Rainmeter is the de facto desktop customization tool for WindowsA Simple Guide to Rainmeter: The Windows Desktop Customization ToolA Simple Guide to Rainmeter: The Windows Desktop Customization ToolRainmeter is the ultimate tool for customizing your Windows desktop with interactive wallpapers, desktop widgets, and more. Our simple guide will help you create your own personal desktop experience in no time.Read More. With a code library spanning volumes, there’s no end to how many configurations users can manage to accomplish. Rainmeter’s most popular use has to be application launchers.
While Rainmeter can provide fantastic RSS Feeds and weather information directly onto your desktop, nothing requires a personal touch quite like custom icons and launchers. Whether you’d like to create a simple application icon, or something a little more interesting, read on to create your very own custom launch icons for programs.
Rainmeter: How It Works
Rainmeter works using simple text files with the file extension INI. These files require certain parameters in order to be read by the Rainmeter program. Here’s a an example:
This file will display the string of text “Hello, world!” on your Rainmeter application (on the top-right corner of your screen, by default). It does this using three parameters:
Rainmeter follows a very rigid logical structure, so — as with any coding — a single issue could jeopardize the skin or prevent it from appearing on your desktop. That includes following the folder structure of your skins as well.
This structure becomes more complex as skins become more functional. In the following Rainmeter skin, keep both the INI file and folder hierarchy in mind.
Create a Simple Icon
Head to the Rainmeter directory located at C:Users[PC Name]DocumentsRainmeterSkins. Replace the [PC Name] parameter with the name of your PC (Start > type “manage account” > click Manage your account). Right-click a blank space within this directory, select New, and then Folder.
Name the first folder whatever you’d like, but ensure the title generally describes the contents. I chose muoicons.
Double-click this folder, and create another folder within muoicons. Name this folder after the icon you wish you create. I’m making an Overwatch icon, so I’ll name it OverwatchIcon. Then, create another folder within muoicons and name it @Resources. This folder will hold your icon images. That’s three folders overall.
Double-click on your second folder (OverwatchIcon in my case). Right-click a space within your second folder and select New, then Text Documents. Double-click your text document in order to edit it, and paste the following:
There are three parameters which you must change:
After you’ve changed your parameters, enter your @Resources folder. Paste a PNG image for your icon in your @Resources folder and rename it whatever your [IconName] parameter was replaced by. Finally, edit the [Height] parameter in your original INI file to size the icon.
My dell laptop keyboard is locked. This method allows you to create an icon from any PNG image, so feel free to experiment with your icon’s look. You can even create icons from GIF imagesHow to Use an Animated GIF as Your Desktop Wallpaper With RainmeterHow to Use an Animated GIF as Your Desktop Wallpaper With RainmeterAn animated GIF can make your desktop special. We show you how you can add your favorite GIF as your wallpaper with Rainmeter.Read More as well.
Best of all, you have complete control of the size, image, and location of your icon. Try to be inventive with your icon, perhaps integrating it with your desktop wallpaperMake Your Desktop Stunning With an Interactive Live WallpaperMake Your Desktop Stunning With an Interactive Live WallpaperNothing makes your desktop stand out like a live interactive background. It's also one of the greatest exercises in customizing your Windows setup. We'll show you how to do it easily with Rainmeter.Read More.
Create a Background Icon
The above icon will work, but Rainmeter has a few more tricks up its sleeve. Let’s say you’d like to change your wallpaper, or pop up an image, every time you mouse over an icon. It’s a way to make icons pop out a bit more using Rainmeter.
You can even use the same general format as presented above, except for two key differences: changes to your INI file and an added background folder. First, you’ll have to modify your original INI file to the one below:
There are only two extra parameters in the script above — all else remains the same:
!Active/DeactiveConfig activates a skin. Ensure that you change the following parameter:
When you change the above parameter to your own address, begin at the first (root) folder of your skin. The background.ini parameter tells Rainmeter which file to activate on mouse-over.
