First look at Stardock Curtains

Martin Brinkmann
Jul 15, 2020
Software, Windows, Windows 10
|
21

Stardock Curtains is the latest software program for Windows 10 by Stardock, a company known for tools such as the start menu replacement Start10, the desktop unclutterer Fences, or the tab-to-windows-adder Groupy.

Stardock describes Curtains as a way to add "additional styles to Windows" similarly to the dark and light mode styles of the Windows 10 operating system.

Curtains is available for $10.99 from the Stardock website; a free 30-day trial is provided, and the software is compatible with Microsoft's Windows 10 operating system.

Installation of the software program is straightforward, and the free trial requires just an email address that you need to enter after selecting the trial option.

Curtains by Stardock

The program displays the active and available styles in its interface on Start. The default Windows 10 style is listed as well as styles created by Stardock and designers. A click on the "online" tab displays styles that are available on the Internet. These can be downloaded to the system for usage.

The selection of styles that are available is good; you can install Windows XP, Amiga Workbench, Mac OS X, and other styles directly from the interface. Note that trial users are not allowed to download online styles.

Each style is displayed with a preview of the title bar, Start menu icon, and active/inactive tabs. A click activates a new style on the system and Curtains informs you that some programs may need to be restarted before the new style is applied to them as well; this applies to all applications that support dark and light modes of Windows 10.

Styles support light and dark modes, and some additional modes, e.g. to display apps in dark mode but the taskbar in light mode. Users of the program can customize titlebar and taskbar colors for each theme, enable accent colors, and switch backgrounds right from within the Curtains application.

A click on the edit button in the sidebar opens the current theme or a copy of it in the editor. Users may create new themes from scratch as well.

edit style curtains

The editor is very extensive and it is the first time that users come into contact with all the styling options that Curtain styles support.

Tip: you may enable advanced sections in the Editor in the program's Settings.

The editor divides uses tabs to divide editing options. Most tabs, e.g. windows, buttons, or taskbar, contain pulldown menus to select specific elements for styling. The windows tab for example lets you style the window title bar, left, right, and bottom border of the window title bar, the toolbar title bar, and the borders of the toolbar title bar.

windows xp style

The same is true for the taskbar, as you can style the Start button, vertical or horizontal taskbars, taskbar buttons, and more using it.

The backgrounds tab supports adding one or multiple backgrounds to the style, and to enable slideshow functionality to automatically switch wallpapers on the system while the style is active.

Closing Words

Stardock Curtains is a well designed application to apply custom themes to the system. You may use themes provided by Stardock or the community, or create your own themes from within the application. The capabilities of Curtains extends the theme options that users of Windows 10 get extensively.

Now You: do you use default themes/styles on your devices, or custom ones?

Summary
First look at Stardock Curtains
Article Name
First look at Stardock Curtains
Description
Stardock Curtains adds "additional styles to Windows" similarly to the dark and light mode styles of the Windows 10 operating system.
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Ghacks Technology News
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Comments

  1. Anonymous said on March 9, 2023 at 1:52 pm
    Reply

    Does it come back after every “moment” update?

  2. Baloney said on March 9, 2023 at 2:23 pm
    Reply

    Yeah right.. Like this is going to stop defender from running =) This is comedy gold right here.

  3. Anonymous said on March 9, 2023 at 3:25 pm
    Reply

    no ‘about the author’ paragraph?

  4. Gregory said on March 9, 2023 at 4:19 pm
    Reply

    For permanent disable defender is if removed complete from system no just change permission folder.

    Just this is joke.

  5. moi said on March 9, 2023 at 5:57 pm
    Reply

    simpler, load Autoruns (SysInternals)
    – filter “Defender”
    – untag all entries
    – reboot
    nothing has changed since my 1st modification years ago

  6. John G. said on March 9, 2023 at 6:32 pm
    Reply

    I wouldn’t disable Defender imho, it has too many hidden roots inside Windows itself. One time I tried to uninstall it using brute force scripts and then the Onedrive feature stopped working definitely. A reinstallation was needed and since those times I prefer to maintain Defender untouched. It’s a better method to install another antivirus and it will disable Defender in a safer and easier mode (e.g., Avast is the best in this way, and also Panda Cloud Free is good too).

