Windows xp official themes

EN:Download the four themes for Windows XP that were created by Microsoft: Royale, Royale Noir, Zune and Embedded.

Extract the zip

Copy all folders to C:\Windows\Resources\Themes

Open the desired folder > double click in the .msstyles file > apply or right click in a empty area of desktop > Properties > Themes tab and select the theme in the dropdown menu.

UKR:Завантажте чотири теми для Windows XP, створені Microsoft: Royale, Royale Noir, Zune і Embedded.

Витягніть блискавку

Скопіюйте всі папки в C:\Windows\Resources\Themes

Відкрийте потрібну папку > двічі клацніть у файлі .msstyles > застосувати або клацніть правою кнопкою миші на порожній області робочого столу > Властивості > вкладка Теми та виберіть тему у спадному меню.

RUS:Загрузите четыре темы для Windows XP, созданные Microsoft: Royale, Royale Noir, Zune и Embedded.

Извлеките почтовый индекс

Скопируйте все папки в C:\Windows\Resources\Themes

Откройте нужную папку> дважды щелкните файл .msstyles> примените или щелкните правой кнопкой мыши в пустой области рабочего стола> Свойства> вкладка Темы и выберите тему в раскрывающемся меню.

Windows XP themes are customizations of the graphical user interface of the Windows XP operating system. Luna, Royale, Zune, and Embedded are official themes designed for Windows XP by Microsoft. Since Windows XP, themes include «visual styles«. By default, the Luna theme is preinstalled on Windows XP Home / Professional, the Royale (Energy Blue) theme is preinstalled on Windows XP Media Center Edition and the Embedded theme is preinstalled on Windows XP Embedded. All of the themes are compatible with all Windows XP editions. Compared to previous versions of Windows, the new scheme has a larger emphasis on the graphical appeal of the operating system, using bitmaps throughout the interface with rounded edges on each window. Since Luna’s introduction, the scheme has been supplemented in Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 with Royale, and Royale Noir, a Zune-derived edition of the Royale scheme.

Luna[]

Luna (meaning Moon in Spanish, Bulgarian, Slovene, Serbian, Romanian, Russian, Latin, and Italian) is the codename for the default visual theme of Windows XP.

Officially known as Windows XP style, the theme is available in three color schemes: Blue (default) (codenamed NormalColor), Olive Green (codenamed Homestead), and Silver (codenamed Metallic). The code names for these color themes can be observed in the file paths.

Windows Classic[]

The «Windows classic style« theme is also available in Windows Vista and Windows 7 but must be enabled by the user. Users accustomed to older Windows versions such as Windows 2000 or Windows 98 may find it more comfortable to use. In addition to turning off visualizations, this option also offers relatively better performance and greater color and font customization options. The classic theme is also used for Safe mode and Win32 console windows in Windows XP.

Royale[]

Royale (also known as «Media Center style« and the blue color scheme is also known as «Energy Blue«) is a GUI art concept produced by Microsoft and introduced in 2004 only in Windows Media Center desktops and Windows XP Tablet PC Edition Tablet PCs.

It is composed of a new wallpaper (inspired by Bliss), a desktop theme and skins. The new Energy Bliss wallpaper is heavily inspired by the original Bliss but now is generated artificially with computer graphics (CG) rendering.

The concept presents a brilliant, relucent, vivid and faux-reflective color scheme with intense blue and green colors, somewhat reminiscent of the default blue Microsoft Office 2003 theme. Parts of the theme also compliment with the look of Windows Media Player 10 and Windows Media Center. The theme also foreshadows the look of Windows Vista, released two years later.

Availability[]

The Energy Blue theme was originally made available in December 2004. On April 7, 2005, Microsoft New Zealand^[1] had made the Royale theme and the wallpapers for the New Zealand theme available for download^[2] for all editions of XP through Windows Genuine Advantage on its website but no longer exists in 2019. Because of the freeware nature of this package, it had also been available on software download websites, such as Softpedia at one time.^[3]

Microsoft did also release a Windows Media Player visualization and skin at one time. The skin was released in Experience Pack for Tablet PC and was available for free,^[4] but the installer only installed it on Windows XP Tablet PC Edition devices, for which it was licensed.

Royale Noir[]

The Royale Noir theme looks like a darkened version of Energy Blue, having a blackish and bluish to purple tint. Royale Noir has a black start button, which changes to green when the mouse hovers over it.

