How to personalize windows 7 starter

Windows 7 lets you customize your Start Menu to make it work the way you want it to. You can make a number of changes to the Start menu, from adding or removing items, deciding whether to display recently opened items, and even control the way Windows responds when you click Start Menu options.

Right-click the Start button and choose Properties.

You see the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box.

On the Start Menu tab, click the Customize button.

Windows 7 shows you the Customize Start Menu dialog box.

Select or deselect the features you want to enable or disable.

For most features, you have three choices:

Display as link — Almost all items on the Start menu are displayed as links.

Display as menu — Shows the item as a fly-out menu.

Don’t display this item — Removes the entry from the Start menu.

You can stop Windows 7 from displaying the names of the files you recently opened if you want to protect your privacy. Simply deselect the Store and Display Recently Opened Programs in the Start Menu and the Store and Display Recently Opened Items in the Start Menu and the Taskbar check boxes, which appear at the bottom of this options list.

Click the OK button twice when you’re done.

Microsoft has released different editions of the Windows 7 operating system; all with distinct capabilities and restrictions. Especially the Windows 7 Starter and Home Basic editions are limited in this regard.

One result of the limitation is that (some) core operating system features are not supported by these editions..

It is for instance not possible to change the desktop wallpaper in Windows 7 Starter, or access other personalization options that the other Windows 7 editions support.

The portable software Personalization Panel is an attempt to change that by offering a personalization solution to Windows 7 Home Basic and Windows 7 Starter users.

Personalization Panel

The developer has created two videos that demonstrate the programs capabilities in the operating system editions.

Windows 7 Home Basic

Windows 7 Starter

The software integrates several features into the Starter and Home Basic editions, namely:

• Option to change themes in both editions
• Ability to change wallpaper in Windows 7 Starter editions
• Ability to change color schemes
• Access to personalization features such as changing mouse pointers, sounds, screensavers, account pictures, display settings and icons.
• Integration of a context menu entry to launch the software from the desktop right-click menu

The program is easy to use, and can be started without installation. The program window looks similar to the personalization window that Microsoft displays to users in other editions of Windows 7.

You can select a different theme, change the wallpaper of the desktop, or window colors among other things using the program. All options are just a click away.

It supports various display languages that are automatically set on startup. It does require the installation of the free software UxStyle though, which is needed to make the editions compatible with non-native themes.

The program download is available at the developer’s website.

Closing Words

Users of Windows 7 Starter and Home Basic have finally a tool at hand to personalize their operating system, almost the same way that users of other Windows 7 editions do.

@asian_angel
Updated September 30, 2011, 3:23pm EDT

If you have the Starter Edition of Windows 7 installed on your netbook you may be sick of looking at the default wallpaper. With Starter Background Changer you can access other customization options with ease.

Before

There is not a lot that you can say about the singular default wallpaper included with the Starter Edition…it just kind of sits there all boring like.

Installing Starter Background Changer

Since the installer part of the program is in French we have the entire set of install windows shown here with the appropriate buttons highlighted to get you through the whole process without any problems.

Using Starter Background Changer

Once the installation process has finished you will simply see a quiet screen with no desktop icons or Start Menu entries visible. Now if you are wondering at this point “Did the program finish installing or did it install at all?” the answer is yes. Right click on your desktop and you will notice a new entry on the Context Menu…the same one that is included in the other editions but not Starter. Time to have some fun…

The Personalization Window will open maximized but we have reduced it here for our screenshots. You have four regular categories to choose from in the lower part of the window: Wallpaper, Colors, Sounds, & Screensavers.

The first category that we chose for our example was Wallpaper. As you can see here the main display area (My Collection) has no wallpapers showing at the moment. You can use the drop-down menu to access your My Pictures Folder or browse for a different location. Notice that you can choose how the image fills the screen and set up a timed wallpaper slideshow at the bottom.

Any picture (or pictures) selected will be added to the My Collection display for easy access the next time you open the window. Once you choose a picture click on Validate the modification to set the wallpaper for your desktop and return to the main window.

When you return to the main window you will see a preview for your selection. At this point you can simply close the window or make further adjustments in the other categories.

Starter Background Changer provides easy one-stop access to other customization areas. We started off with Colors…

Followed by Sounds…

And finally Screensavers.

Before you do close the main window you can take a quick look at the Options if desired. We did set Optimization of the images to High on our system.

Quick and easy wallpaper satisfaction.

We did pin the Program Window to our Taskbar…nice if you prefer this method as opposed to the Desktop Context Menu.

Conclusion

If you have been longing for a way to change the wallpaper in Windows 7 Starter Edition then you will definitely want to give this program a try. Goodbye boring default wallpaper!

For more wonderful ways to customize your Windows 7 Starter Edition be sure to read our article here.

