Soluții

How to Get Custom Themes on Windows 10 (with Stardock Curtains)

WhatIs Stardock Curtains?

Curtains is a software utility that allows you to customize Windows 10’s appearance with styles that change the look of window borders, interface buttons, and the taskbar with different themes. For example, you can make Windows 10 look a lot like other operating systems, such as Windows XP or OS/2, or you can install a completely novel theme that suits your taste.

A selection of styles available in Stardock Curtains

As of this writing, Curtains is commercial software that costs $9.99, but Stardock also offers a free 30-day trial that allows you to give it a test drive. It’s also included with Stardock’s more expensive Object Desktop suite, which offers other useful utilities like Fences for organizing your desktop icons.

We’ve been fans of Stardock’s utilities for years. The company’s utilities are great if you want to spend a bit of money for a more customizable tweakable Windows desktop.

What You Can Do with Stardock Curtains

If you want a change from Windows 10’s default look and feel, Curtains is a very easy-to-use reliable way to make your desktop look new (or old!).

Curtains packs a great deal of novelty factor, because it can make Windows 10 superficially resemble obsolete operating systems like Windows XP, IBM OS/2, Amiga Workbench, classic Mac OS, and more.

Stardock Curtains IBM OS/2 Style

Each style often comes with an in-theme desktop wallpaper. For example, the Windows XP style includes a “green hills” photo similar to the one that shipped with XP and also a Windows XP logo.

Stardock Curtains Windows XP Theme

There’s also a really neat monochrome Macintosh style, which rings lots of nostalgia bells for anyone who grew up with a classic Mac.

Stardock Curtains Classic Macintosh Style

With the full version of the Curtains software, you can download styles created by others or create custom styles yourself and share them with others online. Very neat.

Stardock Curtains Style Editor

How Do I Get it?

If you’re interested, download Curtains from Stardock’s website and install it. It’s very intuitive and easy to use, and it works with Chrome and Edge as well as many other standard Windows apps. You’ll have a 30-day trial at first, but you can purchase it at any time.

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How to Set an App Time Limit on iPhone and iPad

Screen Time Settings

With the arrival of iOS 12, Apple made a big song and dance about digital wellbeing. The App Limits feature that came with it lets lock apps after a given amount of time. Here’s how it works.

App Limits is precisely what it sounds like; it limits the amount of time you can spend using a particular app. You specify the apps (or whole categories of apps) and iOS will refuse to launch them when you’ve reached the allotted time. It’s great for limiting how much time children spend on apps like YouTube, for example, but can also help you if you struggle setting limits on things like your social media addiction.

By the way, even after you reach an App Limit, you can override it by entering a passcode. That means you will never be locked out of your apps completely (unless you don’t know the code), but setting the limit still might be enough to give you pause when opening Instagram for the millionth time at 3 am.

How to Set an App Limit for a Specific App

To kick things off, open the Settings app and then tap “Screen Time.”

Tap Screen Time

You’ll see a graph at the top of the next screen. Either tap the graph or the “All Devices” option directly above it.

Tap All Devices

Scroll down to the list of apps you’ve been using and then tap the app for which you want to set a new limit.

Tap the app you want to limit

Tap the “Add Limit” button at the bottom of the screen.

Tap Add Limit

Finally, set a time limit by scrolling the hours and minutes. If you’d like to set a limit for different days of the week, tap “Customize Days.”

Select a time limit

Tap “Add” to apply the changes and set the app limit.

Tap Add

How to Set an App Limit for a Whole Category of Apps

Again, the process starts in the Settings app. Tap “Screen Time” to view all settings related to digital wellbeing.

Tap Screen Time

Next, tap “App Limits.”

Tap App Limits

Tap “Add Limit.”

Tapp Add Limit

Tap to select any categories for which you want to create a new limit and then tap “Next” to continue.

Select categories, tap Next

Select the time limit you would like to apply and again, if you want to set different limits for specific days, tap “Customize Days.” Tap “Back” when complete.

Select a time limit

You’re all set, and you can set additional limits if you want, too.

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