- Quick specs
- Price: Free to try (Limited skinning capabilities); $19.95 to buy
- Operating system: Windows XP/Vista
- Date added: November 09, 2007
- Total Downloads: 14,709,588
- Downloads last week: 35,378
- See full specifications
A newer version of WindowBlinds is available.
(Download doesn't provide access to previous versions of this program.)
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 668 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: CNET Staff
WindowBlinds offers a generally compelling way to add some panache to Windows XP or Windows Vista. It lets you skin your graphic interface, offering a number of preconfigured themes that range in styles and change the entire look of your desktop. You also have the ability to make some serious tweaks to each theme, should it be close to what you want, but just not quite right. No matter what skin you choose, though, we doubt you'll have any complaints with the appearance of the polished, attractive themes.
You also choose from several toolbar icon sets to match your skin of choice and tweak settings such as the size of the taskbar. WindowBlinds gets high marks for performance: We found that the skins loaded seamlessly after about 30 to 60 seconds. However, we should note that the program takes up its fair share of system resources, and that load times will depend on your system hardware.
To make more than mere cosmetic changes, you'll have to install the publisher's SkinStudio. However, the latest version of WindowBlinds lets you use your own wallpaper, and being able to see your changes without restarting is a serious plus. WindowBlinds helps liven up any Windows experience for both novices and those advanced users who've got better things to do than hack Windows on their own.
Publisher's description
From Stardock :Customize the look and feel of Windows XP and Windows Vista with WindowBlinds. It's a Windows utility that enables users to personalize nearly every aspect of the Windows graphical user interface. WindowBlinds can 'skin' your title bars, push buttons, Start bar, radio buttons, and nearly every other part of Windows. There are thousands of freely available skins to choose from. Use WindowBlinds to make Windows look like another operating system (Mac, Linux) or give it your own unique look and feel.
You can also create your own skins using the freely available SkinStudio. WindowBlinds eliminates the need for any stay-resident program and its design actually uses less memory and resources than the default Windows XP and Windows Vista visual styles. It also takes advantage of hardware acceleration on modern video cards to increase performance over the default Windows XP/Vista experience.
Version 6.01 fixes various minor bugs, improves performance, and improves color support.
What's new in this version:
Version 6.01 fixes various minor bugs, improves performance, and improves color support.
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User reviews of WindowBlinds 6.01
- Average user rating: 3.6 stars out of 668 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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Showing 5 of 25 user reviewsSee all 25 user reviews
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2 out of 3 people found this review helpful
Version: WindowBlinds 6.01
"Amazing, breathaking way to change the look of Windows!"
Pros: I have been a paid user of WindowBlinds for sometime. I bought it back when version 4 was the current one. Man, I remember all of the bugs and the problems that it used to have. Now, at version 6, this program runs the best that I have ever seen. Nearly all of the problems that I encountered in the early versions have been corrected, and this is the best skinning program out there now. You really can customize Windows to look totally unique, and you can even make it look like another operating system! This program is Vista capable, so you can have it on both XP and Vista. I found that it worked seamlessly, and I was up and running quick. If you go to Wincustomize. com on the web, you can download even more themes. I highly recommend that you get this as part of Object Desktop. I really enjoy how unique my XP and Vista look.
Cons: There are only a few cons. This software is great, but it can slow down your computer. I highly recommend using this with a graphics card, because that way the memory on the card will spare some of your system memory. On Windows Vista, it can be sloooowww between theme changes; It will work, but you have to wait quite awhile to switch themes. For full skinning capability, you must pay for the full version. For what it does to Windows, however, it is more than well worth it.
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3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
Version: WindowBlinds 6.01
Pros: After looking into Vista Transformation Pack, I got a little apprehensive of all the POSSIBLE problems it might cause, so I tried the free version of this little gem. Within a week I paid the $20! A little searching through the MANY available skins they have and I stumbled across Black Vista v3. In addition to a Vista BootSkin and LogonStudio (both are free) my system is indistinguishable from Vista Ultimate! It has even fooled my IT buddies.
I've come to trust Stardock's software and would definitely recommend WindowBlinds to anyone wanting to get the Vista look and feel without shelling out hundreds of dollars.
After almost a year, WindowBlinds has not caused ANY problems for me, and I don't even have a brand-new PC (circa 2005).
-AMD X2 2.2G / Windows XP Media Center
-1GB RAM
-128MB ATI video card
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1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: WindowBlinds 6.01
"Only using it for a month its hard to tell but it Seems to be good."
Pros: Works good so far, It does not use to much ram for what you get.
Cons: I don't see a problem.
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1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: WindowBlinds 6.01
Pros: it gives very beautiful look to windows
Cons: only 1 problem that the trial is not good.
best thing is to download a crack
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1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: WindowBlinds 6.01
Pros: Makes using windows a lot better; improves the GUI a thousand-fold, a 30-day free trial and no spyware or viruses in sight.
Cons: Like most software, eventually you have to pay...
- See all 25 user reviews Write review
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