How to change or customize Windows 7 control (minimize, restore, and close) buttons

Question

I use Windows 7 Home Basic, and have noticed that the window control buttons (minimize, restore, and close buttons) change when I switch from Windows 7 Aero theme to Windows 7 Basic theme.

Thus I believe that it is possible to customize these buttons.

How can I make my control buttons look like "Windows 8" control buttons. like in the image below;

Is this possible?

Solution

You have to change your theme by installing custom third-party visual styles. Official Windows theme packs only include desktop background pictures, window colors, and sounds. Most custom themes are visual styles which can change the complete windows look - including the min/max/close buttons. In other words, with the right visual style your Windows 7 can look like Windows 8.

First, you'd have to find a visual style that appeals to you by browsing places like deviantART, Windows 7 Themes, or something similar. Just search these sites with your keywords and try to find something you like. If you can't find a suitable visual style, you can always create your own - depending on what you want to change it may take you anywhere from a couple of minutes to months to achieve.

Installing unsigned themes isn't as easy as installing an official theme pack and it's always a good idea to create a backup first but there are a lot of guides out there, like this one on Windows 7 Themes.

Comments

[Karan]

Yeah, UX theme patcher + custom theme, or something like WindowBlinds with a Win8 skin.