    1. Tweakmaster said on September 29, 2023 at 9:57 am
      Reply

      U are just * [Editor: removed] thats the problem ;p first of all u shall always debloat windows u shall have max 65 services with your drivers for pc and windows own servs. You didnt know what that script did

  7. boris said on March 10, 2023 at 12:19 am
    Reply

    You can not stop defender from running in background or remove it without some penalty. All you can do is to limit telemetry.

    1. TelV said on March 10, 2023 at 4:52 pm
      Reply

      @borts,

      It’s probably Smartscreen which is preventing WD from being disabled. Get rid of that and the problem should be solved: https://thegeekpage.com/disable-windows-defender-smartscreen/#How_to_disable_the_Windows_Defender_SmartScreen_via_Local_Group_Policy_Editor

  8. hoho said on March 10, 2023 at 1:47 pm
    Reply

    Remove Windows and go for Linux.

    1. basingstoke said on March 10, 2023 at 2:51 pm
      Reply

      Linux sucks dude. Besides it’s not comparable to Windows, these OSes are in different classes entirely.

      1. Derp said on March 10, 2023 at 4:36 pm
        Reply

        I use Linux as my daily driver. It’s far more stable than Windows. When’s the last time you used Linux, 2010?

      2. Bromosexual said on March 11, 2023 at 2:04 am
        Reply

        @basingstoke

        You’re right, dude. Bro, linux is just a bunch of code that starts before the OS, dude. Brobrodude, that shit ain’t even got emojis, dudebrodudeman! Dudebro, it’s no way near as cool as Windows with its hardcoded abilities to make money off the user, bro. Yo brodude man, you’re the coolest dude ever man, bro. Dude.

      3. basingstoke said on August 16, 2023 at 7:20 pm
        Reply

        Lol what? Windows 7 doesn’t come with any Emojis

  9. TelV said on March 10, 2023 at 4:46 pm
    Reply

    Download Autoruns and remove the checkmark from Windows Defender. It doesn’t remove it, but it will never run. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/autoruns

  10. Simon said on March 10, 2023 at 8:37 pm
    Reply

    Just use “Defender Control”:
    https://www.sordum.org/9480/defender-control-v2-1/comment-page-1/#comments

    Per this video,
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLIjr7FyxZ8
    it also works on Windows 11 too…

  11. Someone said on March 10, 2023 at 9:26 pm
    Reply

    Win Defender, is completly the most succesful free-built in antivirus of Microsoft. Really nice product. Saved my ass a lot of times. Has updated malware database, completly strong defence
    from whatever smart screen disables. Or if you want better and more upgrated (paid) program,
    you can go further. But defender is always on your side.

  12. CalixtoWVR1 said on March 10, 2023 at 10:03 pm
    Reply

    Why would one disable Windows (or Microsoft) Defender in the first place?. I consider this to be playing with fire big time. Everybody knows that if one is using another A-V, Defender will be disabled on its own and won’t be in one’s way.

  13. Ed D said on March 10, 2023 at 11:09 pm
    Reply

    Why would I want to disable Windows Defender in the first place? It’s a great anti virus in my opinion. Been using it since Windows 8 and and never had a problem or a virus. Why mess with a good thing, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

  14. owl said on August 17, 2023 at 1:57 am
    Reply

    How a ridiculous article!
    I am thoroughly stunned.

    Why Should You Disable First-Party Windows Defender?
    I can only think that it is “malice or perversely intention (want you to buy a third-party AV where you can expect a back margin)” to guide invalidation without showing the premise.
    No sane company will use third-party closed source programs (such as AV).

    As I thought, “Ghacks Technology News” seems to be coming to downfall.

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