Next comes the background folder. In the same folder as your original INI file (SkinsmuoiconsOverwatchIcon in my case) create another folder and name it background. Within this folder, create another INI file and paste the following:
This skin is easy to understand:
Ensure that you change one parameter before continuing on:
Name this INI file background, so its full name is background.ini. In this same folder labelled background, copy and paste the image you want to appear on mouse-over. Your background folder should now have an INI file and an image file. Remember to edit the background.ini file with the name of your image, or it won’t work.
Finally, click Refresh all in your Rainmeter window and load your skin. You could either place a whole background image or a smaller image (using a transparent background) placed in a particular section.
Try to make this overlay or background fit in with your overall desktop setup. In the above instance, my background wallpaper was taken in Japan, so I decided to place the Japanese word for “Overwatch” under my icon.
From Icon to Iconography
Rainmeter is a great customization tool for many different reasons, flexibility is one of them. Learn it, use it, and make it realize your utmost desktop dreams. You might have learned how to make Rainmeter icons from scratch, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg! From live wallpaper to 3D hologramsProject a 3D Hologram on Your Desktop Using RainmeterProject a 3D Hologram on Your Desktop Using RainmeterStill looking for the perfect wallpaper? Let us show you how to add an impressive and moving 3D hologram to your desktop background.Read More, Rainmeter has you covered.
Did you like the walk-through? Which other Rainmeter skins would you like to create? Let us know in the comments below!
Explore more about: Rainmeter, Wallpaper, Windows Customization.
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Complete Guide to Personalize Windows 10 Desktop With Rainmeter with Steps. – Do you like to make your desktop appearance cool and touching? Then you must try Rainmeter thatcan effectively change a Windows 10 desktop look to your lovable one.
By installing Rainmeter, you can follow your system details, notice the disk space, calendar, and many others things on your desktop. It is loaded with tons of configuration options which are very powerful and at the same time effective. So, today we are presenting this guide with a view that you can personalize Windows 10 desktop with Rainmeter.
The guide is divided into various sections and each section is described in steps.
Personalize Windows 10 Desktop With Rainmeter
The first task you need to do is to grab and install the application. After installing the application, we will explain you the few terms that will help you in using the tool. Hence, let us now start with installing the tool.
Installing Rainmeter
Step 1 – First of all, download Rainmeter from its official website. On its web page, you will notice two version, download the Final Release.
Step 2 – Now, run the .exe file and let the installation wizard show up on the screen.
Step 3 – While installing the free tool, ensure to select the box Launch Rainmeter on Startup, else, you have to manually start the application after every restart.
Step 4 – Simply follow the guidelines on the wizard and finish installing Rainmeter.
After installing the Rainmeter, few new things will show up on Windows 10 desktop. You will find their names as Clock, Disk Usage, System, and so on. Well, all these tiny applications that becomes visible on the desktop right after installing the tool are Rainmeter default skin.
Rainmeter is little different with other tools in terms of terms it uses. You will come across some different terms such as Skins, Skin Suites, Layout and many others words. So, let us first clear few of these terms.
Skin – You can easily compare Skins with the term Widgets of Android. In simple words, Skins are small applications that stay on Windows 10 desktop. You can show clock skin, Network skin, System skin, Playlist skin and many other skins on the desktop.
Skin Suites – Skin Creators stores a group of same appearing widgets altogether and call it as Skin Suites. By default, Rainmeter carries a Skin Suite entitled as illustro that appears on the desktop after installing the tool.
Layouts – It determines the location of a skin on the desktop. After personalizing Windows 10 desktop, save it as a layout and use it afterward.
Find and Download Your Skin
Well, if you want to personalize Windows 10 desktop with Rainmeter with some exciting skins, then many sites exists that provides the needful. Sites like DeviantArt, Rainmeter subreddit, Rainmeter Forums have dynamic collections of skins for Windows 10 desktop.
Rainmeter Spotify Player
You can easily download and install skins. For reference, you can read our guide on How to Download and install Jarvis Theme for Windows 10.
After downloading the skins of your choice, there are two procedures to install them. Some skins come in .rmskin file whereas many others come in .zip or .rar archive.
Install .rmskin file
Step 1 – To begin with, navigate to the folder where the download skin is stored. You will notice the skin is in .rmskin format.