@maguay
Updated July 23, 2010, 7:43pm EDT

Microsoft removed many of the personalization options in Windows 7 Starter, the cheap edition for netbooks. There is still a lot of stuff you can customize, though some of it is hidden, so here we’ll show you how to make your netbook your very own.

In all other editions of Windows 7, you can easily personalize your computer by simply right-clicking on the desktop and selecting Personalize. This gives you a wide range of options to change, including themes, background, sounds, screensaver, mouse pointers, and desktop icons.

This Personalization panel not available Windows 7 Starter, however. If you right-click on the desktop, all you will see are options to change your resolution and add Desktop Gadgets.

With a few quick Start Menu searches, though, you can rediscover many of the personalization settings. Here’s how to change your window theme, screensaver, sounds, and more in Windows 7 Starter. All of these options are in the normal Personalization panel in other editions of Windows 7, but here we’ll show you how to find them in Starter.

Sounds

It can be both useful and enjoyable to change your default sounds. Anyone who’s booted a laptop during a meeting knows how annoying computer sounds can be. Or, if you just want to make your PC sound different than the default settings, Windows 7 includes several very nice sound schemes.

Simply enter “change sounds” in your start menu search, and then select “Change system sounds”.

Here you can change or remove any of the sounds or even turn on or off the Windows boot sound.

You can even choose one of the other sound schemes; 7 Starter still includes all of the new sound schemes!

Screensaver

Most netbooks will have no screensaver enabled by default, and instead will have the screen turn off when idle to conserve power. If you would like your netbook to have a screensaver, Windows 7 Starter does still include all the default Windows 7 screensavers. Simply type “screensaver” in your start menu search, and choose “Change screen saver”.

This will open the same screensaver option dialog you’re used to. Choose the screensaver and settings you want.

Theme

By default, Windows 7 Starter uses the Aero Classic theme. This is similar to the default Aero Glass theme on other editions of Windows 7, but without the transparency.

If you prefer the classic Windows look (from Windows 95/98/2000/ME), or need to use a high contrast theme, you can still revert to this. Type “theme” in the start menu search, and click the “Change the color scheme” link.

This opens the classic theme selector. Choose the them you want, and click OK.

Here’s the Windows Classic theme on Windows 7 Starter.

You can change your theme options in the Windows Classic theme, including the desktop background color. Simply click Advanced in the previous dialog, click on the background color in the picture, and then choose the color you want from the box.

Background Picture

Windows 7 Starter does not allow you to directly change the background. One of the best ways around this is the Slide Show desktop gadget. To add this, right-click on your desktop, and click Gadgets.

Now, double-click on the Slide Show gadget, or click and drag it to your desktop.

By default the gadget is small. To make it larger, hover your mouse over the right hand side of the gadget, and click on the middle button with the arrow.

Now the gadget will show a 320×240 image.

This actually looks fairly nice for a background, especially on the standard 1024×600 resolution screens on netbooks.

Desktop Icons

To change the icons for common items such as My Computer and the Recycle Bin, enter “icons” in the start menu search and select the “Show or hide common icons on the desktop” link.

Here you can show or hide icons, or can also change the icons for these items.

Select the item you wish to change, and click Change Icon. You can select from icons included with Windows, or others you may have on your computer.

Mouse Pointers

If you’d like to customize your mouse pointers, enter “cursors” in the start menu search, and choose the “Change how the mouse pointer looks” link.

This will open the classic mouse properties dialog, where you can choose mouse pointer schemes and change individual cursors.

Conclusion

Windows 7 Starter still has a lot of customization options, but they’re not as apparent as they are in other editions of Windows 7. With these tips, you should be able to customize your netbook more than you originally thought possible. And these all work without installing any 3rd party software!

Microsoft’s most popular OS offers lots of opportunity for customization. Here’s how to personalize everything from the windows’ appearance to the taskbar.

Customizability reached new heights in Windows 7. New themes, backgrounds, gadgets, mouse pointers, user images, and more give you more ways than ever to change how your PC looks and works. Most of the customization options can be reached just by right–clicking on your desktop and selecting the Personalize option, but there are plenty of other places to look for options that make Windows 7 your own. Here are some of our favorites >

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Windows 8.1 is all about you and the stuff you love and there are lots of ways to personalize your PC. Below we are sharing some ways by which you can easily customize your windows 8 start screen. Go through the post to know about it.

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]oday we are here with the method for Customizing Windows 10 or 8 Start Screen. As we all know, Microsoft is an enormous software network and we will be talking about Windows 8, 8.1 pro. There are lots of features that are added in this version to make it look more attractive and user-friendly. And we will tell you the methods or ways by which you can easily customize your windows 8 startup screen. Just follow up the below methods to proceed.

How to Customize Windows 10 or 8 Start Screen

Below we have listed some of the ways to make your experience on the working of window 8 easy. Just follow up the below methods to proceed.

