Transform Windows 7 into Windows 8 (vNext) without using Customization Pack

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NOTE: Since Windows 8 is currently under testing, its UI is going to change in future builds. We'll update this tutorial whenever a new feature or GUI change occurs in Windows 8. So keep checking this tutorial regularly.

Finally, the wait is over. After getting so many requests to post a tutorial to transform Windows 7 into Windows 8, today we are happy to announce it. This is the 4th tutorial of our "Transform Windows" series. You can take a look at other 3 tutorials using following links:

Although we have posted a few 3rd party transformation packs in past which help you in making Windows 7 look-like Windows 8 like Windows 8 UX Pack and Windows 8 Transformation Pack but this tutorial has been created for people who love to do the task manually and want to use selected things to convert Windows 7 into Windows 8 so that they can have an idea what they are going to do with their system.

NOTE: Please create a Restore point using "System Restore" before applying anything mentioned in this tutorial so that you can restore your system back to default if you don't like the changes.

After following this tutorial, you'll get the same Windows 8 look in your Windows 7. Following is a list of things which are going to change after following this tutorial:

  • Windows Theme or Visual Style
  • Icons
  • Boot Screen
  • Login Screen or Welcome Screen
  • Start ORB or Start Button
  • Sounds
  • Cursors
  • Ribbon UI in Windows Explorer
  • Start Screen with Live Tiles
  • Charms Bar
  • Wallpapers
  • Windows 8 Metro Task Manager
  • User Picture Tile in Taskbar
  • Aero Auto-Colorization Feature
  • Centered Titlebar text, icon and Up Button in Windows Explorer
  • Windows 8 Watermark on Desktop
  • Extras

So without wasting time, lets start the tutorial:

Windows Theme or Visual Style

Recent Windows 8 builds have featured a new Aero Lite theme. We have shared lots of themes for Windows 7 which provide similar UI.

Windows_8_Theme_Windows_7.png

You can download your desired one using following topics:

Icons

Currently Windows 8 icons are same as Windows 7. We'll update this section as soon as Windows 8 comes with new icons.

Boot Screen

Windows 8 features good old "Betta Fish" boot screen which looks like following:

Windows_8_CP_Boot_Screen_for_Windows_7

You can get a similar boot screen in Windows 7 using following article:

Download Windows 8 Consumer Preview (Beta) Boot Screen for Windows 7

Also check out many other Windows 8 metro style boot screens for Windows 7 using following links:

Login Screen or Welcome Screen

Windows 8 login screen looks very simple and doesn't provide any eye candy effects as shown in following screenshot:

Windows_8_Consumer_Preview_Login_Screen

To get Windows 8 login screen in Windows 7, check out following article:

Download Windows 8 Login Screen for Windows 7

To get the date and time on login screen, check following topic:

Download Windows 8 Metro Logon Clock Screensaver

You can also check following awesome Windows 8 concept login screen for Windows 7:

Download Windows 8 Concept Login Screen “Gloosh” for Windows 7

Start ORB or Start Button

Although Microsoft has completely removed Start Menu and Start button from Windows 8 but Windows 7 users can replace existing Start ORB with a nice looking Windows 8 style Start button as shown in following screenshot:

You can get this Start button in Windows 7 using following tutorial:

Get New Leaked Windows 8 Start ORB (Start Button) in Windows 7

Sounds

Currently Windows 8 sound scheme is same as Windows 7. We'll update this section as soon as Windows 8 comes with new sound scheme.

Cursors

Currently Windows 8 cursors are same as Windows 7. We'll update this section as soon as Windows 8 comes with new cursors.

Ribbon UI in Windows Explorer

Windows 8 also features Office 2010 Ribbon UI in Windows Explorer. You can get the Ribbon UI in Windows 7 Explorer using following article:

Get Windows 8 Look-Like Ribbon UI in Windows XP, Vista and 7 Explorer using Styler Skin

Start Screen with Live Tiles

Microsoft has featured a new Start Screen in Windows 8 which looks similar to Windows Phone 7 home screen. It basically shows live tiles of the installed programs in Windows 8.

You can get this new Start Screen in Windows 7 using following articles:

Charms Bar

Windows 8 also comes with a new Charms Bar which is a black sidebar panel which shows some useful shortcuts like Search, Share, Start, Devices and Settings when you move your mouse cursor to right-side of screen.

Windows_8_Charms_Bar_Windows_XP_Vista_7.png

You can get this new Charms Bar in Windows 7 using following articles:

Wallpapers

You can download some cool Windows 8 wallpapers using following links:

Windows 8 Metro Task Manager

Windows 8 comes with new modern and advanced Task Manager which opens in a small window and shows the running programs list.

Metro_Task_Manager

You can get a similar Metro Task Manager in Windows 7 using following topic:

Get Windows 8 Look-Like Metro Task Manager in Windows XP, Vista and 7

User Picture Tile in Taskbar

Microsoft has integrated Windows Live service in Windows 8 shell. Now Windows 8 shows user picture tile in Taskbar notification area.

You can get it in Windows 7 using following topics:

Aero Auto-Colorization Feature

One of the most interesting feature of Windows 8 is "Aero Auto-Colorization" which is the ability to automatically configure the color of Aero elements, like the Start Menu, Windows Explorer windows, and the taskbar based on the desktop wallpaper.

You can get the same effect in Windows 7 using following free tools:

Centered Titlebar text, icon and Up Button in Windows Explorer

Windows 8 Explorer comes with good old "Up" button in toolbar. The Explorer window also shows titlebar text along with icon in center.

Official_Windows_8_Screenshot.png

Windows 8 Shows Centered Titlebar Text, Icon and New Up Button in Explorer

You can get the same in Windows 7 using following tutorial:

How to Get Windows 8 "Up" Button and Titlebar Text in Windows Vista and 7 Explorer?

Windows 8 Watermark on Desktop

Watermark aka Windows build number is shown at the right-bottom of Desktop in Windows testing builds. You can get Windows 8 watermark in Windows 7 using following topic:

How to Show Windows 8 Watermark (Build Number Info) on Windows 7 Desktop?

Extras

Following are some software and skins which will provide Windows 8 Metro UI feeling in Windows 7. You should definitely have a look at them:

That's all for now. After following all above mentioned steps, you'll get Windows 8 look-n-feel in Windows 7.

Other similar articles that may interest you:





This article was posted by in following section: Windows 7, Windows 7 Themes.

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