Microsoft

Windows 7 Walkthrough: Appearance and Personalization Control Panel

By · November 19, 2009, 10:41 PM PST

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  • Windows 7 Walkthrough: Appearance and Personalization Control Panel

    Windows 7’s Control Panel is literally packed with tools (a.k.a. applets) that allow you to configure and control the way that the operating system works. Because the Control Panel has so many tools, Microsoft added a Search box to make it easy for you to find the tool that you need for a particular task.

    To help you become familiar with all of the tools that are available in Windows 7’s Control Panel, I have created the Windows 7 Walkthrough series in which I’ll show you and provide a brief overview of each tool in the Control Panel categories. This one covers the tools in the Appearance and Personalization category.

    Keep in mind that I’ll be using the Ultimate edition of Windows 7, which contains some features not available in other editions of the operating system.

  • Category View

    When you access Windows 7’s Control Panel you’ll see that there are 8 main categories. The Appearance and Personalization category is the sixth one in the Control Panel and contains all the tools that you’ll use to change the appearance of desktop items, apply various desktop themes and screen savers, customize the Start menu or Taskbar, and more.

    Keep in mind that while I am using the Category view, you can display the Control Panel in either large or small icon view, both of which show icons for each of the 45 tools.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Appearance and Personalization

    When you open the Appearance and Personalization category you’ll see that there are seven sections in this category.

    (Keep in mind that of these seven sections, three can be accessed in other categories: Display is available in the Hardware and Sounds category, Desktop Gadgets is available in Programs, and the Ease of Access Center is available in Ease of Access. As such I won’t cover them here.)

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Personalization

    When you access the Personalization page, you’ll discover that the main control here allows you to change the theme, which comprises the desktop background, window color, sounds, and screen saver. You can select one of the available themes, download additional themes, or save the current settings as a new theme.

    (Keep in mind that while you can adjust Sounds from the Personalization page, it accesses the same settings as were covered in the Hardware and Sound category gallery.)

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Desktop Background

    From the Desktop Background window, you can choose any of the available pictures or select your own picture to use for the background. You can also select the position of the picture as well as configure your background picture to change on a regular basis just like a slide show.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Window Color and Appearance

    From the Window Color and Appearance window, you can choose any of the available colors to use for window borders, Start menu, and the Taskbar. You can also configure transparency and adjust color levels.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Advanced Appearance Settings

    If you click Advanced Appearance Settings, you’ll access the Window Color and Appearance dialog box, which contains the types of controls found in previous version of Windows. Keep in mind that these settings only apply to the Basic theme or the Ease of Access theme.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Screen Saver

    The Screen Saver Settings dialog box, which works just like in the previous versions of Windows, allows you to change the screen saver and adjust the amount of time that the system is idle before activating the screen saver. Unfortunately, like its predecessor, Windows 7 doesn’t provide you with settings to adjust any screen saver except Photos, which no longer includes the theme feature due to the fact that Windows Photo Gallery is not a part of the operating system.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Change Desktop Icons

    The Change Desktop Icons dialog box, which works just like in the previous versions of Windows, allows you to change desktop icons.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Taskbar and Start Menu: Taskbar Tab

    When you choose Taskbar and Start Menu from within the Appearance and Personalization Category, you’ll see the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box with the Taskbar tab selected. Along with a few old options, you’ll find a host of new options, such as the ability to choose the Taskbar location or change the way Taskbar buttons work.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Notification Area Icons

    When you click Customize button in the Notification Area panel on the Taskbar tab, you’ll be able to choose which icons and notifications appear on the Taskbar.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • System Icons

    You can further tune the Notification Area by turning off or on the various System icons and notifications.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Taskbar and Start Menu: Start Menu Tab

    When you select the Start Menu tab in the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box, you can configure whether recently opened files or programs are stored or displayed on the Start menu as well as customize the Start menu.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Customize Start Menu

    When you click the Customize button, you’ll find a familiar looking Customize Start Menu dialog box. However, you will find many new options including the ability to choose the number of recent items to display in Jump Lists.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Taskbar and Start Menu: Toolbars Tab

    On the Toolbars tab, you can choose which toolbars you want to add to the Taskbar.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Folder Options

    When you select Folder Options from within the Appearance and Personalization Category, you’ll see the Folder Options dialog box with the General, View and Search tabs. For the most part, the settings on these tabs are the same as they were in previous versions of the Windows operating system.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Fonts

    When you access the Fonts window, you will see all the fonts installed in the system. The fonts with faded icons are installed but are hidden and will not appear in applications that allow you to select fonts. (You can Show hidden fonts and Hide shown fonts.) The stacked icons indicate a font family.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Font Family

    If you double click on a font family icon, you’ll see all the fonts in that family.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Font Preview

    If you double click on a font icon, you’ll see a preview window.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Font Settings

    When you select Font Settings from within the Fonts window, you’ll be able to choose whether to show and hide fonts based on your language settings. You can also choose how you want fonts to be installed on your computer.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Get More Font Information Online

    When you click Get More Font Information Online, your browser will launch and you’ll be taken to the Fonts for Windows page on the Microsoft Web site where you’ll find all kinds of information about fonts and typography.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Character Map

    When you click Find a Character, you’ll access the Character Map, which essentially hasn’t changed in years.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

  • Appearance and Personalization Walkthrough Map

    This tree diagram presents a map of the Appearance and Personalization walkthrough.

    Images by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic

Windows 7 Walkthrough: Appearance and Personalization Control Panel

Windows 7’s Control Panel is literally packed with tools (a.k.a. applets) that allow you to configure and control the way that the operating system works. Because the Control Panel has so many tools, Microsoft added a Search box to make it easy for you to find the tool that you need for a particular task.

To help you become familiar with all of the tools that are available in Windows 7’s Control Panel, I have created the Windows 7 Walkthrough series in which I’ll show you and provide a brief overview of each tool in the Control Panel categories. This one covers the tools in the Appearance and Personalization category.

Keep in mind that I’ll be using the Ultimate edition of Windows 7, which contains some features not available in other editions of the operating system.

Related Topics:

Microsoft Enterprise Software Software Collaboration Mobility Cloud Hardware

By Greg Shultz

Greg Shultz is a freelance Technical Writer. Previously, he has worked as Documentation Specialist in the software industry, a Technical Support Specialist in educational industry, and a Technical Journalist in the computer publishing industry.

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