GUI customization isn’t just for Windows! From themes to icons to wallpapers, there is a whole world of GUI (graphical user interface) customization out there for Macs! If you’re ready to give your Mac a facelift, read on.
The easiest way to customize your Mac is with a desktop wallpaper. Your computer came with several of these, and they can be accessed in System Preferences in the Desktop & Screensaver pane. But what if you want something besides a beach, forest, or space on your desktop? Well, there are tons of websites out there with a myriad of desktop wallpapers for you to choose from, ranging from minimalist to abstract and everything in between. To get these images on your desktop, first save them to your computer. I like to create a special folder called Wallpaper in the Documents folder. Then, from the Desktop & Screensaver preference pane, select “choose folder” from the left side menu. Select your newly created Wallpaper folder from the fold-down window and it will now load in the desktop preview area. From there, just select your image! Now you have a desktop that’s all you!
The next way to customize your Mac is with icons. A safe and easy way to change your icons is with a program called Candybar, which comes with a free trial and then costs $12.95 to purchase a restriction-free version. Candybar allows you to change every icon on your Mac, from the desktop to dock to program icons; it can even change the Finder and Trash icons! You can download individual icons or entire icon sets to personalize the look of your Mac. As with the desktop wallpapers, there are a myriad of icons to choose from. There are even icons that are just simple text.
The most drastic way to change the look of your Mac is by applying a theme, or GUIkit. This can be achieved by downloading a program called ShapeShifter. This program safely and easily changes the look of the entire GUI. If you’re tired of the Mac’s default aqua candy theme, then this is for you. ShapeShifter comes with a free trial and is then $20 to purchase a full license. The first thing to do after downloading and installing ShapeShifter is to look for themes. A very popular website for GUIkits is MaxThemes.com, designed by Max Rudberg. Download a theme of your liking from this site to your computer. Unzip the downloaded file and double click on the filename that ends in .guikit to install the GUIkit. The theme can now be applied via ShapeShifter’s preference pane in System Preferences. Wow! It’s like a whole new Mac! You can download and install as many themes as you want. You can try a new theme every day of the week. Play around with it and see what you feel comfortable with. And when you get tired of the theme, just change it!
I hope you have enjoyed the GUI customization tips I have shared with you. For more resources, please check out the resources box following this article.
Reference:
- unsanity.com/haxies/shapeshifter (ShapeShifter) panic.com/candybar (Candybar) maxthemes.com (GUIkits) guikit.com (GUI modification links) interfacelift.com (wallpapers, themes, & icons) pixelgirlpresents.com (wallpapers & icons)
