The Themes setting includes settings to customize elements of the Windows® visual style, including the window glass color, desktop background, and screen saver.

To customize the Windows default theme, you must include the settings: DesktopBackground and ThemeName. You may also optionally include the settings: BrandIcon, ScreenSaver, and WindowColor.

To use the Windows Classic theme as the default theme instead, set DefaultThemesOff to true.

To create additional custom theme files, use the Personalization item within Control Panel, or see the MSDN topic: Creating and Installing Theme Files.

Child Elements

BrandIcon

Specifies the path to a graphic file that is incorporated in the theme preview in the Personalization item in Control Panel.

CustomDefaultThemeFile

This setting is deprecated.

Note
While you can add themes to a Windows® 7 or Windows® 8 installation by using a .theme file, .theme files can no longer be used as the default theme. To define a default theme, use the settings: BrandIcon, DesktopBackground, ScreenSaver, ThemeName, and WindowColor.

DefaultThemesOff

This setting is deprecated in Windows® 8.Specifies whether to use the Windows Classic theme instead of the default theme.

DesktopBackground

Specifies the path to a graphic file that is used for the desktop background.

ScreenSaver

Specifies the path to a screen-saver file.

Note
We do not recommend setting this value. Instead, we recommend using automatic power plans to dim the screen. This can help reduce system power consumption. For more information on power plans, see the Battery Life Technical Reference in the Windows® Assessment and Deployment Kit (Windows ADK) Technical Reference.

ThemeName

Specifies the name of the custom default theme.

WindowColor

Specifies the color of the Windows border and taskbar.

Valid Configuration Passes

auditSystem

auditUser

oobeSystem

specialize

Parent Hierarchy

Applies To

For a list of the supported Windows editions and architectures that this component supports, see Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup.

XML Example

The following XML output shows how to set a customized theme.

  Copy Code 
<Themes>
   <ThemeName>Fabrikam Theme</ThemeName>
   <DefaultThemesOff>false</DefaultThemesOff>
   <DesktopBackground>%WINDIR%\web\wallpaper\fabrikam.jpg</DesktopBackground>
   <BrandIcon>%programfiles%\Fabrikam\fabrikam-logo.png</BrandIcon>
   <ScreenSaver>Bubbles.scr</ScreenSaver>
   <WindowColor>Color 11</WindowColor>
</Themes>

See Also