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.