Even though Windows XP is almost a decade old, themes for this OS hasn’t stopped appearing. Every week a couple of new themes are released into the Internet which means that there are a few good thousands of free Windows XP themes floating around the web.
About a year ago I made a small compilation of XP themes. Here is another list with a fresh new collection. Enjoy!
Don’t forget to checkout the previous 20 beautiful themes for Windows XP
For Windows Vista users: 25 beautiful Windows Vista themes
Windows 7 users enjoy these 32 gorgeous themes and 25 free Windows 7 Themes
Islander: An open source visual style containing two Styles, two Styler skins, fonts, and Findexer instructions.
Haru the Suite: A recently released sleek, black open source theme.
Windows 7 Visual Style: There are plenty of Windows Seven themes. This one looks good.
SevenXP 3.0: Another Windows Seven theme. This one has a better looking taskbar, or Superbar and comes in 5 different colors.
TangoBL: A great looking theme with Tango icons.
Chromes for XP: A theme for fans of the browser
Incolore Composizione XP: A beautiful dark theme with a great looking taskbar.
SoWhite: Bright, light, small, minimalistic.
openSUSE Final: A clone of the OpenSuse Linux distribution.
GlasKalas: Black taskbar and title bar with a glassy look. Available in 3 colors – blue, green, pink
Luna Inspirat: Luna is back and it’s looking great.
NeoGeniX: A dark skin with a blue electric glow.
Royal Inspirat special Edition: This is such a great looking soothing blue theme
Crystal.Systema Suite: Another very stylish dark theme
GUI.Relax: A truly relaxing theme. Available in four flavours
Visty V2.0a: Sometimes simple themes are the best
SevenVG Black Mod: A blackish theme with the Windows Seven’s Superbar
Shiftie Striped: A light colored theme with thin stripped explorer bars
Silence: An extremely clean and whitish theme.
GreenXP: I can’t decide what makes this theme so beautiful. Is it the taskbar or am I fooled by the wallpaper?
New XP LiveBlack: A black Vista like theme.
Curve: A strange stylish skin
Lakrits Visual Style: A completely dark theme.
Smooth Alternative: A whitish theme inspired by a WindowsBlind skin.
element: A very minimal skin available in 3 mild colors
How to apply the themes?
1. Download and install Uxtheme patcher. (WinXP+SP3 users please download UxTender) During install a message will be displayed that important Windows file are being replaced and will ask you to insert the windows CD to fix it. Just ignore and click “continue”
2. Download the theme pack and copy the folder containing .msstyles and shellstyle.dll (this is inside another folder) to C:WINDOWSResourcesThemes
3. After this is done, right-click on desktop and click Properties. Now click on the Appearance tab. Under Windows and Buttons you will find the list of all the themes you installed. Select one from the list and click Apply.
uhhhmmm.. i downloaded ‘New XP LiveBlack’ and its work.! but.. i have a question.. how can i use the ‘xp live black toolbar’?
please ans.. TNX.!
To change the toolbar you have to use Styler Toolbar. It’s there at the download page.
I can’t make any of it work. I’ve tried downloading, and redownloading all of it.
What can I do?
Thank you for these – pretty stuff…
…your grammar/spelling leaves something to be desired…
…but thanks for the goods 😉
Too bad I can't use these on Windows 7.
Slanxp?
How to use it ?
Unable to see them in Windows and Buttons list. I have them downloaded and copied as mentioned in the blog post. Please help.
Those who are facing problems, please make sure the uxtheme.dll file is properly patched. If you are using WinXP SP3, please use UxTender
Everything works but my start menu disappeared! How do I get it back?
Awesome themes, that's why I still stay on XP now.
there arent the wallpapers that u have shown with the rar files .. .
hi this is vijay i am using windosxp+sp3 in my laptop. when i am click the UXTender its show me only About,Restore,patch.. so what next?
and i want to apply the SEVENXP 3.0 but to in that folder i have 4 shells.dll files so which one has to place in the c:windows/resourse/theme folder
@Vijay: Click "patch".
I haven't tried SevenXP, but if it has 4 shellstyles it means there are 4 variations to the theme. Copy all 4 to the ResourcesThemes directory and you should get all 4 styles under the Appearance tab in Desktop Properties.
i download the file and extract it and everything, but when i open it, it doesnt read the visual style and only says the ones ive already got, ithas done it with evvery onw ive tried so far -_-
help me please
all are very beautiful pls post such more…
havin probs with insatlling haru theme….
4 gettin litesetup/shutoff/transparency features where 2 copy d respective folders….(where r d shutoff n true transparancy directories??)
how should i use the theme in service pack2
im Avinash
can anyone tell me what exactly the ux tender or theme patcher will be doing i mean which files will it be modifying cause mostly even after uninstalling and all the original files cant be restored or does anyone know how to get back the original settings
i downloaded "NEW XP LIVEBLACK"………..i like it……..it so beautiful……..but how i can use the "SIDEBAR"?
how can i download it
i downloaded 'SevenVG Black Mod 1' but after downloading i double-click on it…..my pc asks me to selct a program to open such kind of files
wat shud i do ??
guys can u send the link to the Islander wallpaper, I loved It XD
hey every one this themes doesn,t woek just by installing xp intall crystal xp to apply these themes…….it works yu hooooooooooooooooooo
MANOJ BORN 2 LOVE
awesome looking themes
awesome awesome awesome ……….!!
are these themes free, or we got to pay for them.
its easier to use tuneup utilities, than installing uxtheme. by using tuneup visual styles
poda ko…………………
awesome
gud
im using winxpSP3 but the DL link patch for sp3 didn't work… any other DL link for that patch for winXP(SP3)??
how i download themes?
kool stufff
WOW thanks q so much….. ^_^
How to download themes
hey …i downloaded the uxtender and run .exe file .. it prompted for patch… i did it… but later when i copied the specified folder to resources/themes and run the .exe file .. my start menu button on desktop disappeared.. wat can i do now… pls reply soon..(HARU theme)
nice themes…………i really enjoyed watching them on my laptop
thanks, perfect themes
I like sevenxp 3.0
this is just a fake doss't work anything u idotut loffar
It's really fantastic…………….
I am enjoy it so much..
Thanks buddy who created these themes.
waste waste waste
da machan
do i need to install first before applying any theme for XP?
u need to have d uxtheme patcher..
wheeeeeee…….. I'll try some of them… hehe
i have downloaded the single theme(Vista Perfection) i have service pack 3 how can i use it
Please tell me that how to install or download these themes from deviantart.com this site is annoying me
There is a download link on the right on deviantart.com.