How to Change Your Browser's Looks

There’s more to working with browsers than just functionality. Most browsers stuff in some really good design tweaks that help them look better and thus improve their usability and interactivity. Here are some great tricks that will help you.  

Google Chrome

To change your theme in Google Chrome you will need to follow some simple steps. Make sure that you have the latest version of Google Chrome. You can download the same from www.google.com/chrome/index.html.  First you need to visit the site https://tools.google.com/chrome/intl/en/themes/google.html’. Download any theme from the webpage. The file is downloaded in a ZIP format. Go to the folder that contains the downloaded compressed file. Right-click it and extract the contents of the file.

Now quit the Google Chrome browser. Right-click the desktop shortcut of the browser that you normally use to launch it. In the context menu click ‘Properties’. In the dialog box that opens up, make sure that you’re on the ‘Shortcut’ tab. Click the ‘Find Target’ button. Windows explorer will open up the location where Google Chrome has been installed in your system. You will notice a folder named ‘1.0.154.46’. It may have some other number representation on your computer; however, it will
e the only folder with a numeric name. Open this folder.

Once in the folder, look for the ‘Themes’ folder. This folder will contain a solitary file called ‘default.dll’. You will need to replace this file with the theme file that you downloaded before. Simply copy the downloaded DLL file and paste it in the ‘Theme’ folder and overwrite the file. Restart Google Chrome and enjoy the cool new look.

Mozilla Firefox

From all the available browsers, Mozilla Firefox boasts the largest collection of tweaking tools as well as facelifts. To get started click ‘Tools | Add-ons’. The add-ons window will open up on your screen. This window will have three tabs on the top, each represented by icons. Click the ‘Themes’ icon (which is most likely to be present) in between the others. Look for the ‘Get Themes’ link on the bottom-right corner of the window.

The Mozilla website will open up with scores of themes, all arranged based on the categories they belong to. Click on any of the links and you will be redirected to the webpage of the theme. Download it from here. While the theme installs, you will see a progress bar in the add-ons window (which will pop up again). A ‘Restart Firefox’ button will appear on the bottom-right corner of the window. Click it. Make sure that you close all the windows of Firefox that are open.

On restarting Firefox click ‘Tools | Add-ons’. Click the ‘Themes’ tab and locate the theme that you have downloaded. Click the theme. Click the ‘Use theme’ button that appears. You will need to restart Firefox once again for the theme to take effect.

Opera

Opera is has one of the most amazing interfaces to work on. Although it isn’t as popular as Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox, it does have its share of good features that makes it many people’s favorite browser. One of these features being the good looks. Opera skins are extremely well designed and often have a glassy, 3D look.

You can search for Opera skins in a search site like Google. The official website of the browser, ‘http://my.opera.com/community/customize/skins/’ also has a fair number of skins that users can add in order to pep up the way their browser appears. The skins are available and categorized in various categories depending on their types as well as on their popularity.

Simply look for your favorite theme in the site or use the ‘Search’ option that’s available. Once you find a theme of your choice, click the ‘Download’ button. The theme will be installed into your browser automatically.

The benefit of using themes in Opera over Firefox is that you do not have to restart the browser even once for the theme to take effect.