Customizing the Desktop


You have a lot of choices for customizing the desktop. You can use a desktop theme, change the color scheme, use a screen saver, and more. You can also add the My Computer and My Documents icons to the desktop. All of these options are available in the Display Properties dialog box.

tip

If the date and time are incorrect, you can correct them by right-clicking the time display in the taskbar and selecting Adjust Date/Time. Select the correct date and time. You can click on a date in the calendar or display other months or years from the drop-down list to change the date. You can type or edit the correct time in the text box or drag the hands on the clock. When the date and time are correct, click OK.


To get started making any of these changes, right-click an empty spot on your desktop and select Properties from the pop-up menu that appears. The Display Properties dialog box appears, with the Themes tab displayed. The following sections describe the most common changes. You can pick and choose which you'd like to try.

To make one change, select the options and click OK to close the dialog box. To make several changes, select the options and then click Apply, leaving the dialog box open to make additional changes. When you are done customizing the display, click OK.

Using a Desktop Theme

Desktop themes consist of backgrounds, sounds, icons, and other elements. Windows XP offers numerous color-coordinated themes to choose from; alternatively, you can create your own.

To use a desktop theme, display the Theme drop-down list and select one of the options. If the theme you want to use does not appear in the Theme drop-down list, either select More Themes Online to download additional themes or click Browse and then, in the Open Theme dialog box, open the folder and select the theme you want to use. You can find Windows themes in the WINDOWS\RESOURCES\THEMES folder.

When you select a new theme, you'll see a preview in the Sample window. Figure 13.2 shows the Windows Classic theme.

Figure 13.2. You can apply a set of options called a theme.


note

If you make changes to any of the other settings discussed in this chapter (such as wallpaper), Windows creates a "modified theme" and lists it as the selected theme on the Themes tab. You can save it by clicking the Save As button and typing a name for this theme.


If you don't have the other Windows XP themes installed, you can do so by using the Add/Remove Windows Components Wizard. See Chapter 20, "Upgrading Windows."

Using a Background Image

If you want, you can use an image (such as a favorite picture or pattern) as your Windows desktop. To apply a background picture or pattern to your desktop, follow these steps:

1.

From the Display Properties dialog box, click the Desktop tab.

2.

Select the background you want to use from the Background list. Figure 13.3 shows a picture of Stonehenge selected as the background image.

Figure 13.3. Use a background image to jazz up your desktop.


In addition to using one of Windows background images, you can use one of your own pictures. To do so, follow these steps:

1.

Click the Browse button on the Desktop tab.

tip

What's gone? Patterns are gone. Did anyone ever bother with patterns? I doubt it. And what about Active Desktop? It's not exactly called that, and you don't activate it via the desktop shortcut menu. Instead, it's buried a little within the Display Properties tab. See the next section, "Customizing Desktop Icons."

2.

In the Browse dialog box, navigate to the folder that contains the picture and then select the picture you want to use. (For more information on navigating through folders, see Chapter 3, "Managing Files.")

3.

Click Open. The image is added to the list of Background choices.

4.

Select the picture to use it as your background.

5.

If the picture doesn't fill the entire screen, you can select a placement for it. Display the Position drop-down list and select a placement.

6.

If you want to change the background color (for pictures that don't fill the entire screen), display the Color drop-down list and select a color.

7.

Click OK to confirm the changes and use this image on your desktop.

Customizing Desktop Icons

By default, the Windows XP desktop does not contain the My Computer icon and the My Documents icon. If you are upgrading and prefer this setup, you can add these icons. Even if you are not upgrading, you may prefer fast access to these common folders from the desktop, rather than the Start menu.

tip

You can remove default desktop icons by unchecking their check boxes. But what about icons you have added yourself? You can delete them by dragging the icons to the Recycle Bin; by selecting the icons, pressing Delete, and clicking Yes to confirm the deletion; or by right-clicking the icons, selecting Delete, and confirming the deletion by clicking Yes.


To select which desktop icons are displayed, follow these steps:

1.

From the Display Properties dialog box, click the Desktop tab.

2.

Click the Customize Desktop button. You'll see the Desktop Items dialog box (see Figure 13.4).

Figure 13.4. You can add icons to the desktop using this dialog box.


3.

Check any desktop icons that you want displayed. If an item is checked and you want to hide or remove it from the desktop, click the check box to remove the check.

4.

Click OK.

