As we first reported the existence of a few days ago, Google’s Theme Gallery for Chrome has gone live. On the page, you can find 29 official themes that range from subtle (greyscale) to hideously ugly (legal pad).
Installing them couldn’t be simpler. Just pick the one you like and click on the “Apply theme” button. The theme will download and in the download manager at the bottom of the Chrome browser window, simply select “open.” After you have the new theme installed, you’ll see an option to return to the default theme. If you close that, you can revert in the Preferences area, under “Personal Stuff.”
These themes work on the latest developer builds of both the Windows and Mac versions of Chrome (I haven’t tried out Linux, but I imagine they will work there as well).
It’s nice to have the option to personalize and skin your browser, but most of these themes are way too distracting. And some, like the “Baseball” theme, make seeing tabs almost impossible. They also remind me of my beautiful work of art (pictured below) in creating a new custom theme for Gmail. Can’t wait for Chrome to give us access to make our own themes!
Update: Since some people seem confused, let me reiterate, “the latest developer builds” seem to be required for these themes to work correctly. This is not something Google is touting yet, the gallery site just went live with no fanfare, so use at your own risk.
[thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Anyone else getting an error when trying to install ‘Glossy Blue’?
Yeah I’m getting an error on all the ones I’ve attempted to install.
Yeah, it’s error too for me. It began when it took more than 15 minutes to download…
Me Too… except after finally getting a random theme to install, I am now stuck with the grungy grass background that I cannot get rid of. He He.
Here’s the error if anyone from Google is reading:
http://twitpic.com/csuzg
Not only that, but after applying a theme I can’t log in to Twitpic. I know that sounds insane, but I confirmed the password and I can log in via FireFox right now.
Are you using the latest dev version of Chrome? When I checked for a new version (Wrench->About Google Chrome) there was a new version. Maybe that makes a difference? Themes work fine for me.
I have the latest version of Chrome – 3.0.193.2. The first theme change worked fine. And now when I choose any other theme I get a error message saying “Could not install extension… Invalid value for theme colors – colors must be integers”.
Now I’m not able to change my theme now and I unfortunately chose Baseball the first time. Looks bad. Can’t use Chrome now.
You need the latest Dev version:
http://www.goog...xtra=devchannel
which is the latest at : 3.0.196.2
The default Beta link is only at : 3.0.193.2
and is giving massive issues as you can read below.
Damn…now I’m getting errors on everything. And I can’t get rid of this hideous floral blue theme…. Ack!!!
I can’t click “Apply Theme,” but I can open the file it downloads to install it.
I told it to open the .crx with Chrome and it opened about 1,000 tabs. Good times.
here’s a nice uri:
file:///C:/usr/Download/GlossBlue%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1)%20(1).crx
Here we go. After you close all 462 tabs you’ll see a notice that the themes only work in Chrome 3.0, which is a beta. Maybe one of these days they’ll NIH version detection at the old Googleplex.
It works for me for Chromium/linux 3.0.197.0
Yes i am getting error to…Tints must be decimal Number.
Try asking on http://www.anonboard.com
Boring. Mostly Google again.
The themes gallery gives me an error when I try to install a theme. I’m using the 3.0 beta.
Wow, most of those are really bad
Same feeling here, not very impressed.
I couldn’t find gaundice and bile theme??
*jaundice. And some of the themes are ugly, just like some of the gmail themes are ugly.
My Windows Vista does not know the file extension. So much for easy!
Nice QA google
I’m astonished Google is doing themes, they are always so tight on what things should look like.
Google Chrome now looks like a MySpace page (and that’s not a good thing)
What about gmail themes? It’s no surprise that gmail would make their browser customizable, especially to help convert more ex-Firefox users.
True, didn’t think they were as bad as most of these though.
Instead of working on themes, how about a version for the MAC that works??
Some Apple guy crying about a Mac version. No thread can exist without one.
BTW, it’s called a Mac, not a MAC.
You’re wrong. He want to skin his MAC address so his ethernet card looks prettier.
