Personalization Delete Theme in Windows 11


Personlize_banner.png

This tutorial will show you how to delete a theme in Windows 11.

A theme is a combination of the desktop background, lock screen background, colors, sounds, and mouse pointers.

You can delete a saved custom .theme, saved .deskthemepack, theme from Microsoft, theme from Microsoft Store, Windows default theme, or high contrast theme you no longer want.


Contents

  • Option One: Delete Theme for Current User in Settings
  • Option Two: Delete Theme for Current User in Control Panel
  • Option Three: Delete Theme for Current User in File Explorer
  • Option Four: Delete Windows Default Theme in File Explorer for All Users
  • Option Five: Delete High Contrast Theme in File Explorer for All Users




Option One

Delete Theme for Current User in Settings


1 Open Settings (Win+I).

2 Click/tap on Personalization on the left side, and click/tap on Themes on the right side. (see screenshot below)


Themes_Settings.png

3 Right click on a theme you want, and click/tap on Delete. (see screenshot below)

You will only be able to delete a theme not currently being used as your theme.

You will not be able to delete a Windows default theme, but you can using Option Four if wanted.


Delete_theme_in_Settings.png

4 You can now close Settings if you like.




Option Two

Delete Theme for Current User in Control Panel


1 Open Run (Win+R).

2 Copy and paste the shell:::{ED834ED6-4B5A-4bfe-8F11-A626DCB6A921} command into Run, and click/tap on OK to open Personalization in the Control Panel.

3 In My Themes, right click on a theme you want, and click/tap on Delete. (see screenshot below)

You will only be able to delete a theme not currently being used as your theme.

You will not be able to delete a Windows default theme, but you can using Option Four if wanted.

You will not be able to delete a High Contrast theme, but you can using Option Five if wanted.


Delete_theme_in_Contorl_Panel.png

4 You can now close the Personalization Control Panel if you like.




Option Three

Delete Theme for Current User in File Explorer


1 Open File Explorer (Win+E). (see screenshot below)

2 Copy and paste the location below into the address bar of File Explorer, and press Enter to open the Themes folder for your account (aka: current user).

%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Themes​

3 Delete any saved theme(s) you no longer want.

Individual .theme files are your saved custom themes.

Themes installed from Microsoft and the Microsoft Store will be saved in a folder here with the same name as the theme. You would delete the theme's folder to delete an installed theme.


Delete_theme_in_File_Explorer.png





Option Four

Delete Windows Default Theme in File Explorer for All Users


You must be signed in as an administrator to use this option.


1 Open File Explorer (Win+E). (see screenshot below)

2 Copy and paste the location below into the address bar of File Explorer, and press Enter to open the Themes folder for Windows default themes.

C:\Windows\Resources\Themes​

Theme Name​
.theme file​
Windows (light)aero.theme
Windows (dark)dark..theme
Windows Spotlightspotlight.theme
GlowthemeA.theme
Captured MotionthemeB.theme
SunrisethemeC.theme
FlowthemeD.theme

3 Change the owner of the .theme file you want to delete to Administrators.

4 Change the permissions of the .theme file you want to delete to "Allow" Administrators "Full Control".

5 You will now be able to delete the .theme file.

Delete_default_theme_in_File_Explorer.png





Option Five

Delete High Contrast Theme in File Explorer for All Users


You must be signed in as an administrator to use this option.


1 Open File Explorer (Win+E). (see screenshot below)

2 Copy and paste the location below into the address bar of File Explorer, and press Enter to open the Ease of Access Themes folder for High Contrast themes.

C:\Windows\Resources\Ease of Access Themes​

Theme Name​
.theme file​
High Contrast #1hc1.theme
High Contrast #2hc2..theme
High Contrast Blackhcblack.theme
High Contrast Whitehcwhite.theme

3 Change the owner of the .theme file you want to delete to Administrators.

4 Change the permissions of the .theme file you want to delete to "Allow" Administrators "Full Control".

5 You will now be able to delete the .theme file.

Delete_high_contrast_theme_in_File_Explorer.png



That's it,
Shawn Brink


Related Tutorials

 
Last edited:
Click to expand...
@Brink

Shawn,

I made my own ISO with Windows themes removed by NTLite, but the Windows themes keep coming back with every Windows update.
Is there something that prevents that from happening anymore?
yours sincerely,

NoNutsNoGlory
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP
NoNutsNoGlory said:
@Brink

Shawn,

I made my own ISO with Windows themes removed by NTLite, but the Windows themes keep coming back with every Windows update.
Is there something that prevents that from happening anymore?
yours sincerely,

NoNutsNoGlory
Click to expand...
Hello, and welcome. :alien:

I'm not sure you can since they are consider system files that Windows Update will keep updated.