Step 2 – Now, just double click the .rmskin file.
Step 3 – Moving ahead, a Rainmeter Skin Installer box will show up on the screen. Some skins are loaded with multiple features, and so, if you don’t want to everything to load at once, deselect the option Load included skins.
Step 4 – After you uncheck the option, Rainmeter will only include them to the list of skins and later on you can manually add to the desktop.
Install .zip or .rar Archive
Step 1 – First of all, download the .zip or .rar file that comprises of all the skins you wish to use.
Step 2 – Next, perform a right-click on the .zip or .rar file. From the list of options that pop-up, select Extract files.
Step 3 – Now, browse to the following location and extract the contents into Skins folder.
DocumentsRainmeterSkins
Step 4 – After extracting the contents, click the Show hidden icons arrow on the taskbar. Now, the Rainmeter icon will be visible.
Step 5 – Finally, do a right-click on Rainmeter icon and select Refresh all. All the new skins will be accessible on your Rainmeter.
Load a New Skin
After completely loading Rainmeter for the first time, illustro suite and some of its skin will be visible on the desktop. So, let us first see how to load more skins of illustro to Personalize Windows 10 Desktop With Rainmeter.
Step 1 – To begin with, perform a right-click on any of the visible skin, for example – DISKS.
Step 2 – A menu with few options will appear, go to illustro. Now, you will notice all the skins under illustro. For example – go to Google and select Google.ini
Step 3 – Finally, the Google skin will appear on the desktop.
Now, let us see the steps to load a skin that you have downloaded.
Step 1 – Click Show hidden icon arrow on the taskbar and locate Rainmeter. Now, do a right-click on Rainmeter and select Manage.
Step 2 – Moving ahead, Manage Rainmeter window will show up on the screen. By default, Skins tab will be open.
Step 3 – On the left side column, all the suites will be visible. Now locate the skin of your choice, for example – Now playing and then select Player.ini
Step 4 – Now, on the right pane, click Load button.
Step 5 – You will notice your selected skin on the desktop.
Unload a Skin
Step 1 – First, locate the skin you wish to clear off from the desktop. Next, right-click on that specific skin.
Step 2 – Few options regarding the skin will show up, select the last option Unload skin.
Alternatively, a skin can be deleted from the desktop using the Manage Rainmeter window.
Step 1 – On the system tray, find Rainmeter icon. Do a right-click on it and click the option Manage.
Step 2 – The Manage Rainmeter window will come across the screen, so select the skin you wish to withdraw from the desktop.
Step 3 – For example – to remove Now Playing skin, select Player.ini option. Then move to the right hand side and click Unload.
Rainmeter Settings of a Skin
To completely personalize Windows 10 desktop with Rainmeter, you have to understand its basic settings. After right-clicking a specific skin, one option will come up as Settings. Let us delve into those handy settings of the skin.
Position – Decide where your skin will appear on the desktop. For example – you can keep one skin on top of another. In short, it defines the position of the skin relative to other skins.
Transparency – This option lets you choose how much glassy you wish to make the skin. Though many skins are little transparent, still if you want to see a little more, you can work on it.
Hide on mouse over – With this option you can hide the specific skin whenever you point the cursor on it.
Draggable – Keep this setting checked so that you can easily relocate the skin at your convenient place. But after placing it at the desired location on the desktop, you can uncheck the option to prevent any accidental replacement.
Save position – If you don’t wish to save the change of the position of a skin, uncheck this option.
Snap to edges – When you are arranging different skins on a line, this setting will help that they are in perfect line.
Click through – When this setting is enabled, you cannot click anything on the skin. This is just like Hide on mouse over. Still, this option lets you see the skin and does not hide it.
Keep on screen – Check this settings and you cannot move the skin out of your screen.
Favorites – This option includes or excludes the current skin in the Favorites list.
Conclusion
For the first time, users usually get confused with Rainmeter. But, once you understand its basic features, it is very easy to follow. Hopefully, now, you will be able to personalize Windows 10 desktop with Rainmeter without any confusion. If you have any problem in understanding the guide, please write to us.
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