How to Change the Color and Theme in Chrome

Chrome is one of the most popular browsers, but we can all agree it looks rather boring. The minimal look is okay, but wouldn’t be nice if you could personalize it? You can change the color and theme in Chrome, along with adding your own images to replace the normal white and grey. You can even create custom themes for others to use.

Themes in Chrome Web Store

The most straightforward option is to install a preexisting theme from the Chrome Web Store. You can also access the themes area of the Web Store by opening the Chrome menu and selecting Settings.

Scroll down to the Appearance section and click the arrow beside “Theme Open Chrome Web Store.”

Browse through the store to check out the wide variety of themes available. Select any theme to view more details, such as what’s included, how often it’s updated, and to see reviews from other users. There are thousands of options to choose from, so use the Categories filter and even the Ratings filter to narrow down your options.

When you find one you like, select it and click the “Add To Chrome” button to install it.

It should only take a few seconds before your theme in Chrome changes. When you open a new tab, you’ll see the new background. No matter what site you visit, your tabs and borders keep the new theme.

Remove a Theme in Chrome

If you want something else, you have two options. Go back into Settings and scroll down to Appearance.

Chrome only keeps your current theme. If you want something different, click the arrow beside Theme to visit the Web Store again. When you install a new theme, your old one is replaced.

You can also click Reset to Default beside Theme to reset your theme to its original look. You can always reinstall any theme as long as it’s still available in the Web Store.

Change Colors and Background Image

If you only want to add a background image to new tabs or change the color scheme, open Chrome and click the Edit (pencil) icon at the bottom right.

In the Background tab on the left, you can upload any image you want or choose from a few pre-installed backgrounds.

Choose the Color and Theme section on the left to change the color scheme. You can also uninstall any current theme. Choose from preset color combinations or create your own using the icon with the dropper.

Click Done when you’re finished to exit and enjoy your changes. If you don’t see any of these editing options, update to the latest version of Chrome. Older versions (prior to version 77) don’t have these features enabled. You’d need to enable Chrome flags to use them, but it’s easier to just update.

Create Your Own Theme in Chrome

You can also create your very own Chrome themes. While you can code your own, an easier method is using Theme Beta’s Chrome Theme Creator. It’s a free tool that requires no coding knowledge. Theme Beta also has a variety of Chrome themes to pick from, too.

The Basic tab lets you upload an image, generate compatible colors from it, and create a theme package for you to install. There are directions within the tool on how to use your theme package.

If you want more customization, the Images and Colors tabs give you more control over each element of the theme.

You can preview your changes on the sample Chrome window in the editor. If you don’t like what you see, keeping tweaking your settings until you get it just right.

You can further customize Chrome’s new tabs page to show things like weather and the time using a handy free extension.