So if you are anything like me you will be a little sick of seeing the same Microsoft blue everywhere you look. Don’t despair I just worked out how to change the appearance (i.e. Skin) of Outlook 2007. It is actually very easy but not obvious – probably why I only discovered it today.
Now you can choose a nice black theme to match your Vista Transformation Pack or Nasa Night Launch theme for Firefox. That rocks!
Outlook Skin Screenshot Black
- Open Word 2007 (you see why it isn’t instantly obvious?)
- Press Word Start
- Select Word Options
- Select Popular Category
- Select Color Scheme – Black
- Press OK
- Close Word
- Open Outlook and there you go – nice dark Outlook!
How obtuse is that! “Change the most popular word options in word” if you can find them! :)
Thanks for the help!
THANKS!
You can do this in any office app. the tricky thing in outlook is that you have to open up an appointment, then click on that appointment start, go to editor options and change the color there. It’s a little out of the way but not so round about as you make it seem
@ Jade
Great to know (also not just an appointment, also a message)! Thanks for adding that. I just hadn’t noticed that the editor was a different menu than the main Outlook menu, one that includes the color options.
i find it useful :)
OP – Thanks for the tip!
wow, thats nice – i hv a cute black outlook matchingmy desktop theme.
OmG thats nice :D
But can I on any way switch the yellow color in the Outlook today to a black one?
s
Thanks! That shitty blue was driving me crazy…
I hear you brother. Black is the new… everything.
wow this is good info lol
tyvm =D
Thank you!! I was wondering how that worked! :)
Thanks for the tip.
It is sad that only 3 color options are available.
Why can’t Office just inherit the global Windows settings? Why does it insist on it’s own frickin’ styling. I don’t like Aero. I can change the settings for Windows to something a little more conventional, but Office insists on using that Aero look whether or not I want it or not. So all windows are the same except those of Office. Incredibly arrogant of Microsoft (or at least the Office developers).
Great tip, not that easy to find the old functions in Word 7. It is not a black screen but dark great and much better contrast. thank you
you don’t need to open word, just create a new email and click the outlook start (upper left icon).
Thank you all a LOT! ;) I would never find it without help ! –)
wow it worked!!
I think going to a free alternative might be better then Office 2007.. I seen this article http://www.technobuzz.net/5-free-office-suites-for-your-pc/ anyone try any of these?
Oh my goodness, thank you soooooo much! That blue was driving me crazy!! I love the new look. Forever grateful…
Right on!
I would never have guessed it
Thanks a lot
FYI:
Color Scheme option is also available inside Outlook:
Tools + Options
Click “Mail Format” Tab
Editor Options
Popular (Choose Color Scheme in the right pannel)
Note:
Color Scheme applies globaly to all Office applications
Cheers
MAQ.
Oh that is so cool. Thanks. Just changed it to black, looks great!!!!!!!
Nice tip. Looks great. Thanks for your time in finding this trick and publishing it for the benefit of others.
I was going to move everything to change the look.
Thanks for your help!
Thanks for the info
I too found the blue too much
Silver is much better
The whole is so cluttered though
Anyway of changing it
Great tip thanks….
NICE! Thanks!!
Aaaaaah, better! Thank you!
Hi,
Thank you, I was tyred of the teenage-girl blue :)
God BLESS YOU!!!!!
i used silver in word and saw no improvement/change in outlook- still 3d bordello pinball machine look.. the black is the ticket!!!
thank u!! that´s great!!
I just tried this on Outlook and Word 2010 and it works like a charm…
Thank You for the post, Kudos :)
exelenteeeeeeeeee
thank oyu for the info =)
Go into word to change Outlook, I never would’ve thought of that. Thanks for posting!
lol, “shitty blue”
yeah it’s too mundane
THANKSSSS!!!
Great tip, very well hidden Microsoft…
Thanks!
Great tip!!
Suuuper easy.
Thanks mucho.
But I want green! Why do they limit it to Blue, Silver, and Black.
yay.. cool thanks!! :D
Great man! Tnx
Thank you so much :)
Hey thanks!
So why did they make it so you have to go through WORD to get to OUTLOOK???
hmmm…
This is crazy… thanks!