As Royale Noir was leaked and not finalized by Microsoft, it has been noted for some imperfections.

In 2006, oddbasket developed a finalized version of the theme known as Royale Remixed. A common misconception is that Royale Noir and Royale Remixed are the same theme.

Zune theme[]

A few weeks after Royale Noir was leaked, Zune was officially released as a new desktop theme to accompany the release of Microsoft’s new Zune media player. Just like Royale Noir, Zune appears to be based on the Energy Blue theme. Zune displayed a brown to light shadow style. The Zune theme was the first to include a different color start button from the green XP one or the original grey one from the Classic theme.

It is not known whether or not Royale Noir was a beta for Zune.

Embedded theme[]

The “Embedded” theme was taken from “Windows Embedded Standard CTP Refresh” edition. It is similar to Energy Blue, featuring a mix of dark blue colors combined with a new wallpaper.

Third-party themes[]

Windows only loads a visual style that bears a valid Microsoft digital certificate.^[5] As such, third-party visual styles can only be used if one of the Windows files called uxtheme.dll is altered to allow unsigned visual styles.^[6][7] Microsoft is aware of such a practice and suggests obtaining a newer revision of the patched uxtheme.dll file in case problems occur after Microsoft’s own updates to the file have been applied (typically through an OS service pack).^[8]

References[]

See also[]

• Features new to Windows XP
• Windows Aero

External links[]

• Windows XP visual styles at Wikipedia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Windows XP visual styles are a set of visual customizations of the graphical user interface for Windows XP. They are designed by Microsoft and are compatible with all Windows XP editions except for the Starter edition. Since Windows XP, themes also includes the choice of visual styles as well.^[1]

Compared to Desktop Themes in Microsoft Plus! for Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Me, the new visual styles of Windows XP have a greater emphasis on the graphical appeal of the operating system, using saturated colors^[2] and bitmaps^[3] throughout the interface, with rounded corners for windows.^[4][5]

By default, «Luna» is preinstalled on Windows XP Home Edition and Professional, while «Royale» is preinstalled on Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 and «Embedded» is preinstalled on Windows Embedded Standard 2009 and Windows Embedded POSReady 2009. In addition to the preinstalled visual styles, Microsoft has released additional ones for download, such as «Zune». Third parties have also released their own visual styles, however these require modification of core Windows components to work, a practice that Microsoft does not officially endorse. «Luna», «Royale», «Zune», and «Embedded» in particular are codenames of the official visual styles made by Microsoft for Windows XP.^[6]

There are also some visual styles that were developed by Microsoft as placeholders before unveiling the official visual styles, and are usually used in beta versions of Windows. These include visual styles such as «Watercolor», «Mallard», «Plex», «Slate» and «Jade». «Watercolor» and «Mallard» are included by default in pre-release Windows XP builds prior to the release of Beta 2, while «Plex», «Slate» and «Jade» are included with various builds of Windows Longhorn (the predecessor to Windows Vista during its development) prior to its development reset in 2004.

The visual styles API was substantially expanded in Windows Vista and later. Nevertheless, the API remained heavily under-documented.^[7]

«Luna» (the Moon in Latin and various other languages) is the codename for the default visual style of Windows XP. Officially known as «Windows XP style», it is available in three color schemes: blue (default), olive green, and silver.^[5][8] Critics who did not like the theme characterized it as a «Fisher-Price interface» among other names, due to its perceived childish nature and design.^[9][10]

Luna was also present as a placeholder theme in all pre-reset Windows Vista (Longhorn) builds alongside the Plex, Slate and Jade themes, as well as the very early «Omega-13» post-reset builds 3790, 5000, 5001, and early Beta 1 builds 5048 and 5059. It was absent from all post-reset builds starting with build 5098 after the unveiling of Aero in build 5048.