You'll also find these other options in the Desktop Items dialog box:

  • You can also select a different icon style by using the Change Icon button. You can experiment by clicking the icon you want to change and then clicking the Change Icon button. Select the new icon and click OK.

  • If you have made changes and want to go back to the original icons, click the Restore Default button.

  • You can clean up the desktop by removing icons that you do not use. See Chapter 18 for help on using this feature.

  • To add desktop content such as your home page, weather information, sports scores, or a stock ticker, click the Web tab (see Figure 13.5). Consult Windows XP's online help for the exact steps on how to add, modify, remove, and synchronize Web content on the desktop.

    Figure 13.5. You can add Web content to your desktop using the options on this tab.


Using a Screen Saver

Screen savers are another desktop option. Are they necessary? Not really. On older monitors, an image could be burned into the monitor if the same text or image was displayed for long periods of time. This is not a problem with current monitors. Screen savers simply provide some pizzazz and a small bit of security for your computer when it is idle.

To use a screen saver, follow these steps:

1.

From the Display Properties dialog box, click the Screen Saver tab.

2.

Display the Screen Saver drop-down list and select the image you want to use. Figure 13.6, for instance, shows a preview of the Beziers screen saver.

Figure 13.6. You can use a screen saver that will automatically turn on when your computer is idle.


3.

Set the time limit using the Wait spin boxes. When your computer is idle for the time limit you select, the screen saver image will be displayed.

4.

Click OK.

When a screen saver is activated, you can stop its display and redisplay your desktop by moving the mouse or pressing a key. You can also password-protect your screensaver for increased security.

Changing the Color Scheme

Windows XP enables you to change the sets of colors used for certain onscreen elements such as the title bar, background, and so on. These sets of colors are called schemes, and you can select colors that work best for you and your monitor. Lighter colors might, for example, make working in some Windows applications easier on your eyes. On the other hand, you might prefer bright and lively colors. You can also select options for Windows and buttons, as well as font size.

note

You can also create your own custom color scheme. To do so, select the scheme that is closest to the style you want. Then click the Advanced button and use the options in the Advanced Appearance dialog box to make changes.


To make a change to the desktop color scheme, follow these steps:

1.

From the Display Properties dialog box, click the Appearance tab.

2.

Display the Windows and buttons drop-down list and select either Windows Classic style or Windows XP style. Windows Classic style has many more color scheme options; the color scheme options for Windows XP style are limited.

tip

You can also add special effects for the menus and icons. To do so, click the Effects button. You can select a transition effect for menus, hide the underline for menu key letters, and apply other special effects. Make your changes and click OK.

3.

Display the Color Scheme drop-down list and select the scheme you want to apply. (The schemes that appear depend on the Windows and buttons style you have selected.)

4.

Display the Font size drop-down list and select a font size. You may, for instance, use a larger font size if you find the onscreen text difficult to read. You'll see a preview of all your selections. Figure 13.7 shows Windows Classic style with the Lilac color scheme. The font size has also been changed to Large.

Figure 13.7. You can tinker with the colors and fonts used to display programs and windows on your desktop.


Setting Resolution and Color Settings

The term resolution refers to many different things that relate to computers and computer equipment. You might hear about resolution as a measure of the quality of a printer, scanner, or camera, for instance. Resolution, in terms of your display, means how big or small the images are, measured in pixels, such as 800 x 600. The larger the number, the smaller (and finer) the images. You can change the resolution as another desktop option.

In addition, you can change the number of colors displayed onscreen. To make these changes, follow these steps:

1.

From the Display Properties dialog box, click the Settings tab. You'll see the options shown in Figure 13.8.

Figure 13.8. Yet another desktop option is to change the resolution and color settings.


2.

To change the resolution, drag the lever in between Less (bigger) and More (smaller).

3.

To change the number of colors that can be displayed, display the Color quality drop-down list and select the color quality. My options were Medium (16 bit) and Highest (32 bit). Depending on your video card (also called an adapter), your options will vary.

caution

If you are having problems with your monitor, you can start the Troubleshooter from the Settings tab. To do so, click the Troubleshoot button, which starts the Video Display Troubleshooter. You can select from several different display problems, and Windows XP Troubleshooter will suggest possible remedies.

4.

Click OK.



    Absolute Beginner's Guide to Microsoft Windows XP
    Absolute Beginners Guide to Windows XP (2nd Edition)
    ISBN: 078973432X
    EAN: 2147483647
    Year: 2005
    Pages: 176
    Authors: Shelley OHara

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