Tutorial  Updated

How to customize Windows 10.

Today I am going to show you ways you can customize Windows 10 to your liking.

1. Taskbar color.
You can color your taskbar by going into settings but I feel like that is limiting. Plus all the colours are always dark which sometimes people don't want. But have no fear because there is an program that can help you. Even if you like the colours dark perhaps you want a specific colour that Windows 10 doesn't have. Anyways here is the program. http://rammichael.com/getting-brighter-colors-in-windows-10

By the way if you want the color dark but you want the secondary colour what you want then configure this.

upload_2017-3-24_21-45-44.png


2. Taskbar Placement.
This might not matter to you but you can adjust the placement of the taskbar. You can change this by dragging the taskbar. But if this doesn't work you can adjust it in settings here.

upload_2017-3-24_21-48-1.png


3. Dark and Light themes.
In settings you can pick a Dark or Light theme.

upload_2017-3-24_21-49-9.png


4. Taskbar look.
There are several options to customize the taskbar. Here are some of them.

You can make the taskbar smaller by enabling this.

upload_2017-3-24_21-50-12.png


You can make the icons have labels (like in Windows XP and other versions) by changing this.

upload_2017-3-24_21-52-1.png


You can make your taskbar transparent or blury using this program.

https://github.com/TranslucentTB/TranslucentTB

Clear

MOIgzlM.png


Blur

bA180Hx.png


There's also a program that allows you to change your taskbar. You can make it so programs never combine even without labels and have seconds on the system clock.

http://rammichael.com/7-taskbar-tweaker

5. Rainmeter
Rainmeter is a program that allows you to add widgets to your desktop. But not all of them are widgets if you get good one and get creative you can make cool desktops. (Here's mine.)

upload_2017-3-24_21-54-5.png


Here's a link to the website where you can get it. https://www.rainmeter.net/

6. Screensaver
You can change the screensaver by going into Control Panel. (not settings.) You can also get a screensaver that plays videos. I have one that plays the Wii to Wii U transfer (with the pikman.)

7. Start Menu
Do you not like the start menu? Don't worry. Simply get ClassicShell. It allows you to get 3 new start menus (that were in previous versions of Windows.) You can even customize the Windows Start Menu icon. I'd recommend it.

LLn87Ud.png


8. Icon Packs
You can install Icon Packs in 2 ways. One is to just going in properties and change the icon to a different ico/exe file. Or you can do another way that doesn't require you to do manual stuff.

http://unisira.deviantart.com/art/WinRemix-Icon-Pack-for-Windows-10-601279163

Visual Styles. NOT RECOMMENDED
You can get Visual Styles which will make your Windows 10 look even better. However it is a bit risky. I'd recommend making an restore point. But if you do want to get one, go follow this tutorial. (it also links how to make an restore point.)

EDIT: IF YOU WANT TO UPDATE TO CREATORS UPDATE UNINSTALL UXSTYLE BEFORE UPDATING
If you were like me and didn't know this and already updated, do ctrl+alt+delete, then hold shift while pressing restart, then go to troubleshoot, and select the option to view more stuff to do (under reset system.) then go to "go to previous version of windows" and wait. Then boom!

http://neiio.deviantart.com/art/How-to-Install-Custom-Themes-262833454


Done!
If you followed everything correctly you should now have Windows 10 all customized! By the way, you can save your theme in Control Panel. Also you can make your taskbar hide. This way to show it you must move the mouse to where the taskbar is. Anyways if you got any other tips feel free to let me and us know. Anyways cya! :D

Also I actually realized in Windows 10 the icons are smaller, there is an way to make them big like in Windows 7 though. Do some googlin'.
 

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Last edited by Jacklack3,
For those harping over Windows 7, you're about to be forced to move to 10 or a totally different OS anyway as Microsoft is dropping support for it in the very near future. This is one of the main reasons I bought a Mac. macOS is a UNIX system that's POSIX compliant and has proprietary software support for stuff like Photoshop and games. It's the best of both worlds.
 
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For those harping over Windows 7, you're about to be forced to move to 10 or a totally different OS anyway as Microsoft is dropping support for it in the very near future. This is one of the main reasons I bought a Mac. macOS is a UNIX system that's POSIX compliant and has proprietary software support for stuff like Photoshop and games. It's the best of both worlds.
Windows 7 end of support is 2020, still 3 years out.
 
Windows 10 customisation should always start in services.msc, regedit, Group Policy, the Control Panel and the Settings panel - there's so much stuff that's completely useless and can be safely removed or disabled that it's not even funny. Once you nuke it though, it's an excellent OS, far superior to 7 in every way. All the mods take no more than 15 minutes.
 
Which one do you prefer ? I haven't used chrome in a couple years and I've only ever tried Firefox once.
I use both at the same time. Firefox for the "video downloadhelper/passifox/save file to" addons and chrome for the google integration and its stability when 100+ tabs are open. Firefox tends to crash and burn if you have more than 40 tabs open.

They are both just a means to an end. Try them.
 
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I use both at the same time. Firefox for the "video downloadhelper/passifox/save file to" addons and chrome for the google integration and its stability when 100+ tabs are open. Firefox tends to crash and burn if you have more than 40 tabs open.

They are both just a means to an end. Try them.
Thanks
 
Which one do you prefer ? I haven't used chrome in a couple years and I've only ever tried Firefox once.
Chrome is spyware and sells your soul to Google. Firefox is pretty good and will happily run nearly any extension you can think of. Edge I think I'd like to use more, but Firefox syncs with Firefox on my phone so Edge is redundant.
 
Chrome is spyware and sells your soul to Google. Firefox is pretty good and will happily run nearly any extension you can think of. Edge I think I'd like to use more, but Firefox syncs with Firefox on my phone so Edge is redundant.
If you are worried about google then there is always Chromium. Google not included. I have no problem with google, it's just a tool. Also firefox doesn't "happily run" by any means. Edge is no less intrusive than Chrome, plus it's the first to fall with 0-day threats.

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/pwn2own-2017-microsoft-edge-hacked,33940.html
 
Last edited by Mr. Wizard,
Have you heard of the new updates Microsoft is pushing out soon? Will you be updating your guide to cover that or make a new one?
 
Have you heard of the new updates Microsoft is pushing out soon? Will you be updating your guide to cover that or make a new one?
Since I installed uxstyle, It conflicts with the creators update, I haven't found any way to uninstall it though as trying to uninstall uxStyle Core Beta gives me an error. So I would if I could, if you want to feel free to make your own guide.
 
Since I installed uxstyle, It conflicts with the creators update, I haven't found any way to uninstall it though as trying to uninstall uxStyle Core Beta gives me an error. So I would if I could, if you want to feel free to make your own guide.
*shudders*

I think I'd prefer my OS to be updateable and resistant to the latest malware, thanks. Luckily Windows 10 is slowly getting prettier and prettier on it's own. The Fall Creator's update is going to be amazing.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Nice, just wish you could do more. I don't like things eating up RAM in the background even when I know it has little effect. Tried Rainmeter and just the thought of something moving on my desktop eating up all 50MB of ram REALLY irked me.

Cool thread
Wallpaper Engine. Boom.

That being said, I think the most I've done for customization, besides running Wallpaper Engine, is minimize Cortana to an icon and rearranged the start menu.
 
Last edited by Futurdreamz,
Looks cool but I kept most of it as is, with icon shortcuts and folders here and there to make access quicker and easier.
 

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