Personalizing your computer
In this articleYou can add a personal touch to your computer by changing the computer's colors, sounds, desktop background, screen saver, font size, user account picture, and theme. You can also decide which gadgets you want to appear on Windows Sidebar.
Windows Aero colors
Windows Aero is the premium visual experience of this version of Windows. It features a transparent glass design with subtle window animations and new Start menu, taskbar, and window colors. For more information on Windows Aero, see What is Windows Aero?
Here are some examples of the new colors available with Aero:
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| Window frame colors |
To learn how to change colors in Windows, see Change the colors on your computer.
Sounds
You can change the sound your computer makes when you receive e‑mail, start Windows, or shut down your computer. For more information, see Change computer sounds.
Desktop background
The desktop background, also called wallpaper, is a picture or design on the desktop. It provides a backdrop to your open windows. For more information, see Change your desktop background (wallpaper).
Screen saver
A screen saver is a picture or animation that appears on the screen when you haven't used the mouse or keyboard for a set period of time. Windows includes a variety of screen savers to choose from. For more information, see Change screen saver.
You can create a personalized screen saver by displaying selected pictures and videos as a slide show.
 | To use pictures as a slide show |
| | 1.
| Open Screen Saver Settings by clicking the Start button  , clicking Control Panel, clicking Appearance and Personalization, clicking Personalization, and then clicking Screen Saver. | | 2.
| Click the Screen saver list, and then click Photos. | | 3.
| If you want to specify a location for the pictures you want to use in your screen saver, modify the slide show speed, or configure any other screen saver settings, click Settings. After you make your changes, click Save. | | 4.
| Click OK. |
|
Font size
You can make the text, icons, and other items on your screen easier to see by increasing the dots per inch (DPI) scale to make them larger. You can also decrease the DPI scale to make text and other items on your screen smaller, so that more information fits on the screen.
For more information, see Make the text on your screen larger or smaller.
User account picture
A user account picture helps identify your account on a computer. The picture is displayed on the Welcome screen and on the Start menu.
You can change your user account picture to one of the pictures included with Windows, or you can use your own picture.
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| An account picture on the Start menu |
For more information, see Choose a picture for your user account and Start menu.
Themes
A theme is a collection of visual elements that can affect the style of windows, icons, fonts, colors, and sometime sounds. You can search for themes online, or you can buy them in theme packs at stores that sell software that is compatible with Windows. For more information, see Change desktop theme.
Windows Sidebar
Windows Sidebar provides a way to organize the information, games, and tasks that you want to access quickly without cluttering your workspace. It's made up of gadgets, which are customizable mini-programs that can display continuously updated headlines, a picture slide show, contacts, and more, without having to open a new window.
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| Windows Sidebar and gadgets |
For more information, see Windows Sidebar: frequently asked questions
and Customize Windows Sidebar.
Taskbar
The area of the desktop that contains the Start button and buttons for all open programs. By default, the taskbar is located at the bottom of the desktop, but you can move it.
Icon
A small picture that represents a file, folder, program, or other object or function.
Theme
A collection of visual elements and sounds for your computer desktop. A theme determines the look of the various visual elements of your desktop, such as windows, icons, fonts, and colors, and it can include sounds.
Screen saver
A moving picture or pattern that appears on a computer screen when the mouse or keyboard has not been used for a specified period of time.
Location
Any disk drive, folder, or other place in which you can store files and folders. Programs will commonly ask you to choose a location to save a file.
Window
A rectangular area on a computer screen in which programs and content appear. A window can be moved, resized, minimized, or closed.
Font
A graphic design applied to a collection of numbers, symbols, and characters. A font describes a certain typeface, along with other qualities such as size, spacing, and pitch.
User account
A collection of information that tells Windows which user rights and access permissions a person has on a computer. The user account records the user name, password, and a unique number that identifies that account.
Welcome screen
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Welcome screen
The first screen that appears when you turn on Windows. The Welcome screen lists all of the accounts on the computer.
Desktop
The work area on a computer screen that simulates the top of an actual desk. You can arrange icons on the desktop, such as the Recycle Bin and shortcuts to programs, files, folders, and various types of documents, just as you would arrange real objects on top of a desk.
Help and How-to
