1. Home
  2. Computing & Technology
  3. Focus on Windows

Top 5 Ways to Customize Windows

From About.com

Microsoft Windows provides many ways you can customize your Windows experience. This guide provides five ways you can modify Windows to make it look and behave the way you want.

1. Customize the Desktop

There is a lot you can do to customize the Windows XP desktop so it better meets your needs. You can add shortcuts to the desktop, change the size of the desktop font, change the background of the desktop, and switch the style of the windows.

2. Change Your Windows XP Screen Saver

Windows XP provides you with several different screen saver options to choose from. Learn how to change your screen saver in Windows XP.

3. Customize the Windows XP Start Menu

The Windows XP Start menu is highly configurable. You can change the size of shortcuts, the number of shortcuts, the email program listed in your Start menu, and more.

4. Customize the Windows Taskbar

The Windows taskbar usually appears at the bottom of the screen and is usually set to be visible all the time. Since it's always in front of you, why not customize it to make it more useful? Depending on the toolbars you enable, you'll be able to open a file with fewer clicks, navigate to a favorite Web site with ease, or launch a program with a single click. You can also set the taskbar to hide when you aren't using it.

5. Change Sound Effects

Windows allows you to change the sound effects that your computer plays for different events. Follow these steps to change your Windows computer's sound effects.

Explore Focus on Windows

More from About.com

  1. Home
  2. Computing & Technology
  3. Focus on Windows
  4. Customize Windows
  5. Customize Windows XP
  6. Top 5 Ways to Customize Windows

©2008 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.