There are many things
to play with in the Personalization control panel, and you can have
hours of self-indulgent fun there. But let’s highlight a few of its more
practical features.
To add Desktop icons
1. Right-click the Desktop and select Personalize from the context menu to view the Personalization control panel .
The Personalization control panel allows you to change the appearance of the Desktop.
2. Click the Change desktop icons link to view the Desktop Icon Settings dialog box .
In the Desktop Icon Settings control panel, you can add special folders and places to the Desktop.
3. Make your selections, and then click OK.
Desktop backgrounds are more commonly known as
“wallpapers,” and for reasons that escape me, people are truly
passionate about them.
To change the Desktop background
1. In the Personalization dialog box, click the Desktop Background icon to view the Desktop Background dialog box .
The Desktop Background dialog box
2. Click the Picture
Location drop-down menu, and make a selection from a solid color
palette, your Pictures library, or another folder that you designate.
3. Select an option from the Picture Position drop-down menu to fill, fit, stretch, tile, or center the picture.
4. For a slideshow, select a time period from the Change Picture Every drop-down menu. Select the Shuffle check box, if desired.
5. Click the Save Changes button to display your new background.
To change your theme
A theme is a collection of Desktop
backgrounds, Windows color and font styles, system sounds, and other
elements all bundled up as a package and applied at once.
• Scroll the central window and select a new theme.
• Click the Get more themes online link, and find one on Microsoft’s website.
You may want to explore the Change Mouse Pointers and Sound dialog boxes. Click the Change mouse pointers link to open that dialog box. The Sounds dialog box is opened with the Sounds icon .
Sounds and mouse pointers are part of a theme, along with fonts, window
styles, and colors. Mouse pointers are cursor sets that you can apply;
several cursor sets are good for the visually impaired, some are helpful
on laptops, and a few are simply amusing. Sounds are short clips that
play after various window events; changing sound sets has never appealed
much to me, but other people like customized sounds.
Themes can apply sets of cursors and sounds,
but you can also do this independently, and it does add personality to a
system. You can download many more themes from the Microsoft website.
To add a gadget
Gadgets used to be constained to the Gadget bar, but now they have been set free to float above your desktop.
1. Right-click the Desktop and select the Gadgets command from the context menu.
The Gadget gallery appears .
The Gadget gallery
2. Drag a gadget to your desktop.
Tip
Visually impaired
users can use the Ease of Access Center to turn on a magnifier, have the
Desktop narrated, turn on an onscreen keyboard, and set up a
high-contrast display. Click the Ease of Access Center link on the
