Windows – XP – Skins/Visual Styles

How To Info

• How to Use XP – Visual styles

• Customize.Org How To Info – Great source for basic information on XP Themes

Change Your Logon Screen

• Logon Loader – Simple and Free
• LogonUI Selector
• SoftNews
• TGTSoft
• XP LogMod – Subseven Software

Change Your Windows XP Skin

• CronoSoft
• Lightstar Technologies Microsoft Windows GUI Customization
• Stardock Object Desktop
• Stardock Window Blinds
• TGTSoft Style XP – This is a definite must have! ****
  

  • Use StyleBuilder to create XP Visual Styles
  • Install XP Style to use XP Visual Style Skins
    

Skins, Visual Styles, and Windows XP Themes   Most of these sites feature skins for Logons, StyleXP, WindowBlinds, and more.

• AngryXP.com
• AppleBlossumArt.com
• ArtUproar.com
• Belchfire.net
• CrystalXP.net (FR)
• Customize.org
• DeskMod
• DeviantArt
• EZskins.com
• EZthemes.com
• Flex – XP Theme for Flex by Macromedia
• GraphicsStyles.org
• G Studio
• LightStar Technologies
• LOS (Lots of Skins)
• Max Styles
• Microsoft Plus Themes
• Pixtudio.com
• RulerGraphics.com
• Skinbase.org
• SkinPlant.com
• Talisman Desktops
• Theme Junkie
• ThemerBoy.com
• ThemeXP
• Thirty4 Interactive – Skinz
• TSS200NL
• TweakXP.com
• VelocityArt.com
• WinCustomize Best starting place
• WinMatrix Customization Community
• WinModify.com
• WinStep
• WinXP.rb-338.com Some visual styles
• WinXPtheme.com Popup Ads
• XP-erience.org
• XPtheme.com Popup Ads – Asks to Change Your Home Page When Leaving
• XPtheme.Info Nice Site (Not associated with above site)
• WSTaylor.net

Developers and Forums

• Belchfire Forum
• Code Project – XP Visual Styles for Windows Forms
• MSDN Windwos XP Visual Style Support
• MSFN Forum
• Skinning Primer (2002)
• StyleBuilder
• StyleBuilder 101
• StyleBuilder Help Topics
• 
  Using Windows XP Visual Styles – MSDN Technical Articles
• Virtual Plastic – How to Do Visual Styles
• WinCustomize Forum
• WinMatrix Forum
• XP Related Communities MS

The Future of Skins – Skinz Competitions

• SkinBase.org – Monthly Contest
• GUIolympics -  Old but interesting

The Future of Skins – Artists for Hire

• To see a group of skinners gone professional have a look at The Skins Factory

XP Style and other Cool Icons

• Talisman Icons
• http://www.interfacelift.com/
• http://www.Everaldo.com
• Iconica
  
• http://www.visualpharm.com/

Windows – Pre-XP – Skins

Skins for Windows Versions Earlier than XP – Best Bet!

If you are looking for a way to apply a skin to your Windows operating system and it isn’t XP, then the best bet is Window Blinds which part of the Object Desktop by Stardock. After installing Window Blinds, you will be able to change the appearance of your operating system to look like Windows XP or any of several hundred other designs available at WinCustomize.com and other “Skins” sites.

Object Desktop

Object Desktop integrates Stardock’s premiere suite of desktop enhancement software such as WindowBlinds, DesktopX, IconPackager, ObjectBar, WindowFX, Theme Manager, SkinStudio, IconDeveloper and more! 

Skins   

Most of these sites feature skins for Window Blinds.

• Belchfire.net
• Customize.org
• DeskMod
• DeviantArt
• LOS (Lots of Skins)
• Pixtudio.com
• SkinBase.org
• SkinPlant.com
• Thirty4 Interactive – Skinz
• VelocityArt.com
• WinCustomize Best starting place

Another solution is Chronosoft which provides a utility to help you change the look of older Windows programs.