Baseball theme is ok, but reading the names on the bookmark tab is killing me. And now themes won’t let me go back to classic or other themes. Getting error message. beta beta beta…
For those who are having problems – Options > Personal Stuff > Reset to default theme should help.
Didn’t work for me.
worked for me. good call, thanks!
Gosh… I almost uninstalled Chrome after trying 10 times to go back to any other theme than the ugly floral blue one.
Thanx for todd sharp for the tip !
Now… time for google to hire a serious designer and produce some descent themes. I mean… common!
Worked for me! Thanks.
ok someone at google should test this.
Step-1: download the .crx
step-2: Open the .crx file with google chrome
step-3: Kill chrome because now you are stuck in an infinite loop in which the .crx file tries to open itself again and again and again……..
Make sure you’ve got the latest dev version of Chrome. That might make a difference.
What he said: http://www.goog...xtra=devchannel
todd sharp, you’re my gyro. thank you. spared me a trip to the opthamologist
Glad to help
why so much excitement for nothing. GMail has changed font size for the email text. Go celebrate.
works perfect on the dev channel build. and MC, I totally knocked off your mail theme.
I’m on 3.0.193.2 – is that not the latest build?
3.0.196.2 is the latest on the dev channel.
http://www.goog...xtra=devchannel
So this is the browser that will dominate the world according to google?
C’mon lets be serious. What a piece of junk.
Errors… errors… errors…
Vista and Windows 7 users need not apply. None of the themes keeps the native glass around the window, and they all look really out of place (not to mention the themes are just hideous to begin with).
Given the quality of these themes, it is becomes apparent that Google is literally competing with Microsoft. Including for the amount of bugs delivered.
Themes have become news these days. Pathetic.
I like the texture of Folders (manilla)
Works great on Ubuntu 9.10 with the daily Chromium build, there’s even an button in the options to Get Themes which takes you to the gallery.
There is also a button to adopt the native theme of your current desktop.
Epic Fail Google. Nice QA
WOW!!! What an amazing feature! It is so much cooler than FireFox’s themes feature and years ahead of Windows’s theme and color combinations features.
I got to give it to Google – they definitely know how to hype features. How about giving us features like a plug-in architecture? How about giving us the ability to customize the useless toolbar?
No… color combinations are the big thing…
“I got to give it to Google – they definitely know how to hype features”
What are you talking about? The only place I’ve even heard anything about this is here on TechCrunch. I’m sure Google will blog about the ability to customise the browser, but I’d hardly call them out for hyping features.
So some of them are ugly. Big deal! I quite like zen-garden. It’s just another feature added to an already great browser that is no doubt an exercise in demonstrating the flexibility of the build. I’m sure you’ll be able to add your twitter status to the toolbar soon, just be patient.
There’s a theory over at davidnaylor.co.uk that techcrunch.com is Google’s cheerleader…the blog suggest payments are made.
When techcrunch publish “news” of new themes for Chrome browser, with just about only positive news regarding anything Google-wise, you have to wonder.
You say cheerleader, I say “bitch”. Yeah. I said it.
Hey, there it is, the transparent theme I asked for.
Everyone, check out this screenshot: http://ioj.com/v/4ixp4 …that’s the TOS they have you fill out. Notice how they have that checkbox at the bottom to approve google taking your data where the checkbox to approve the TOS is meant to be. The button that says “Accept & Install” already accepts the TOS.
Google’s most obviously trying to be sneaky here and use the convention of the checkbox used to accept the TOS to get more user data.
James, the first thing is says is “Optional.” And it says that in bold. And it’s unchecked by default.
Please learn to read.
I haven’t tried to install google chrome. I have been afraid to. I think I am going to wait a bit until the bugs are worked out.
wow … those are really ugly
they dont install on windows 7…even with the latest chrome
BOOOOO-urns
Most of those are really ugly, for shame Google
I’ve had great success farting gold nuggets than installing these themes.
