Access Hidden Regional Themes in Windows 7
Windows 7 offers you location specific Aero themes based on the language and location you pick during installation. Here we will take a look at accessing other hidden themes from different countries.
When you first start the Windows 7 installation the first thing you will do is select a language, time and currency format. This is where Windows determines what themes you’re presented with by default.
Being from the US I’m presented with location specific themes from the United States with desktop backgrounds such as scenery from Maine, Idaho, Oregon etc.
To access the other international themes copy and paste the following path into the search box and hit Enter.
C:\Windows\Globalization\MCT
In the MCT folder you will find additional themes for Canada, Australia, South Africa, and Great Britain.
You can go in and grab just the Wallpapers…
Or go into the Theme folder double click on the the thumbnail to add it.
Here you can see I added all of them and now they will be available under the My Themes section for when you want to change them around.
This is a neat little trick that will let you customize Windows 7 with hidden themes already available. Also if you want to get more themes head over to the Microsoft site.
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Great man
many thanks
Thanks! I already downloaded additional themes from the Microsoft-website, but not all of these where available.
Keep up the good work!
Nice find!
Tried this but didn’t work, the search part said “no items match your search” also checked for C:\Windows\Globalization\MCT and there is not MCT file at that address.
same prob here.
i’ve got a german win7-installation (rtm)
nothig else then the german files
Not in the RC version
Thanks, Mystic — it’s nice to have more themes. Also see:
http://windows7themes.net/
These hidden themes are not available in Windows 7 RC ?
Anyway thanks for the post.
@anyone who cannot find the hidden themes: I don’t know what is wrong but I am using the RC Build 7100 release and have all of the hidden themes.
Unlock hidden Windows 7 Themes
Some themes you can unlock yourself! The Windows 7 beta has some hidden & locked themes that were created for countries all over the world (Australia, Canada, Great Britain, United States and South Africa).
Actually it’s pretty easy to unlock them.
1. Simply open the Explorer (Windows + E) and goto C:\Windows\winsxs
2. Enter *.theme into the search field. If you have problems to type *, use the * sign on the number block.
3. Now it should look like this: Click me!
4. Double-click the themes ZA, US, GB, CA, AU to install them.
5. Voilà, you have unlocked 5 cool themes.
Mystic Geek… Thnks 4 this cool tip. But it doesn’t work in my Windows 7 RTM(PT-BR)…
I Search C:\Windows\Globalization\MCT and nothing else then the brazilian files…
Anyway, i have downloaded the other themes in the MS Site.
Thanks You!
my PC windows vista cannot find directory if I type the above code into the search box
Thank you very much barak obama!
works great!
i can’t get these themes to show up when i follow the instructions. Any further suggestions?
@Hannelore: that is because this is only available on Windows 7.
Aloha Oe Barak!! Thanks Cuz..your instructions worked!! Mahalo from da Islands!!