What is a theme?

A theme is a combination of pictures, colors, and sounds on your computer. It includes a desktop background, a screen saver, a window border color, and a sound scheme. Some themes might also include desktop icons and mouse pointers.

Watch this video to learn more about themes (1:31)

Windows comes with several themes. You can choose an Aero theme to personalize your computer, the Windows 7 Basic theme if your computer is performing slowly, or a high-contrast theme to make the items on your screen easier to see. Click a theme to apply it to your desktop.

Open Personalization by clicking the Start button , and then clicking Control Panel. In the search box, type personalization, and then click Personalization.

You can also change a theme's pictures, color, and sounds individually to create a customized theme. For more information, see Customize a theme.

A theme includes a desktop background, a window color, sounds, and a screen saver.