How to Install and Use Custom 3rd Party Themes in Windows?

DISCLAIMER: Patching system files using 3rd party software might be dangerous for your system. We do not recommend it and we’ll not be responsible if it harms your system.

We here at AskVG love Windows customization and we post several custom 3rd party themes time to time for changing Windows look-n-feel. But Windows doesn’t allow 3rd party themes by default and we need to patch Windows to be able to use those themes.

We have posted about several free utilities in past which allow you to patch Windows to use 3rd party themes but people get confused sometimes which utility should they use in which Windows version?

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So today to clear all confusions and to make your life easier, we are combining all tools in this single topic.

You can use any of the following mentioned free utilities to patch your Windows and to use your favorite 3rd party theme:

1. UxStyle

UxStyle” is a very small lightweight utility created by our friend “Rafael” to use 3rd party themes in Windows. According to the developer:

UxStyle is a light-weight system service named Unsigned Themes, complimentary to the Themes service, and a kernel driver, sizing in at ~500k and ~17kb respectfully (beta builds). The service handles the enabling/disabling of custom theme support and the kernel driver handles patching. For 64-bit platforms, the kernel driver is signed with a digital certificate, as required by Microsoft.

Simply download and install the tool and get ready to enjoy 3rd party themes. It works in almost all Windows versions including Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8/8.1 and Windows 10. It also supports Windows Server 2003, 2008, 2008 R2, 2012 and 2012 R2.

It’ll run as a service in background and will allow you to use 3rd party themes.

Download Link

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2. Universal Theme Patcher

Universal Theme Patcher” is another excellent UxTheme Patcher which supports Windows XP, Server 2003, Vista, Server 2008 and Windows 7. It can be used in both 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64) systems.

You can download it using following link:

Download Link

Following are simple steps to use this tool:

1. You just need to run its EXE file and it’ll ask you to select the language.

2. Click on OK button and it’ll detect the OS and condition of the system files. It’ll show you the information and will ask you for confirmation.

3. Click on Yes button. Now you’ll see the main interface of this tool. You just need to click on the “Patch” button given for each file:

Universal_Theme_Patcher_Main_Screen.png

4. Once you patch a file, the “Restore” button gets activated so that you can restore the default file in future.

5. Restart your system and you’ll be able to use 3rd party themes in Windows without any problem.

Applying Custom 3rd Party Theme

Once you have patched Windows, copy your desired theme folder (containing a .theme file and a folder containing .msstyles file) to “C:\Windows\Resources\Themes\” folder.

Uninstall_3rd_Party_Custom_Themes_Windows.png

Now double-click on .theme file and it’ll apply the theme or you can apply it using Desktop Properties.

You can find various themes in our following section:

Themes and Wallpapers

Comments

NOTE: Older comments have been removed to reduce database overhead.

  1. i got a same problem like Eve Rlyn, so after i patch the 3 of it and restart, it just show to please wait and can’t log on, it keep bling and showing please wait again and again.
    and i’m sure i using the right theme patcher for 32bit (x86)
    can you help me please???

  2. Please help! I patched it with Universal Theme Patcher, restarted and the theme had looked like default Windows. I did the same with UxStyle, same thing. I have 64-bit Windows. On my other computer, with 32-bit Windows, it worked fine. But I want it on the other one too!!!

  3. Hi!You seem to be a fast and responsible replier and I hope you don’t prove me wrong. Anyway, problem is that when I install the theme, and click on SevenVG RTM.theme, it displays a message: “The file, ‘(here it shows My Documents\themes, where I had first installed it, but now I have deleted it and reinstalled it right in the folder which contains the theme installer)’ is not a valid theme” and then opens the Properties settings, where the SevenVG RTG theme is selected, but the preview shows a normal windows with a dull-blue backround. And true to the preview’s words, when I click Apply, nothing’s changed but the background. So what do I so now?
    I hope you understood my problem as I have a habit of making simple things difficult for people : )

  4. ^^ Make sure the .theme file and its corresponding folder are stored in following location:

    C:\Windows\Resources\Themes\

  5. Help! UxStlye does not seem to work in Windows 10 Pro. Installed, restarted, tried to apply new themes and themes were not available to click on in personalize. Custom themes were copied & pasted to C:\Windows\Resources\Themes folder.

    Please Help!

    Thanks

  6. I really wish you could upload ready-made files for Windows 7 x64 SP1, I don’t like to use any Patch-program, I prefer manually replacing the .dll files instead.

  7. ^^ The patching utilities do the same job. They replace the existing DLL files with already patched files. Some utilities first copy original DLL files to a temp location, then patch the files and then replace original files with patched files.

  8. Unfortunately non of the various theme patchers for Win 10 I’ve tested so far work flawlessly (or the various themes offered have flaws; don’t know exactly, but I think it are the patches).

    When you take a look down to the left side of the tray you can find a little arrow giving you access to blanked out programs. Works like a charm w/o patcher, but as soon as any of the patchers is applied, you run into an unpleasant surprise. Either the arrow isn’t working at all, or all the icons are shown without any spaces left between them. As they anyway have one of the smallest possible sizes (16×16 or at best 24×24 pix) you can imagine how that looks like. Although these progs are probably not very often GUI-accessed, at least they are running and from time to time may need an user intervention.

    Thus — thanks, but ‘No, thanks’ as long as there aren’t patchers (and themes?) that are proven to not compromising user experience.

  9. Thank you so much for providing all of this informations i have change things on my XPand i and i am very happy with what i have done so far everything make sence you have provided me with the rest of the informations that i need it and so i have now my XP with the look of 7 and because of that my computer is very farst and look great
    Thank you again
    Eric Feray

  10. I installed a theme pack and it works almost everywhere except the folder background. I don’t know how to activate it. I use UxStyle by the way.

  11. ^^ I think the theme developer is using a 3rd party software to show background image in Explorer.

  12. help me
    so i installed uxstyle and the themes worked but after i restart my pc something happened
    my windows says: “Please wait…” then the screen turns black for about 1 sec and thats the part when my pc keeps looping “Please wait…”, turns black and “Please wait…” again

  13. Unfortunately, the UXStyle no longer works with newer versions of Windows 10 (tested with v.1703) as you’ll get “This app can’t run on this PC” error.

  14. Hello VG.

    Just an fyi. Universal theme patcher links (all of ’em) aren’t working anymore. I stumbled in this old article where I ran XP on a Vm and wanted to customise it and here it goes, the infamous Ux Patcher is not available anymore.

  15. why cant windows come up with 3D themes so we wont have to get a third party customize themes which harms the sysytem of my laptop?

  16. ^^ Themes are made for different Windows versions. For example, a theme created for Windows 7 will not work in Windows 8, Windows 10, etc.

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