Here is a selection of the best minimalist themes and skin packs for making your desktop elegant.
But First, How Do You Install Themes and Skin Packs?
When looking for customizations to Windows 10, it is important to note that the terms theme and skin pack are often used interchangeably.
A theme could simply be a collection of wallpapers or contain accent color changes, sounds, icons, and more. Something described as a theme could, in fact, be a skin pack. A standard theme is unlikely to change anything that can’t be altered using the Windows Customize settings.
A skin pack will usually make many more changes to the UI. It may include custom icons, and style changes to the Explorer, Taskbar, and Menus. As well as wallpapers and color changes. Skin packs often patch the UI and, occasionally, can cause problems with the Windows OS.
We strongly recommend you create a Restore Point before installing any skin pack or patching the Windows UI. Also, you should also always check that the skin pack is compatible with your version of Windows 10. As such, be sure to check which version of Windows 10 you are using before downloading a theme.
Simplify 10
There are several versions of the Simplify 10 theme included in this bundle, but we think the Light Pack version is the most elegant. All the main elements are flattened and simplified, with most of the extraneous lines and separators removed from Windows Explorer. There is still some color to be found, including in the attractive wallpapers, but everything is kept low-key. Simplify 10 isn’t free, but at just $7 for 12 different themes, it’s not a bad deal.
Minimalist Theme
The Minimalist theme is actually just a collection of wallpapers. But if you want to start building your own minimalist Windows theme using the standard customizing tools, this is a great place to start. The wallpapers all follow a dark theme, with a small visual element to add a bit of interest. Pair them with a dark accent color scheme, set to automatically match the wallpaper, for a great look.
OBLIQ VS 10
If you want your minimalism bright with a splash of color, OBLIQ VS 10 could be the ideal customization pack for you. All the main UI elements are simplified, and you get new icons and a fresh menu style. But even though the overall look is white and clean, all the key elements feature a splash of color. This varies from the stripe along the bottom of your open windows to color accents on the Taskbar.
Oxford
The Oxford skin pack goes about the whole minimalist thing in a different way than most. Instead of muting the colors and adding a simple desktop wallpaper, it concentrates on simplifying the Windows Explorer and menus. By removing borders, separators, and other style elements, Oxford brings simplicity and elegance without drastic visual changes.
Nemo
This dark Windows 10 skin pack changes and simplifies several key OS elements, including Windows Explorer, menus, and desktop UI elements. The changes to the Taskbar are particularly effective and really help the overall style. The dominant color accent is an attractive blue. Combined with the dark background for windows and menus, and the muted desktop wallpaper, the result is elegant and different.
Grey Eve
Grey Eve is possibly the ultimate minimalist theme for Windows 10. It changes every main element of the OS to a shade of grey, including the Windows Explorer, menus, windows, folders, and the desktop wallpaper. Text, borders, and separators are picked out in white, giving your open windows and menus a distinct and classy look. It looks a bit like a Windows high-contrast theme, and could arguably be used as such, just with a lot more style!
Dragoon
While the name might not scream minimalism, Dragoon is a beautiful minimalist theme. It introduces several UI changes, from simplifying Windows Explorer to adding new icons for folders, etc. It even changes the minimize/maximize buttons, giving them a distinctly macOS-style makeover. It has light or dark versions and includes lots of wallpaper files to choose from. Dragoon takes a bit of work to get installed and requires several bits of software.
Minim VS
Windows 10 skin packs don’t get much more elegant or simple than Minim VS. The Explorer, icons, and menus in this theme all get subtly customized, yet everything is still clearly Windows 10. It definitely leans towards grey tones, so it might not be for you if you like a bit of color in your minimalism. But if you want a theme that looks classy, simple, and clean, this is the one.
Numix
Numix is a minimalist theme that manages to remain interesting. Quite a few of the UI elements are changed, but not to the same degree as some other themes/skin packs in this list. The main change is to Windows Explorer, making any open window a much more pleasant thing to look at. The sometimes subtle alterations might be hard to spot at first, but the overall effect is undeniably elegant.
Simple
Another great collection of simple, minimalist wallpapers. Unlike the Minimalist theme wallpaper set, these vary between dark and light. Many of the wallpapers are geometric in style, and several include a small splash of color. On a desktop clear of icons and folders, these simple and elegant wallpapers will give Windows 10 a minimalist look without having to patch the UI or install any new software.
Customizing Windows Without Adding a Theme
The themes and skin packs listed here will give Windows 10 a completely new look. But they often require extra software to be installed, and can occasionally hamper performance. If you prefer, you can use the built-in Windows customization settings to create your own minimalist theme.
Minimalist Windows 10 Themes
There is no reason why your Windows 10 computer needs to look like everyone else’s. Changing to a minimalist theme or skin pack will not only look better but can also improve usability by removing some UI distractions. Just remember to create a restore point before you make any major visual changes to Windows 10.
