Skinning your Windows Explorer background
How to display your own images in Windows Explorer for XP & Vista
Thursday, January 17, 2008 by VistArtXPosed | Discussion: Skinning
With a typical installation of Windows (regardless of what version is installed), the Windows Explorer background is white. HOW BORING!!! With a little experimentation with Skinstudio 6, I found out that you could use any Bitmap or PNG file to fill your Windows Explorer background. Don't believe me? Click on the link at the bottom of the article, then you will believe me.
I also skinned the left & top navigation bars and filled it with seperate images.
To effectively fill the entire explorer background without tiling, use an image that's at least the size of your screen (i.e. if you use 1280x1024, use a 1280x1024 sized image, etc.[preferably a light-colored wallpaper]). Just make sure that you can still read the links to your folders and files, or this will just get in the way.
This works well for both Windows XP & Vista.
Enjoy!!! 
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RobJK
Reply #2 Friday, January 18, 2008 3:19 AM
Reply #2 Friday, January 18, 2008 3:19 AM
IS there anyway that you can explain how to do this! I GO INTO SKIN STUDIO and leave withing 5 minutes because i know i will never understand it? Its to confusing. which section is this under and where to go? Do you edit the skin you are using? I just dont know what or how? Please help becuase this is something i have always wondered why wb skinners didnt do. Why should it be white? Just anyway HELP?
VistArtXPosed
Reply #3 Friday, January 18, 2008 7:47 AM
Reply #3 Friday, January 18, 2008 7:47 AM
Are you sure you were using Skinstudio 6 and not version 5? Version 5 was confusing and I never understood it neither. Version 6 is way easier to understand than the previous one. In version 6, after you either open a skin or create a new one, this menu should show up. Click on the "Backgrounds" button on the left pane and a few options should show up, one of them being an Explorer Background image. Click on the Explorer Background and then browse for an image (make sure that it is either a BMP or PNG file. Unfortunately, version 6 expired on my PC, so I can't show you all the details. I hope this helps. 
zabak
Reply #4 Thursday, January 24, 2008 9:53 AM
Reply #4 Thursday, January 24, 2008 9:53 AM
Actually, this does not work in XP. I have been trying since long time also posted a thread regarding this issue. Based on your screen shot it seems that you are using vista, have you really tried on XP? If it worked on XP, can you please let me how you configured it?
Thanks a lot!
Zabak
Thanks a lot!
Zabak
RBCC
Reply #5 Saturday, March 15, 2008 2:06 AM
Reply #5 Saturday, March 15, 2008 2:06 AM
How about the "system tasks", "Other Places" and "Details" drop down window backgrounds? John
RobJK
Reply #6 Wednesday, March 19, 2008 6:18 AM
Reply #6 Wednesday, March 19, 2008 6:18 AM
No responce to if it works on windows xp? I really would like to know? And i just startd useing skin stud 6. How to do?
erathoniel
Reply #7 Wednesday, April 9, 2008 11:03 AM
Reply #7 Wednesday, April 9, 2008 11:03 AM
I use WindowBlinds, and it at least recolored my backgrounds in explorer and whatnot in XP. It didn't apply an image, though, just an soldid color.
Azdec
Reply #9 Monday, June 30, 2008 9:47 PM
I had used Skin Studio before to change the windows explorer background from white to gray for any skin I wanted. Now I don't seem to remember how I did it. Can you post with an explanation on how you did it? I just want the solid color choice, not an image, like you said you where able to do. I have the most up-to-date version of window blinds and skin studio 6 professional as of June 30, 2008. Thx in advance.
Reply #9 Monday, June 30, 2008 9:47 PM
I use WindowBlinds, and it at least recolored my backgrounds in explorer and whatnot in XP. It didn't apply an image, though, just an soldid color.
I had used Skin Studio before to change the windows explorer background from white to gray for any skin I wanted. Now I don't seem to remember how I did it. Can you post with an explanation on how you did it? I just want the solid color choice, not an image, like you said you where able to do. I have the most up-to-date version of window blinds and skin studio 6 professional as of June 30, 2008. Thx in advance.
