Installing Windows 7 themes can be difficult for beginners, but with a good tutorial on your hand you will quickly install themes like the Mac OS X Theme in a few minutes. If you download our Mac theme you will get a tool that allows you to install shell themes A LOT easier, it will do all the dirty work for you.
1. IMPORTANT: Patch Windows 7!
Before you can actually install custom 3rd-party Windows 7 themes you have to patch some system files. Why? Because Windows 7 does not allow you to install 3rd-party themes by default. To be exact, you have to patch the files uxtheme.dll, themeui.dll, themeservice.dll
Download Universal Theme Patcher
IMPORTANT: You HAVE to restart after patching the files or you will not be able to install the mac theme. It will simply not work.
2. Download Custom Mac Theme for Windows 7 32-bit or 64-bit
Please, if you don’t know if you are on Windows 7 32-bit or 64-bit read this tutorial.
Next, you need a custom theme that actually modifies system files. Shell themes (that’s what they’re called) often include the following files: explorer.exe, explorerframe.exe, shell32.dll, Ooebefldr.dll, .theme, .msstyles and other system files. If the theme supports Windows 7 64-bit it will include 32-bit files AND 64-bit files.
3. Install Mac Theme via Windows 7 Theme Installer (on Windows 7 32-bit)
Next, open our tool that will help you to install Windows 7 themes.
1. Step Open the folder Theme Installer:
2. Extract the Theme Installer:
3. Right-click on WindowsThemeManager.exe, click on Run as administrator
4. Step Try to understand the interface of the Theme manager:
5. Step Add the system files ONE by ONE.
It is critical that you understand this.
On 32-bit, you only have to add the 32-bit files in the left pane. On Windows 7 64-bit you add the 64-bit files in the left pane and the 32-bit files in the right pane.
6. Step If you are on Windows 7 32-bit LEAVE THIS BLANK. If you are on Windows 7 64-bit follow the instructions here.
7. Make sure that you added all system files correctly. For the Mac theme, you have to add: .theme, explroer.exe, explorerframe.dll, shell32.dll.
8. Step Click on Install Theme:
9. Step Finally, click on Apply Theme while the Mac Theme is selected in the list of themes:
10. Step Reboot.
11. You have successfully installed the Mac theme if you followed all steps correctly.
Install Mac Theme via Windows 7 Theme Installer (on Windows 7 64-bit)
If you are on Windows 7 64-bit you must add the 32-bit files. They will go directly into the SysWOW64 folder, which is basically the 32-bit emulator of Windows 7 64-bit.