«Luna Beta» is an informal name given to a near-final version of the Luna theme that was used in beta builds of Windows XP from builds 2428 to 2465, replacing the Watercolor and Mallard themes found in previous builds prior to build 2428. An even earlier version of Luna Beta was showcased at CES 2001 using an internal build of Windows XP that was developed for the event. The source files as well as the theme file for this iteration of Luna later appeared in the leaked source code of Windows XP in September 2020. Officially known as «Whistler style», it is similar to the final Luna theme with some slight differences, such as a brighter scrollbar, differently-shaped taskbar buttons, and a much shinier start button. It also lacks the two color options, namely olive green (codenamed «Homestead») and silver (codenamed «Metallic»). This theme is unofficially available as a separate theme made by enthusiasts.^{[citation needed]}

Windows Classic is a visual style that is built-in to the operating system, utilizing the classic Windows look-and-feel that was used in previous versions of Windows prior to Windows XP. Officially titled «Windows Classic style», it is less CPU-intensive and offers better performance^[11] (which is also the reason why it is used by default on Windows Server 2003 through 2008 R2). It is used when the theme service is disabled, as well as in other certain scenarios such as Win32 console windows or when booting the system into Safe mode. Classic style widgets are also used for applications that are not theming-aware even though theming is enabled.

Compared to other visual styles, it supports greater color and font customization options. Windows XP and prior includes 22 preset color schemes for the classic style, with four of them^[12] being optimized for the visually impaired. «Windows Standard» was the default color scheme of Windows 2000 and Windows Me and later appeared on Windows Vista and Windows 7 (which was renamed to «Windows Classic» in the latter). A slightly darker variant of the Standard scheme, called «Windows Classic» (not to be confused with the renamed «Windows Classic» variant of «Windows Standard» in Windows 7), was the default color scheme of Windows 98 (albeit with a dark blue desktop background instead of green, which was a change that was done with Windows 2000 during its development) and appeared on Windows Vista but not Windows 7.^[13][5] Other schemes appeared in previous versions of Windows.

The style was removed as an option from Windows Server 2012 and Windows 8 onwards; however it still exists internally for backward compatibility purposes.^{[citation needed]}

Royale (also known as Energy Blue and Media Center style) was a visual style designed for Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 and later ported over to Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005.^[14] It is accompanied by a new wallpaper (inspired by Windows XP’s iconic Bliss wallpaper). It presents a relucent, vivid, and faux-reflective color scheme with intense blue and green colors. The theme was later made available in December 2004 as an optional download.

On April 7, 2005, Microsoft New Zealand^[15] had made the Royale theme and the wallpapers for the New Zealand theme available for download^[16] for all editions of XP through Windows Genuine Advantage on its website, but as of 2019 it is no longer available. Because of the freeware nature of this package, it had also been available on software download websites, such as Softpedia at one time.^[17] The wallpaper included with the package is different from the one that was included with Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 and Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005.

Microsoft did also release a Windows Media Player visualization and skin at one time^[when?]. The skin was released in Experience Pack for Tablet PC and was available for free,^[18] but the installer only installed it on Windows XP Tablet PC Edition devices, for which it was licensed.

Royale Noir looks like a darkened version of Royale, having a blackish and bluish to purple tint. Royale Noir has a black Start button, which changes to green when the mouse hovers over it. As Royale Noir was leaked and not finalized by Microsoft, it has been noted for some imperfections,^[19] such as the title bar becoming too dark when the window is inactive.

A few weeks after Royale Noir was leaked, Zune was officially released in a theme package to accompany the release of Microsoft’s new Zune media player. In terms of style, Zune resembles Royale and Royale Noir, particularly the latter. It displays a brown to light shadow style and is the first publicly released visual style for Windows XP to include a differently colored Start button from the green XP,^[20][21] which is colored orange in the Zune theme.

Windows Embedded Standard 2009 and Windows Embedded POSReady 2009 came with a dedicated visual style called Embedded. It is similar to Royale, Royale Noir and Zune, featuring a mix of dark blue colors.

Watercolor (internally named «Business» and codenamed «Professional») is a placeholder theme that appeared in early pre-release builds of Windows XP from builds 2250 to 2419, and later appeared in the leaked source code of Windows XP in September 2020. Officially known as «Watercolor button style», the theme more closely resembles Windows Classic, featuring sharp edges and similar window proportions. It features a primarily blue and white style with mostly flat shading and retains certain UI elements from the Classic theme style. This theme is unofficially available as a separate theme made by enthusiasts.^{[citation needed]}

Mallard is an internal name of a placeholder theme that was designed as a decoy to show to the public during the development of Beta 2 while designers privately worked on Luna.^[22] It appeared in pre-release Windows XP builds from builds 2410 to 2419, and later appeared in the leaked source code of Windows XP in September 2020. Officially known as «Sample Test Visual Style», It features two color schemes, Chartreuse Mongoose, which features a primarily green and orange style, and Blue Lagoon (internally named as Paler), which uses a teal and purple style, though both themes feature an orange start button with a green notification area as well as a slight curve on the left-hand side of the title bar. This theme is unofficially available as a separate theme made by enthusiasts.