NightTrainthedark
Reply #10 Monday, June 30, 2008 10:11 PM
Reply #10 Monday, June 30, 2008 10:11 PM
SKS6 has 4 images for the explorer backgrounds. 2 for normal and 2 for transparency. If the Backgrounds are .png (transparent) then you can have transparent backgrounds in many other areas of the skin.
As far as I know, Explorer Backgrounds in XP don't work but I am not sure on that.
As far as I know, Explorer Backgrounds in XP don't work but I am not sure on that.
vStyler
Reply #11 Monday, June 30, 2008 10:12 PM
Reply #11 Monday, June 30, 2008 10:12 PM
In the Change skin colors section go to the dropdown box at top and pick "show me system defined colors" option... then change windows background color. This will let u set any solid color.
Cerebus1970
Reply #13 Tuesday, July 1, 2008 12:07 AM
Reply #13 Tuesday, July 1, 2008 12:07 AM
XP explorer backgrounds do work as long as common tasks are showing,if not,nothing will happen.Have tried to skin common tasks as well ,now only need to skin background,see pic-
You need to go to Backgrounds-edit explorer background bitmaps,make sure active(or inactive) whichever you want is selected.Select arrow next to edit image for quick import of whatever file you want,should work hopefully(for images as windows backgrounds)
As you can see the controls are in XP specific-edit shell style bars and arrows,to skin common task area.
Pic used was Santa Fe Stucco in windows directory,SKS6 Also used.
Apologies to Night Train.
To change skin colours go to SKS6-change skin colours,in dropdown menu make sure show skin defined skin colours are showing,then select window background and change the colour.(for colours as windows backgrounds)
Save changes and you might have to change to windows classic folders in folder options to get it to work.
You need to go to Backgrounds-edit explorer background bitmaps,make sure active(or inactive) whichever you want is selected.Select arrow next to edit image for quick import of whatever file you want,should work hopefully(for images as windows backgrounds)
As you can see the controls are in XP specific-edit shell style bars and arrows,to skin common task area.
Pic used was Santa Fe Stucco in windows directory,SKS6 Also used.
Apologies to Night Train.
To change skin colours go to SKS6-change skin colours,in dropdown menu make sure show skin defined skin colours are showing,then select window background and change the colour.(for colours as windows backgrounds)
Save changes and you might have to change to windows classic folders in folder options to get it to work.
Azdec
Reply #14 Tuesday, July 1, 2008 11:45 AM
Thank you VERY much! It was the "dropdown box" section I did not click on. I was unaware of it. This is exactly what I wanted! Thank you for your help and your time spent reading and replying to my query.
Thanks to everyone in this thread for taking the time to reply.
Reply #14 Tuesday, July 1, 2008 11:45 AM
In the Change skin colors section go to the dropdown box at top and pick "show me system defined colors" option... then change windows background color. This will let u set any solid color.
Thank you VERY much! It was the "dropdown box" section I did not click on. I was unaware of it. This is exactly what I wanted! Thank you for your help and your time spent reading and replying to my query.
Thanks to everyone in this thread for taking the time to reply.
kyosan1988
Reply #15 Monday, July 28, 2008 12:56 AM
Reply #15 Monday, July 28, 2008 12:56 AM
I can change color explorer background in skinstudio but I can't add picture to explorer background in Window Xp. why ??? Please tell me.
kyosan1988
Reply #17 Monday, July 28, 2008 6:38 AM
Reply #17 Monday, July 28, 2008 6:38 AM
Thank you Frankief but it only change folder, not explorer background.
Frankief
Reply #18 Tuesday, July 29, 2008 10:46 PM
Reply #18 Tuesday, July 29, 2008 10:46 PM
Okay, so you lost me! What are you referring to as explorer background. It changes the backgound of the folders to any picture you like and I can only assume that is what explorer backgrounds are as that is what Windowblinds changes when you enable explorer backgounds!
timalan
Reply #19 Saturday, January 10, 2009 10:35 PM
Reply #19 Saturday, January 10, 2009 10:35 PM
where is that link at VistArtXPosed?
cos i don't see alink at the bottom of your article...
Thanks alot
timalan
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Reply #1 Thursday, January 17, 2008 11:41 AM
thanks for head up!