How To Change/Install Themes In Google Talk

What’s up readers? How was your weekend? :D I hope you had a great one. Last time, I wrote about GTalk (Google Talk) was when I found how to unblock blocked contacts in it. This time, I’m going to tell you how you can change or install new themes in GTalk.

Remember, themes are not skins. Gmail themes only change the layout of the conversation window. Where as skins change the entire design of the application.

How To Change Themes In GTalk

Just follow the steps below and you will have a new theme in no time:

Open GTalk.
Go to Settings.
Click Appearance.
Below Chat Theme, you’ll see a drop box. Choose whatever theme you want.
Click OK and start chatting with someone to try the new theme.

There are about 10 pre-installed themes in GTalk, excluding the default one. I like the “orkut Picture” theme.

How To Install Themes In GTalk

Already knew change themes and tired of the default ones? Wanna install custom themes? Just follow the following steps:

1. Make sure you have the skin (usually as ZIP file).

2. Extract the files anywhere in your PC. (I don’t think I need to explain how to extract files :P Just do it with Winzip or any other good app.)

3. Copy the theme folder and paste it in:

C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Local Settings\ Application Data\Google\Google Talk\themes\user\chat

USERNAME is your Windows user account name. If the chat folder (in the end) is not in the user folder, then create one and paste the theme folder in it.

4. That’s all! Now open GTalk, go to Settings > Appearance > Chat Theme and apply your new theme.

This was easy, right? :) There are some interesting tricks and articles coming up in the next few posts related to Google Talk. So, subscribe to my feed and catch the latest tricks first! :D

UPDATE: Want to download cool looking GTalk themes? See my collection of GTalk themes.

19 Comments

Nirmal

Nice tip, do you know any good sites which offer these skins? If so provide the link.

Dec 11th, 2007
Nirmal

Thanks for this post, I found some interesting themes and also a new blog post. :smile:

Dec 11th, 2007
Keshav Khera

nice find man :cool:

Dec 11th, 2007
Haris

Don’t worry… I’ll post some cool looking web 2.0 GTalk themes. I got them from an underground forum sometime ago :D

Dec 11th, 2007
Brown Baron

Excellent tip buddy! Stumbled :grin:

Dec 11th, 2007
Keith Dsouza

Gotto change the boring old theme to something else thanks for the tip

Dec 11th, 2007
Haris

@Brown: Thanks for the stumble! :D

@Keith: Go go go! :D BTW, don’t forget to see my next post. I’ll be sharing some cool GTalk themes.

Dec 11th, 2007
ram

This is a great tip, looking for some themes now. stumbled :grin:

Dec 12th, 2007
Madhur Kapoor

Nice find buddy. I am busy exploring new themes now.

Dec 12th, 2007
Keshav Khera

Dude waiting for your themes :grin:
Hope to get it tomorrow :roll:
Your screenshot was just awesome :wink:

Dec 12th, 2007
Haris

@Ram: Thanks buddy!

@Madhur: If you find any good ones, do share them :)

@Keshav: Heheh, yeh you’ll get it tomorrow…! :D I hope you’ll like them.

Dec 13th, 2007
Sumesh

Hey, the title of the post enticed me, as I use GTalk quite frequently. However, I was honestly unhappy to find that you had no list of custom themes, or links to other posts. I hope you have a future post on that, as you’ve told in an above comment.

PS: Can you do me a favour? Make the subscribe by email checkbox as unchecked by default. Those who want it will obviously look for it, and for others, it is a big problem if ignored. Hope you would….

Dec 23rd, 2007
Haris

@Sumesh: LOL, I guess you missed it. In the end of the post, there’s a link to my post of GTalk themes. Here it is: http://www.sizzledcore.com/200.....lk-themes/ :)

And hey, I did went through your suggestion about making the Subscribe By Email checkbox unchecked and I have think making it unchecked was better. Thanks! :)

Dec 23rd, 2007
sunidhi

hey i din understand a single word….
infact i dnt have custom themes which generally cm wid gtalk :sad:
jus hv classic…how to install others as well how to personalise it…plss do lemme knw

Mar 17th, 2008