Windows Help & Advice - USA (2019-11)

50 |^ |^ November 2019

DESKTOP, TASKBAR & START MENU

01

Tools of the trade

Many of the tips in this feature can

be applied with the help of two powerful

tweaking tools, so start by downloading

both Ultimate Windows Tweaker (https://

bit.ly/uwt-10 – you’ll find links to Windows

7 and 8.1 versions here, too) and Winaero

Tweaker (https://winaero.com/download.

php?view.1796). Once downloaded, extract

the contents of the ZIP files – Ultimate

Windows Tweaker runs as a portable app,

and Winaero Tweaker gives you the option of

installing it in portable form, too.

02

Quickly access Windows’

personalisation settings

To start customising, right-click the desktop

andchoosePersonalisetojumpstraightto

Settings > Personalisation > Background.

Fromhere,youcanchangeyourbackground

toa picture,a solidcolour,ora slideshowof

photoswithina singlefolderonyourPC.

03

Customiseyour

desktopbackground

If you’re dissatisfied with Windows’ rather

meagre desktop background offerings,

download and install John’s Background

Switcher from https://bit.ly/johnbckswtch

for more choice – after installation, you’re

directedtotheAddbutton,whereyoudefine

sourcesfor yourphotos.These caninclude

specificfoldersonyourPCaswellasvarious

online sources (including Dropbox and

OneDrivefolders,plusRSSfeeds,Instagram,

Google,andFlickr).You’llseeseveralswitching

optionsatthebottomofthemainwindow

• pay attentiontothePictureModedrop-
  down,whereyoucandisplaymultiplephotos
  atonceinvariousways.There’salsoa More

buttonforfine-tuningallaspectsofthisclever

backgroundtool.

04

Overridecolourscheme

Windowsautomaticallychangesthe

colourschemeofdesktopitemstomatchthe

background,butyoucanalsoforceyourown

choiceofcolourviaSettings> Personalisation

>Colors.Youcanswitchbetweenlightand

darkmodeshere,too.

05

Createa custom

colourpalette

FedupwithhavingtoclickCustomColor

tochoosea differentonetoWindows’own

offerings?FireupWinaeroTweakerandgoto

Appearance> Custom Accents, where you

candefineuptoeightcustomcoloursofyour

own.TheseappearunderRecentColorsinthe

Personalisationdialogboxforeasyaccess.

06

Picka Theme

Thequickestwaytochangeyour

desktopappearanceisthroughtheThemes

section under Settings > Personalisation.

Severalareprovided,orclickGetMoreThemes

inMicrosoftStoretobrowsehundredsmore

• clickGetfollowedbyInstalltoaddonetoyour
  collection.Somethemeschangethemouse
  pointeranddesktopicons– youcanprevent
  themfromdoingsoinWinaeroTweakerunder
  Appearance> ThemeBehavior.

07

Changeyour

accountpicture

Opena photoofyourselfinanimageeditor

likePaint.NET(www.getpaint.net),thencrop

intoa headshot(maketheselectiontool1:1for

a perfectlysquarecrop),andsavetheimage.

NownavigatetoStart>Settings>Accounts,

andclickyourcurrentphotounderYourInfo

toselectthenewone.Previousshotsarekept,

enablingyoutoswitchbetweenthem.

08

Setupa screensaver

Energy-saving LCD monitors have

largely rendered screensavers redundant,

butifyou’restill hankeringafter one,head

toPersonalisation>LockScreen,thenscroll

downand clickScreensaverSettings toset

oneup.Download morescreensaversfrom

http://www.screensaversplanet.com(manyofwhich

arefree)– savetheEXEfiletoyourcomputer,

thendouble-clickit toaddthescreensaverto

theavailablelist.

09

Startmenuprecautions

Beforemakingmajorchangestoyour

Startmenu,navigatetoDesktopandTaskbar

Winaero Tweaker provides dozens

of tweaks to help you Customise

your PC’s appearance.

John’s Background Switcher is perfect for adding more pizzazz to your desktop backdrop.