apply windows 10 theme with cmd or powershell / programming

Thanks for your reply. I'd rather not use a tool like that. Also my companies firewall blocks anything from winaero. What is interesting is if I simply execute a theme file using CMD it changes the theme, but when I put it in a script, it doesn't work. Sadness.

Thanks! Is there any elegant way to enter audit mode after I've already started to set up my image under the local admin? Do I sysprep /audit without answer file into audit mode, make customizations, then sysprep /oobe /unattend ? Thanks for your help!

I ended up using the solution provided by dalchina, thank you.

a1manarme said:

Hi All,

I develop the company image and I'm trying to apply a theme with wallpaper and accent color. In the Windows 7 days this VBS line worked for me:

WshShell.Run "rundll32.exe %SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL %SystemRoot%\system32\desk.cpl desk @TheMes /Action:OpenTheme /file:""C:\Windows\Resources\Themes\HHMX.deskthemepack"""

However when I run this on Windows 10 it doesn't work. Running the following line opens the theme selection window:

rundll32.exe %SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL %SystemRoot%\system32\desk.cpl desk @TheMes

But the "/Action:OpenTheme" part doesn't work anymore. Does anyone have any suggestions to make this work? Or any other ways. I don't want to lock the theme down with GPO (users complain), and I've tried adding the theme name to my answer file during sysprep, but that also is not working. If anyone has any guidance on apply a theme via an answer file that would be great too. Thanks for any help!

figured this out after my win 7 script failed in 10

#PS
Start-Process "C:\Path\to\yourtheme.theme"
Start-Sleep -s 10
#US english
(New-Object -comObject Shell.Application).Windows() | where-object {$_.LocationName -eq "Personalization"} | foreach-object {$_.quit()}
#UK english
(New-Object -comObject Shell.Application).Windows() | where-object {$_.LocationName -eq "Personalisation"} | foreach-object {$_.quit()}

This is my PowerShell Script that worked well on Windows 10.

Code:

<#  Theme Changer for Windows 10 #>

[String]$path2Theme = "C:\Users\foo\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Themes\bar.theme" # Write a path to your theme here.

$killSystemSettings = $true
if ( (Get-Process | Where-Object { $_.ProcessName -eq "SystemSettings" }) ) {
    Read-Host "Press enter to continue this theme changer script, which redirects the SystemSetting window to the Theme page."
    $killSystemSettings = $false
}

Start-Process $path2Theme

if ( $killSystemSettings ) {
    for ( $i = 0; $i -lt 100; $i++ ){
        $systemSetting = Get-Process | Where-Object { $_.ProcessName -eq "SystemSettings" }
        if ( $systemSetting ) {
            $systemSetting | ForEach-Object { $_.Kill() } # The SystemSetting window may be displayed for seconds before being killed.
            $i = 100
        }
    } # Does anyone know a better way to wait for the Process to start?
}

For someone's information.

Hi all, if you want to change your desktop wallpaper with a Powershell script, there is an easy way.
Maybe it is already known, but I didn't find it on tenforums.
I found it here: Windows 10 – How to Force Refresh of Desktop Wallpaper (without logoff/logon) – Griffon's IT Library

Code:

#-------------------------------------------------------------------#
# ScriptName : SetWall.ps1                                          #
# Description : Force a Desktop wallpaper Refresh                   #
# Credits  : Unknown (if you know original creator, let us know)    #
#                                                                   #
# Date : 01 July 2020                                               #
# https://c-nergy.be/blog/?p=15291                                  #
# how to refresh desktop background image                           #
#-------------------------------------------------------------------#

#Modify Path to the picture accordingly to reflect your infrastructure
$imgPath="C:\Users\xxxx\yyyy\zzzz\my_picture.png"
$code = @' 
using System.Runtime.InteropServices; 
namespace Win32{ 
    
     public class Wallpaper{ 
        [DllImport("user32.dll", CharSet=CharSet.Auto)] 
         static extern int SystemParametersInfo (int uAction , int uParam , string lpvParam , int fuWinIni) ; 
         
         public static void SetWallpaper(string thePath){ 
            SystemParametersInfo(20,0,thePath,3); 
         }
    }
 } 
'@

add-type $code 

#Apply the Change on the system 
[Win32.Wallpaper]::SetWallpaper($imgPath)

Just set the path to your picture at $imgPath and run the script.
The image path can also be something like $imgPath="\\Domain.lab\netlogon\Wallpaper.png"