If you aren’t quite satisfied with the default manufacturer background that came with your Windows 8 Computer, or you’d just like to make a change, you’ll find out how you can do that – along with several other areas of customization, below! This doesn’t involve downloading a specific theme, but rather using the given areas that Windows 8 allows you to change, to make your PC feel like YOUR PC.
The whole process shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes, and after you’ve done it once, you’ll remember how to do it the next time – and it should go even faster.
Changing the Desktop Background
First, let’s start with the basics, most people are aware of how to change their background, but they usually do it in a more lengthy process than what is required. Another thing people don’t realize, is that when you use an image with a different resolution than your monitor, it’s going to look stretched.
Personally, I’ll go to Google Images and search “1920×1080 HD Desktop Background”, and maybe include some variables like a color or brand. You should check your resolution settings first, and change the 1920×1080 accordingly. To do this, right-click on your desktop and click Screen Resolution, you’ll see your settings there. Now, once you’ve found a wallpaper, right-click the image and click “Set as Desktop Background” and it will appear!
Customizing the Color Scheme
Now, right-click on your Desktop again, and this time click on Personalize. On the window that appears, click on “Color”. Here, you can edit the color of your taskbar and the headers of your windows, normally I’ll pick a color that matches with the desktop background I just changed. If you click “Show Color Mixer”, you can further edit the available colors, designating Hue, Saturation, and Brightness. When you’re finished, just click “Save Changes”.
Switching up the Screen Saver
Take it a step further and make a new Screen Saver for your PC! After you’ve finished editing the Color Scheme, you’ll be back at the Personalization window. Click on “Screen Saver”, just two slots to the right of Color. Here, you can choose a new Screen Saver from the drop down menu, and some of them can be even further customized.
For example, if you select 3D Text, you can then click on Settings to designate what the text actually says. Beyond that, you can also alter the font, the text size, how fast the text rotates, and a variety of other different variables to really make it your own. There’s also the Photo Slideshow screensaver, which you can use to display all of the images in a certain folder for your screensaver.
If you don’t particularly like any of the default screen savers, you can do a quick google search for Windows 8 Screen Savers, and find some third party ones to suit your desires. Some of these do cost money, but you’ll be able to find some freebies as well.