#1 Change the Start screen theme

You can change your theme of your startup screen as there are different themes available in windows 8 by Microsoft to customize your screen looks.

How to Change The Start Screen Theme:

Step 1. Open Start by swiping in from the right edge of the screen and then tapping Start. (Or, if you’re using a mouse, point to the lower-left corner of the screen, move your mouse all the way into the corner, and then click Start.)

Step 2. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Settings.
(If you’re using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, and then click Settings.)

Step 3. Tap or click Personalize, and then tap or click the background, background color, and accent color you want. The background and accent colors you pick will show up in a few other places too, like the charms and the sign–in a screen.

#2 Disable or Enable Live Tiles

In this windows, you can see lots of apps that show the live running notifications on it. Sometimes it looks cool watching this but if you have a slow internet connection then you have to disable them to stop data consumption by them.

Disable or Enable Live Tiles

How to Disable or Enable Live Tiles

Press and hold (or right-click) the app showing the live tile, and then select More > Turn live tile on or Turn live tile off.

#3 Resize Titles Accordingly

To make your start screen looks cool you can resize the tiles according to your wish to make your windows screen more attractive or easy for work.

Resize Titles Accordingly

How to Resize Tiles:

Step 1. On the Start screen, press and hold the tile you want to resize. (If you’re using a mouse, right-click the tile.)

Step 2. Tap or click Resize.

Step 3. Choose the size you want.

#4 Arrange and group tiles

You can arrange the tiles in groups according to your wish and can rename that group with your desired name and you can put the apps in that group to make it according to your wish.

Arrange and group tiles

How to create a group of tiles:

Step 1. On the Start screen, press and hold or right-click the tiles you want to group together.

Step 2. Drag them to an open space, and when a gray bar appears behind them, release the tiles. This will create a new group.

Step 3. If you want to name the group, tap or click where it says Name group above the group, and then enter a new name. Once you’ve created a group, you can move the entire group around on your Start screen.

#5 Pinning apps you use often

You can pin your favorite apps to the Start screen and the desktop taskbar so you can get to them quickly and see updates on their tiles at a glance.

Pinning apps you use often

How to pin apps we use often:

Step 1: Open Start by swiping in from the right edge of the screen and then tapping Start. (Or, if you’re using a mouse, point to the lower-left corner of the screen, move your mouse all the way into the corner, and then click Start.)

Step 2: Swipe up from the middle of the screen to go to the Apps view. (If you’re using a mouse, click the arrow button in the lower-left corner.)

Step 3: Browse to the app you want to pin and tap it or right-click it to select it. Tap or click Pin to Start.

#6 Pin Folders & Websites In Start Screen

You can pin any of your favorite apps or website to your start screen. And you can easily access them from the start screen whenever you needed. To do so just right click on the folder bar or website tab and select pin tab or folder.

Pin Folders & Websites In Start Screen

How to pin folders & websites in start screen:

You need to browse to the folders or website and simply right-click and select the option “Pin to Start”

So above is the method for How to Customize Windows 8 Start Screen. By this way, you can easily fully customize your windows and make your screen looks attractive. must try all of the ways discussed above and this will help you to make your OS looks cooler. Hope you like the above ways, so don’t forget this cool thing with your friends.

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#1 hb860

POPULAR

Personalization Panel for Windows 7 Starter and Windows 7 Home Basic implements premium personalization features for low-end Windows 7 Editions. It can bypass restrictions and provides useful UI – same as in Ultimate, for example.

-Desktop Context Menu integration
-Language-independed/Autotranslation: All text labels are from Windows libraries and always be in your native language
– * .theme files support in both Starter and Home Basic. Everything will be applied correct except windows metric for classic themes
-Can change Windows 7 Starter Wallpaper (See notes)
-Can change windows and taskbar colors in Windows 7 Home Basic by two methods with live preview (See notes)
-Useful access to related Control Panel applets
– *.theme files associations handling
– *.msstyles files associations handling
– *.themepack files associations handling (limited to installation at this moment. You can’t create own themepacks)

Windows 7 Starter

In Windows 7 Starter you can change wallpaper only where application in elevated mode. If you have no Administrator’s right or cancel UAC prompt, then application runs in RESTRICTED mode. In RESTRICTED mode wallpaper button is disabled.
Please remember: if you change wallpaper in non-restricted mode and then run application in RESTRICTED mode, you can’t change screensaver until you run it in non-restricted mode again or not set default wallpaper.

ALSO, you can force restricted mode in Windows 7 Starter using command line:
personalization.exe /notelevate

Also you can modify registry setting
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTDesktopBackgroundShellwinreview_personalizationCommand and set it to “PATHpersonalization.exe /notelevate”

It can help to avoid UAC prompt, however, it still restricted.