Luckily, it's not too much of a pain to manually delete them as needed.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self build
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING (11GB GDDR5X)
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G75 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    Seasonic Prime Titanium 850W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3 wall mounted
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gbps Download and 35 Mbps Upload
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender and Malwarebytes Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Surface Laptop 7 Copilot+ PC
    CPU
    Snapdragon X Elite (12 core) 3.42 GHz
    Memory
    16 GB LPDDR5x-7467 MHz
    Monitor(s) Displays
    15" HDR
    Screen Resolution
    2496 x 1664
    Hard Drives
    1 TB SSD
    Internet Speed
    Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4
    Browser
    Chrome and Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
I've created a short-cut using this line below as target;


C:\Windows\explorer.exe shell:::{ED834ED6-4B5A-4bfe-8F11-A626DCB6A921}


This brings up "Personalization Control Panel", just as the vista/win7 days, the way it should have remained ;)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    2010 to 2024: Windows 7, VBox with mulitple Debian/Arch/Win11 | Now: Win10 (by error)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home built all based on AMD hardware
    CPU
    Rysen 7 5700G
    Motherboard
    MSI B550 Gaming gen3
    Memory
    CORSAIR Vengeance LPX 64GB (2 x 32GB) DDR4 3200 (PC4-25600) C16
    Graphics Card(s)
    (AMD 5700G processor) ATI Radeon Graphics + ATI Radeon RX590 (XFX)
    Sound Card
    LameBoard X-KRAP Series ;)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    4 (3 ViewSonic 27" + 1 BenQ 24")
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Good question. Too many I guess then ;)
    PSU
    EVGA NEX650G (gold 650W)
    Case
    Phantek Entheo
    Cooling
    CM Hyper 212 black
    Keyboard
    Logitech 510 combo (more below)
    Mouse
    Logitech 510 combo (4 combo in the past 15 years)
    Internet Speed
    15Mbs, soon to be 50Mbs
    Browser
    Firefox daily (Brave, when I fell brave enough)
    Antivirus
    NONE for the past 15 years. Just got stucked with default win10 security for the past 5 weeks, but soon to be REMOVE!!
Just to note if I could these aren't really themes like in the WiN7 days. Just added wallpaper and colored task bar and such
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    WiN11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom 775 System
    CPU
    Xeon E5450 3.0GHZ (OC 3.6GHZ)
    Motherboard
    ASUS PQ5-EM
    Memory
    8GB (2GBX4)
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Quadro K2200 4GB
    Sound Card
    Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ASUS 24"
    Screen Resolution
    1080p
    Hard Drives
    1TB|750GB USB, 3 SSDs 2 240GB 1 128GB, 750GB HDD
    PSU
    650WATT Rosewill
    Case
    Rosewill with side Window
    Cooling
    5 Fans and a big HSK for cpu
    Keyboard
    Rosewill RGB
    Mouse
    Rosewill RGB
    Internet Speed
    AT&T 150MB DL\UP
    Browser
    FireFox
    Antivirus
    None
    Other Info
    I'm lucky to even be here after 6yrs from my car accident
  • Operating System
    WiN10 LTSC
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Hp 8460p
    CPU
    i7 2670QM 2.20GHZ
    Motherboard
    Hp 161C
    Memory
    8GB (2X4GB) DUAL Channel
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 3000
    Sound Card
    Intel high Def (basically onboard)
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    OS 128GB l Storage (caddy) 320GB
    PSU
    AC (IDK the watts)
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    A USB 3.0 in the Express Card Slot
NoNutsNoGlory said:
@Brink

Shawn,

I made my own ISO with Windows themes removed by NTLite, but the Windows themes keep coming back with every Windows update.
Is there something that prevents that from happening anymore?
yours sincerely,

NoNutsNoGlory
Click to expand...
To answer your NTLite question, Monthly Updates can decide they need to patch some part of Windows you've already removed. Once that happens, you need to load the live Windows system in NTLite and perform a "Remove reinstalls" operation. This compares the live system against your preset, and removes whatever components the last installed update restored. Because Monthly Updates are cumulative, every time a newer update is installed you will have to repeat the "Remove reinstall".

Another option is to stop acce pting Windows Updates entirely, so nothing ever gets restored.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
Ghis1964 said:
I've created a short-cut using this line below as target;


C:\Windows\explorer.exe shell:::{ED834ED6-4B5A-4bfe-8F11-A626DCB6A921}


This brings up "Personalization Control Panel", just as the vista/win7 days, the way it should have remained ;)
Click to expand...
This brings up win7 UI wallpaper chooser/timer/shuffler/etc

C:\Windows\explorer.exe shell:::{ED834ED6-4B5A-4bfe-8F11-A626DCB6A921} -Microsoft.Personalization\pageWallpaper
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    2010 to 2024: Windows 7, VBox with mulitple Debian/Arch/Win11 | Now: Win10 (by error)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home built all based on AMD hardware
    CPU
    Rysen 7 5700G
    Motherboard
    MSI B550 Gaming gen3
    Memory
    CORSAIR Vengeance LPX 64GB (2 x 32GB) DDR4 3200 (PC4-25600) C16
    Graphics Card(s)
    (AMD 5700G processor) ATI Radeon Graphics + ATI Radeon RX590 (XFX)
    Sound Card
    LameBoard X-KRAP Series ;)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    4 (3 ViewSonic 27" + 1 BenQ 24")
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Good question. Too many I guess then ;)
    PSU
    EVGA NEX650G (gold 650W)
    Case
    Phantek Entheo
    Cooling
    CM Hyper 212 black
    Keyboard
    Logitech 510 combo (more below)
    Mouse
    Logitech 510 combo (4 combo in the past 15 years)
    Internet Speed
    15Mbs, soon to be 50Mbs
    Browser
    Firefox daily (Brave, when I fell brave enough)
    Antivirus
    NONE for the past 15 years. Just got stucked with default win10 security for the past 5 weeks, but soon to be REMOVE!!
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