Candy is an unannounced and unreleased theme that was found in the leaked source code of Windows XP in September 2020. According to the date found within the metadata of the files in the theme, it was made in-between builds 2250 and 2257. Candy seems to be an imitation of the Aqua theme found in earlier versions of Mac OS X (10.0 to 10.6).^[23] Not much is known about its purpose, however it was likely meant as a way to test the theming engine that was first available in build 2250. According to some publicly available screenshots, only some UI elements, such as buttons, scroll bars, and the Start menu, had been redesigned to look like Mac OS X’s Aqua theme style; others still used the Classic theme style. The theme also contains a unique start button image that contains the Windows logo without the word «start» next to it while also featuring a small curved corner at the top-left, apparently mimicking that of the Apple menu which had a singular Apple logo, while the curved corners are a nod to Classic Mac OS’s menu bar which had curved corners on both sides.

Windows only loads a visual style that bears a valid Microsoft digital certificate.^[24] As such, third-party visual styles can only be used if one of the Windows files called uxtheme.dll is altered to allow unsigned visual styles.^[25][26] Microsoft is aware of such a practice and suggests obtaining a newer revision of the patched uxtheme.dll file in case problems occur after Microsoft’s own updates to the file have been applied (typically through an OS service pack).^[27]

Third-party applications can be configured to work with visual styles. By default, the title bar and the window borders of Windows Forms-based applications are rendered using the user’s preferred visual style, while the rest of the application’s graphical user interface (GUI) is rendered in the Classic style.^[28] This is because these two different parts of the GUI are rendered using two different software libraries: the title bar and the window borders («non-client area» or «user controls») use Windows USER, and the remaining controls («client area» or «common controls») use version 5.8 of the Common Controls Library.^[29] Version 6.0 of the Common Controls Library contains both the user controls and the common controls, and developers may configure the application’s user interface to be displayed in the user’s currently-selected visual style by forcing it to be rendered using version 6.0 of the library.^[30][31]

• Windows Aero
• WinCustomize
• WindowBlinds
• StyleXP
• Features new to Windows XP
• Theme (computing)

Introduction

Windows XP, released in 2001, was a significant milestone in the history of Microsoft’s operating system. It brought a fresh and modern look to the table, which was a departure from the more utilitarian design of its predecessors. One of the key aspects of Windows XP’s visual identity was its set of official themes, which were designed to provide users with a range of customization options. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the four official Windows XP themes, which were made available by Microsoft.

The Advantage of Official Themes

One of the benefits of using official themes is that they don’t require any system file patching. This means that users can install and use them directly, without having to worry about potential compatibility issues or system instability. This is particularly important for users who may not be comfortable with modifying their system files or who may not have the necessary technical expertise to do so.

The Four Official Windows XP Themes

Microsoft released four official themes for Windows XP, each with its own unique design and character. Here’s a brief overview of each theme:

Royale

The Royale theme is the default theme used by Windows XP Media Center Edition. It’s a classic design that features a clean and simple layout, with a focus on ease of use and navigation. The Royale theme is characterized by its use of bright colors and bold typography, which makes it easy to read and use.

Royale Noir

The Royale Noir theme is a black version of the Royale theme. As its name suggests, it features a dark color scheme, which can be a nice change of pace from the more traditional Windows XP theme. The Royale Noir theme is a great option for users who want a more subdued and professional look for their desktop.

Zune

The Zune theme is a derivative of the Royale theme, inspired by the Zune interface. It features a more modern and sleek design, with a focus on simplicity and ease of use. The Zune theme is characterized by its use of bright colors and bold typography, which makes it easy to read and use.

Embedded

The Embedded theme is the default theme of Windows Embedded, a special and customizable version of XP for integrators. It’s a more utilitarian design that’s focused on functionality and ease of use. The Embedded theme is characterized by its use of a dark color scheme and a more minimalist layout.

Conclusion

The four official Windows XP themes provide users with a range of customization options, from the classic Royale theme to the more modern Zune theme. Each theme has its own unique design and character, and they can be used directly without any system file patching. Whether you’re looking for a more traditional or modern look, there’s an official Windows XP theme to suit your needs.

