in the center of the screen);
      • Pave(the selected picture is presented in the form of small repeating squares across the entire screen);
      • By size.

      In the field "Change images every" You can set the frequency of changing selected patterns from 10 seconds to 1 day. There are a total of 16 different period setting options. The default value is 30 minutes.

      If you suddenly, while working, after setting the background, do not want to wait for the next background picture to change, according to the set change period, then right-click on an empty area of ​​the desktop. In the menu that opens, select a position "Next desktop background image". Then the picture on the desktop will immediately change to the next object installed in the order of the active theme.

      If you check the box next to the parameter "In random order", then the pictures will change not in the order in which they are presented in the central area of ​​the window, but in a random one.

      If you want a change to occur between all the images located in the background selection window, then click on the button "Select All", which is located above the image preview area.

      If, on the contrary, you do not want the background image to change at a specified frequency, then click on the button "Clear all". All objects will be unchecked.

      And then check the box next to one of the pictures that you always want to see on your desktop. In this case, the field for setting the frequency of changing pictures will no longer be active.

      After all the settings in the background image selection window are completed, click on the button "Save changes".

    3. You are automatically returned to the picture and sound editing window on your computer. Now we need to move on to changing the window color. To do this, click on the item "Window color", which is located at the bottom of the picture and sound editing window on your computer.

    4. The window for changing window colors opens. The settings located here are reflected in changing the shades of window borders and menus. "Start" and taskbar. At the top of the window you can select one of 16 basic design colors. If they are not enough, and you want to make finer adjustments, then you should click on the item "Show color settings".

      After this, a set of additional color adjustments opens. Four sliders let you adjust the levels of intensity, hue, saturation, and brightness.

      If you check the box next to "Enable transparency", then the windows will become transparent. Using the slider "Color intensity" You can adjust the level of transparency.

      After all settings are completed, click on the button "Save changes".

    5. After this, we return again to the window for changing the image and sound on the computer. As we see, in the block "My themes", which contains topics created by the user himself, a new name has appeared "Unsaved topic". If you leave it in this status, then the next time you change the desktop background settings, the unsaved theme will be changed. If we want to leave the opportunity to enable it at any time with exactly the set of settings that we set above, then this object must be saved. To do this, click on the inscription "Save topic".

    6. After this, a small save window with an empty field opens "Theme name". Here you need to enter the desired name. Then click on the button "Save".

    7. As you can see, the name we assigned appeared in the block "My themes" window for changing the image on the computer. Now, at any time, just click on the specified name so that this particular design is displayed as the desktop screensaver. Even if you subsequently perform manipulations in the section for selecting a background image, these changes will not affect the saved object in any way, but will be used to form a new object.

    Method 4: change wallpaper through the context menu

    But the easiest option for changing the background image is to use the context menu. Of course, this option is not as functional as creating background objects through the image editing window, but at the same time, its simplicity and intuitiveness attracts most users. In addition, for many of them, simply changing the image on the desktop without complex settings is enough.

    Let's move on using Windows Explorer to the directory where the picture that we want to make the background for the desktop is located. Right-click on the name of this image. Select a position in the context list “Set as desktop background”, after which the background image will change to the selected image.

    In the window for changing image and sound, this picture will be displayed as the current image for the desktop background and as an unsaved object. If desired, you can save it in exactly the same way as we looked at in the example above.

    As you can see, the Windows 7 operating system has a huge range of options for changing the interface design. In this case, the user, depending on his needs, can choose one of 12 standard themes, download a ready-made version from the official Microsoft website, or create it himself. The last option involves design settings that will most accurately meet the user's preferences. In this case, you can choose your own pictures for the desktop background, determine their position on it, the frequency of the change period, and also set the color of the window frames. Those users who do not want to bother with complex settings can simply set the wallpaper through the context menu Windows Explorer.

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