Customizing Your Desktop

Changing your wallpaper is easy but making your desktop look like this…

is much cooler and looks more sleek. I have a dual monitor setup however you can do the same with one.

Two programs are used to create this appearance, ObjectDock and Rainmeter. Some people prefer RocketDock over ObjectDock but ObjectDock is better for personalization.

Setting Up ObjectDock

ObjectDock is a tool that takes icons and puts them onto a tray or “dock” similar to the dock on Mac.

First download and install ObjectDock.

Then run ObjectDock and set up whatever icons you would like to use. It’ll also prompt you to hide the start menu, but I chose not to hide it but rather set the start menu to “auto-hide” in the start menu preferences (right-click start menu and select “properties”).

Next change the theme to anything you like and you are ready to go.

Setting Up Rainmeter

Now to the fun part, Rainmeter. Rainmeter is a visual desktop tool that has many features.

First download and install Rainmeter.

Once the installation is complete you will see a basic skin including a welcome screen. You can choose to use this skin or you can download more and use them or a combination of skins.

Setting Up Rainmeter Skins

Once you have Rainmeter installed and setup you probably want more things like an iTunes controller, clock, and calendar like I have. You can download skins here. To install them put the folder you download into the Skins folder in My Documents (not the program files).

Then click and existing Rainmeter Skin and follow these directs.

Once you have done that you will see a window with your active Skins, to install switch to “Browse”

You should now see the skins you just put into the Skins folder, select them and under “Skin Actions” select “Load Skin” and your good to go. To move them simply drag them to where you want them to be, to make them locked into position right click them and then click settings and uncheck Draggable.

My Wallpaper

My Skins