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Microsoft is going to sell you themes for Windows 10

Another interesting detail about Windows 10 was revealed during the October 2016 Microsoft Event. It looks like the Redmond giant is going to start selling themes for Windows 10. They seem to have adopted the freemium model where the base OS is free and additional value-added features are paid. In-app purchases with micropayments are very common on mobile platforms. Now they might come to the Windows 10 platform.

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With Windows 10 Creators Update, the ability to buy themes from the Windows Store was spotted in one of the videos demoed at the event. While it was not even mentioned officially, it can be seen in the video clearly.
The following screenshot shows Microsoft's plans to sell themes:windows-10-store-personalization-tab

You can see the video below. The screenshot above was captured at the 0:19 mark.

In the video, a new "Personalization" tab is present in the Store, which is not available in the current version of the app. It contains paid themes listed in the "Picks for you" section.windows-10-store-personalization-picks

There is no known information on what those themes will contain and to what extent they will allow customization. Current themes supported by Windows 10 are freely available already from many sites like this or from Winaero.com. Check out our theme gallery here:

Windows Themepack Collection

They do not change the appearance of the window frame or UI controls and elements. Instead, they just come with a custom accent color and a custom wallpaper. It is not clear if the Store will come with some advanced theming functionality. From the screenshot, they appear to be regular [desk]themepack files available since Windows 7.

As you can see in the screenshot above, not all of these themes are free! Every theme has a price attached which varies from "free" to $2.49. It is quite possible that Microsoft will make it possible for third-parties to earn with theme submissions in the Windows Store. There are no details about the situation as of this writing. Microsoft hasn't commented on it officially yet.

Windows 10 Creators Update will be released in March 2017, so any added theming functionality may arrive in an Insider preview build before it is out for everyone.

Source: via.

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Author: Sergey Tkachenko

Sergey Tkachenko is a software developer who started Winaero back in 2011. On this blog, Sergey is writing about everything connected to Microsoft, Windows and popular software. Follow him on Telegram, Twitter, and YouTube.

13 thoughts on “Microsoft is going to sell you themes for Windows 10”

    1. As long as I am allowed to do my own customization and save the theme file for later use, I am okay with this change. I may go ahead and sell my own theme. It may be a good place for photographers to sell their photos directly to worldwide audience. I only have on request from MS to make MS Store community driven like Reddit or Devian or any other reputed forum out there.

  1. Actually, this is a good thing. Professional themes would further drive competition, and maybe this also pushes Microsoft towards further opening Windows to more customizible elements.

    1. They spent years in locking the user interface to the unified flat style.
      I doubt that they will allow more customizations than now.

  2. I was considering putting Windows 10 in with my next reinstall of Windows 7, but I’m done. Linux is getting excellent DX11 support in WINE and Crossover, plus they’ve been adding DX12 support for a while.
    Having said that, we need an alternative. Linux is just too complicated for most people and we need an OS to have mass mainstream use for program developers to start supporting it properly.

  3. If they open it up to third parties to make themes they’re going to have to be really careful. If that happens I can foresee a lot of copyright infringement with regards to desktop wallpapers.

  4. Looks as boring as the default. 3rd party visual styles have been available since Windows XP if not earlier, and they bring more than just a rainbow of different taskbar colors and desktop images.

  5. Since Win 10 and it’s horrors, then the latest where games have disappeared etc. and then constantly turning off as much feedback as possible after they turn it on again. during updtes NO WAY am I buying anything that has a Microsoft name on it. Yes Lynx works really, well a few drivers might be missing for certain printers or peripherals but, beyond that it works 100% and no one is trying to take control and tell you how to compute after you pay them tons of money for the privilege of being frustrated and upset.

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