Vista Tutorial - Color Scheme - Allow or Prevent Change

Information

This will show you how to allow or prevent the Color Scheme in the Apearance Settings window to be changed for all users. By default, the color scheme is allowed to be changed.

NOTE

This is for the Windows Aero (All Vista editions except Home Basic), Windows Vista Standard (Only the Vista Home Basic edition), Windows Vista Basic, Windows Standard, Windows Classic, High Contrast White, High Contrast Black, High Contrast #2, and High Contrast #1 color scheme options depending on your edition of Vista.

• How to Change the Color Scheme in Vista
• How to Change the Advanced Appearance Settings in Vista
• Theme - Add or Remove Option

NOTE

This method is only available for the Vista Business, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions. See Method Two below for the Vista Home Basic and Home Premium editions.

1. Open the Local Group Policy Editor.

2. In the left pane, click on User Configuration, Administrative Templates, Control Panel, Display, and Desktop Themes. (See screenshot below)

3. In the right pane, right click on Prohibit Theme color selection and click on Properties. (See screenshot above)

4. To Allow Color Scheme Change -

A) Select (dot) Disabled or Not Configured and click on OK. (See screenshot below step 5A)

B) Go to step 6.

5. To Prevent Color Scheme Change -

A) Select (dot) Enabled and click on OK.

6. Close the Local Group Policy Editor window. Your done.

NOTE

This will work for all Vista versions.

Through a Download:

1. To Allow Color Scheme Change -

A) Click on the download button below to download the
Allow_Color_Scheme_Change.reg file.

B) Go to step 3.

2. To Prevent Color Scheme Change -

A) Click on the download button below to download the
Prevent_Color_Scheme_Change.reg file.

3. Click on Save, and save the .reg file to the Desktop.

4. Right click on the .reg file (on Desktop) and click on
Merge.

5. Click on the Run button in the Security Warning pop-up.

6. Click on Continue (UAC), Yes, and then on OK when prompted.

7. When done, you can delete the .reg file (On Desktop).

The Manual Way:

1. Open the Start Menu.

2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type regedit and press Enter.

3. Click on the Continue button in the UAC prompt.

4. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
NOTE: If System is not here, then right click on Policies and click on New and Key. Type System and press Enter.

5. To Prevent Color Scheme Change -

A) In the right pane, right click on a empty area and click on New and on DWORD (32-bit) Value. (See screenshot above)

B) Type NoColorChoice and press Enter.

C) Right click on NoColorChoice and click on Modify. (See screenshot below)

D) Type 1 and click OK. (See screenshot below)

E) The registry will now look like this. (See screenshot below)

F) Go to step 7.

6. To Allow Color Scheme Change -

A) In the right pane, right click on NoColorChoice and click on Delete. (See screenshot above)

B) Click on Yes to confirm deletion.

7. Close regedit.