Funny .. I am getting following error
—————————
Extension error
—————————
Could not install extension from ‘C:\Documents and Settings\pooran.prasad\My Documents\Downloads\ZenSpring.crx’. Invalid value for theme colors – colors must be integers
—————————
OK
—————————
Same error here. latest version of chrome, with Vista.
same here
Read above, you need the latest developer version.
Open a million windows and crashes browser. Epic fail.
OK – it helps if I read the post. The themes work perfectly on the *dev channel* build. I had always assumed the ‘beta’ channel was bleeding edge, but it’s different.
MG – might want to update the post with a link to the dev channel:
http://www.goog...xtra=devchannel
right, as I say in there:
“the latest developer builds”
i’ll try to make that more clear, but it’s in there.
Hrm. Google’s 20 something themes or Firefox’s thousands of Personas.
Not a difficult choice. http://www.getp...ery/All/Popular
heh.
MG, I’m assuming you found this by checking to see that the url was live? It’s not as if Google has announced this yet. You might want set expectations that this is a bleeding-edge feature you found by poking around, not one that’s officially supported by Google yet.
If you’re having issues, are you running the dev version of Chrome? I’m guessing that stable/beta versions don’t work with this gallery. To switch to the dev version of Chrome, follow the instructions at http://dev.chro...ved/dev-channel
If you’re still having trouble, make sure that you have the most recent dev version of Chrome. If you click on the Wrench and then About Google Chrome, the latest version of Chrome should be downloaded (for stable or beta or dev, whatever channel you’re on). I’m running 3.0.192.2 and not having any problems with themes on Windows XP, for example.
sure, as i noted in a comment above, I do have in there “the latest developer builds” – but i will try to make that more clear.
Who gives a s**t about themes? And please someone tell me, why is this worthy of anyone’s attention. Fugly themes are a distraction.
Most people (in the know) use browser for functionality, not for looks, so themes for Chrome may lesser eye damage caused by default fugly blue theme..
In fact, they should work on real, useful and functional add-ins Firefox style instead of stupid themes.
Do you write real news?
Google understands human factors and usability, but wow are they blind when it comes to style and aesthetics. Their products are some of the ugliest things on the internet. Everything they do is ass ugly. Perhaps only Ebay can dream up worse looking UI’s.
Give me something that’ll beat Firefox’s “Groovy Blue”, and only then will i THINK of switching!
Some pretty cool color themes.
Themes for Google Chrome? hmm, let me see.. thanks for the links TC.
It’s about time. I was getting sick of staring at the same old thing.
not working, something about invalid numerals pops up. Damn
guess it doesnt work with Win 7. >.<
Same here, windows xp.
All the theme files contain invalid color values (must be integers).
I’m getting errors on most of them, but it let me install the Candy theme….. I’m still recovering
8x BLAH
A Mac version would do for me !!!!
MG, I think you should put a larger notification saying it cannot work for most people. It opened almost a billion tabs when I tried installing….
Cheers!
I quite like them =0)
Currently trying out “desktop”.
Shame that Transparent isn’t really so …
Works perfectly on the Mac dev build.
I’ve never seen so many idiots commenting before. YOU NEED THE LATEST DEV BUILD. Jesus.
Granted I work for Brand Thunder and have a slight bias because we design interactive themes for top brands (www.brandthunder.com/gallery). But I think we are going to see Google more attention to this as themes are becoming a growing trend. Our end users are adopting our themes left and right, so Google has decided to take advantage of what end users want, the ability to customize look and feel. I definitely think they have a LONG way to go, but I don’t see them backing down anytime soon. We’ll be seeing more and more of this coming from Google in no time.
Guys who are getting errors as we are using Google Chrome 2.0.172.39 stable verison.Juck check in about Google Chrome from wrench button.Those Themes were released for developer versions of Google chrome 3.0 which are still in beta.We have to wait for themes to arrive for current stable version of Google chrome.
u need not wait for themes to arrive for current stable version.. u should wait for 3.0 to get stable..
lol..