Additional Resources

If you’re interested in learning more about Windows XP themes or want to explore other customization options, here are some additional resources you may find helpful:

• Microsoft’s Official Windows XP Themes Page: This page provides more information about the four official Windows XP themes, including screenshots and download links.
• Windows XP Theme Packs: These theme packs provide additional customization options for Windows XP, including new themes, wallpapers, and icons.
• Windows XP Customization Forums: These forums provide a community-driven space for users to share their customizations and get help with Windows XP customization.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions about official Windows XP themes:

• Q: Can I use official Windows XP themes on other versions of Windows?
  A: No, official Windows XP themes are designed specifically for Windows XP and may not be compatible with other versions of Windows.
• Q: Do I need to patch any system files to use official Windows XP themes?
  A: No, official Windows XP themes can be used directly without any system file patching.
• Q: Can I customize official Windows XP themes?
  A: Yes, you can customize official Windows XP themes using various tools and software, such as theme editors and customization software.

Conclusion

Introduction

Windows XP, released in 2001, was a significant milestone in the history of Microsoft’s operating system. It brought a fresh and modern look to the table, which was a departure from the more utilitarian design of its predecessors. One of the key aspects of Windows XP’s visual identity was its set of official themes, which were designed to provide users with a range of customization options. In this article, we’ll answer some of the most frequently asked questions about official Windows XP themes.

Q&A Guide

Q: What are the four official Windows XP themes?

A: The four official Windows XP themes are:

• Royale: The default theme used by Windows XP Media Center Edition.
• Royale Noir: A black version of the Royale theme.
• Zune: A derivative of the Royale theme, inspired by the Zune interface.
• Embedded: The default theme of Windows Embedded, a special and customizable version of XP for integrators.

Q: Can I use official Windows XP themes on other versions of Windows?

A: No, official Windows XP themes are designed specifically for Windows XP and may not be compatible with other versions of Windows.

Q: Do I need to patch any system files to use official Windows XP themes?

A: No, official Windows XP themes can be used directly without any system file patching.

Q: Can I customize official Windows XP themes?

A: Yes, you can customize official Windows XP themes using various tools and software, such as theme editors and customization software.

Q: How do I install official Windows XP themes?

A: To install official Windows XP themes, simply download the theme pack from Microsoft’s official website and follow the installation instructions.

Q: Can I use official Windows XP themes with other Windows XP customization software?

A: Yes, official Windows XP themes can be used with other Windows XP customization software, such as theme editors and customization software.

Q: Are official Windows XP themes compatible with Windows XP Service Pack 2?

A: Yes, official Windows XP themes are compatible with Windows XP Service Pack 2.

Q: Can I use official Windows XP themes with Windows XP Media Center Edition?

A: Yes, official Windows XP themes can be used with Windows XP Media Center Edition.

Q: Are official Windows XP themes available for download?

A: Yes, official Windows XP themes are available for download from Microsoft’s official website.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the four official Windows XP themes provide users with a range of customization options, from the classic Royale theme to the more modern Zune theme. Each theme has its own unique design and character, and they can be used directly without any system file patching. Whether you’re looking for a more traditional or modern look, there’s an official Windows XP theme to suit your needs.

Additional Resources

If you’re interested in learning more about Windows XP themes or want to explore other customization options, here are some additional resources you may find helpful:

• Microsoft’s Official Windows XP Themes Page: This page provides more information about the four official Windows XP themes, including screenshots and download links.
• Windows XP Theme Packs: These theme packs provide additional customization options for Windows XP, including new themes, wallpapers, and icons.
• Windows XP Customization Forums: These forums provide a community-driven space for users to share their customizations and get help with Windows XP customization.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions about official Windows XP themes:

• Q: Can I use official Windows XP themes on other versions of Windows?
  A: No, official Windows XP themes are designed specifically for Windows XP and may not be compatible with other versions of Windows.
• Q: Do I need to patch any system files to use official Windows XP themes?
  A: No, official Windows XP themes can be used directly without any system file patching.
• Q: Can I customize official Windows XP themes?
  A: Yes, you can customize official Windows XP themes using various tools and software, such as theme editors and customization software.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the four official Windows XP themes provide users with a range of customization options, from the classic Royale theme to the more modern Zune theme. Each theme has its own unique design and character, and they can be used directly without any system file patching. Whether you’re looking for a more traditional or modern look, there’s an official Windows XP theme to suit your needs.