Windows 7 Home Basic
______________________

There are two methods of windows colorization:
1. Windows 7 [Patched]
It means DWM colorization algorithm specially broken for partial transparency support in Windows 7 Home Basic. Use it when your aero.msstyles file was patched to force Aero Glass. Such file you can get here: [nowhere]

2. Windows 7 Standard
This is STANDARD mode of colorization. It is used in all versions of Windows 7 by default and recommended to use with non-patched aero.msstyles file. Unfortunately, DWM in Windows 7 HB broken by Microsoft – it fills windows with black color instead of blur. So, this method is not applicable to patched aero.msstyles.

Third-party (non-Microsoft) themes
________________________________

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Windows users have been customizing their desktops in a variety of ways for years. Whether by downloading themes and backgrounds, or using third party applications to change more obscure settings like the default logon screen, many people seem intent on personalizing every aspect of their operating system to something that fits their individual taste. And what better to alter than an icon that’s always visible?

While we don’t mind the Windows 7 Start Menu icon, and actually feel it’s somewhat of a leap forward from the rectangular buttons of old, swapping out the orb for a new icon is quick and painless with the help of Kishan-Bagaria’s Windows 7 Start Orb Changer. Begin by downloading the utility here. Extract the main folder (W7SBC) anyplace you like and take a look at Must Read.txt for detailed instructions — or read on for the general overview.

Leave all of the files in the W7SBC folder and run Windows 7 Start Button Changer.exe. Click Select & Change Start Button to browse for a new set of icons — a few are included with the utility. Once selected, the program will backup explorer.exe and swap the icons.

If you dislike the change, choose Restore Original Explorer Backup before repeating the steps above. Once your original explorer.exe is in place, continue swapping icons until you find something you like.

Windows x64 users: if you receive an “unhandled exception” error, the utility’s creator suggests that you try to run it as an admin, so it’s probably best to just do that from the get-go (right click on the program > Run as administrator). For what it’s worth, I’ve used this tool trouble free on Windows 7 Home Premium x64 without running it as an admin.

You might find the base selection of icons limited, and unfortunately, I haven’t found the perfect repository of orbs, but there are quite a few scattered around the Web — especially on DeviantArt. Someone on SevenForums has also put together a useful collection of 213 orbs, so there’s bound to be something you like there too.

If you find any other cool orbs or have another favorite Windows 7 customization, feel free to share them in the comments.

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Bob Black asked about altering the Windows 7 Start menu to make it fit his preferences and work habits.

You can do a lot with the Windows 7 Start menu. You can put your favorite programs front and center. You can replace big, easy-to-hit icons with smaller ones that take less real estate, and you can control the behavior of clicking on Documents or Music.

[Have a tech question? Ask PCWorld Contributing Editor Lincoln Spector. Send your query to [email protected].]

Let’s look at three separate areas where you can alter the Start menu.

Taskbar and Start menu properties

Right-click the Start button and select Properties. Click the Start Menu tab, then the Customize button.

Here you can control how Computer, Control Panel, Documents and other options appear on the menu’s right panel. For each item, you can select Display as a link, Display as a menu, and Don’t display this item. Experiment a bit to see what you like.

As you scroll down, you’ll find an option to check or uncheck Sort All Programs menu by name. We’ll go into that more in a bit.

The Use large icons option controls the look of the menu’s left pane.

Which brings us to our next section:

The left pane

This list of your most-used programs is one of the Start menu’s best features.

You may notice a horizontal line separating the panel into two sections. This separates two lists of the programs you’re most likely to use.

The lower section–and the only section if there’s no line–displays the programs you’ve been using a lot recently. There’s not much you can do here, aside from right-clicking a program and selecting an option from the very short menu.

But one of those options is Pin to Start Menu. Select that, and the program moves above the line. Once there, it won’t go away until you right-click the item and select Unpin from Start Menu. You can also drag these items up and down to put them in your preferred order.

The All Programs menu

When you click Start > All Programs, you get a list of your installed programs, often in submenus and sometimes in submenus of submenus. If you use this menu much, you may want to organize it.

If you’ve turned off Sort All Programs menu by name (see above), you can reorder this menu by simply dragging and dropping, putting the items in your preferred order.

Regardless if you’ve unchecked that option, you can place an item into a submenu. Drag the program to one of the submenus, all of which have a menu icon. Hover over the submenu until it expands, showing its contents. Drop the program’s icon inside. You can use the same technique to put a submenu inside another submenu.

You can also manage submenus inside Windows Explorer. Every item in the All Programs menu is actually a shortcut file in one of the two Start Menu folders. Why are there two? One stores items that only appear in your Start menu. The other stores items that are shared across all users’ Start menus.

To get to these folders, click Start, right-click All Programs, and select either Open or Open All Users.