MSSTYLES is a Microsoft file format, that contains the bitmaps and metadata for the Windows XP skinning engine.

The engine, in its un-modified state, only fully applies .msstyles files that have been digitally signed by Microsoft such as Luna or the Zune theme. The default Windows XP style is known as Luna, but additional custom-made styles are available on the internet - however few are digitally signed. Four other signed styles include Royale (Media Center Edition) (Energy Blue), Royale Noir, Windows Embedded Standard CTP Refresh, and the Zune Style.

Custom-made styles can be used using different methods, including the UXTheme.dll patch available from many different places on the Internet.

Windows Vista also uses .msstyles files for skinning, however the format of these files is completely different, so .msstyles files are not transferable between Windows Vista and Windows XP.

There is a manual way to replace three DLL files (uxtheme.dll, shsvcs.dll and themeui.dll) to use un-signed custom visual styles in Windows Vista.

External links

• Patched file repository

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