This article guides users through the process of creating custom high contrast themes in Windows 11 using ThemeSwitcher software. The tutorial covers template usage, color codes, and cursor file locations for activation via Microsoft-Activation-Scripts.
Download ThemeSwitcher after Windows 11 for switching themes.
Write the following content into hctweak1.theme:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 ; Copyright � Microsoft Corp. [Theme] ; High Contrast Black - IDS_THEME_DISPLAYNAME_HCBLACK DisplayName=@%SystemRoot%\System32\themeui.dll,-2103 SetLogonBackground=0 ; Computer - SHIDI_SERVER [CLSID\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\DefaultIcon] DefaultValue=%SystemRoot%\System32\imageres.dll,-109 ; UsersFiles - SHIDI_USERFILES [CLSID\{59031A47-3F72-44A7-89C5-5595FE6B30EE}\DefaultIcon] DefaultValue=%SystemRoot%\System32\imageres.dll,-123 ; Network - SHIDI_MYNETWORK [CLSID\{F02C1A0D-BE21-4350-88B0-7367FC96EF3C}\DefaultIcon] DefaultValue=%SystemRoot%\System32\imageres.dll,-25 ; Recycle Bin - SHIDI_RECYCLERFULL SHIDI_RECYCLER [CLSID\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\DefaultIcon] Full=%SystemRoot%\System32\imageres.dll,-54 Empty=%SystemRoot%\System32\imageres.dll,-55 [Control Panel\Colors] ActiveTitle=0 0 0 Background=0 0 0 ButtonFace=0 0 0 ButtonText=255 255 255 GrayText=166 166 166 Hilight=142 227 240 HilightText=38 59 80 HotTrackingColor=117 233 252 InactiveTitle=0 0 0 InactiveTitleText=128 128 128 TitleText=255 255 255 Window=0 0 0 WindowText=255 255 255 Scrollbar=0 0 0 Menu=0 0 0 WindowFrame=255 255 255 MenuText=255 255 255 ActiveBorder=255 255 0 InactiveBorder=0 128 0 AppWorkspace=0 0 0 ButtonShadow=0 0 0 ButtonHilight=192 192 192 ButtonDkShadow=255 255 255 ButtonLight=255 255 255 InfoText=255 255 255 InfoWindow=0 0 0 ButtonAlternateFace=192 192 192 GradientActiveTitle=128 0 128 GradientInactiveTitle=0 128 0 MenuHilight=128 0 128 MenuBar=0 0 0 [Control Panel\Cursors] Arrow=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_arrow.cur Help=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_helpsel.cur AppStarting=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_working.ani Wait=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_busy.ani NWPen=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_pen.cur No=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_unavail.cur SizeNS=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_ns.cur SizeWE=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_ew.cur Crosshair= IBeam= SizeNWSE=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_nwse.cur SizeNESW=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_nesw.cur SizeAll=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_move.cur UpArrow=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_up.cur DefaultValue=Windows Default DefaultValue.MUI=@main.cpl,-1020 Hand=%SystemRoot%\cursors\aero_link.cur Link= [Control Panel\Desktop] Wallpaper= TileWallpaper=0 WallpaperStyle=10 Pattern= [VisualStyles] Path=%SystemRoot%\resources\themes\Aero\AeroLite.msstyles ColorStyle=NormalColor Size=NormalSize HighContrast=3 [boot] SCRNSAVE.EXE= [MasterThemeSelector] MTSM=RJSPBS [Sounds] ; IDS_SCHEME_DEFAULT SchemeName=@%SystemRoot%\System32\mmres.dll,-800
Use like ThemeSwitcher.exe <absolute_path_to_theme_file>
Activate Windows using Microsoft-Activation-Scripts