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I want to change my Chrome theme from time to time. But whenever I download a theme in Chrome, it installs it and the downloaded file is missing from the destination.

I want to maintain a collection of the theme files (.crx) so that I will be able to alternate between them.

I am using Windows XP.

10 Answers 10

11

I have figured out this way that works. It seems that the file goes poof when you try to hoard themes. Once a theme is downloaded into the folder it is given a name like "asdsdfscsdfsdfsdfd". I copy that folder to another place on my computer and rename it.

Whenever you want to switch themes you can replace it into the original location. (There must be an easier way though)

The themes are located here(at least on my machine)(Win 7)

C:\Users\<UserName>\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions

I was unable to navigate to AppData and had to manually type the directory into the window.

I came across this. Which mentions the link for XP is

C:\Documents and Settings\<UserName>\Local Settings\Application\ Data\GoogleChromeApplication0.2.149.27Themes

Here the link to the page. (Maybe theres some info for a better way.)

Google Chrome Themes

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  • edited answer to include a semi solution?
    – sealz
    Jul 14, 2011 at 14:54
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Another piece of the puzzle: I edited the image c:\Users\denish\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ipihgjdhjoldhpfpmiiimpnmohpfhkcm\1_0\images\theme_ntp_background.png but the theme still showed the original image until I deleted ...\1_0\Cached Theme.pak.

Also, you can bookmark themes' pages in the Chrome Web Store.

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  • +1 for the No plugin solution. This works to replace the wallpaper you want but falls back to default theme (name of the original theme doesn't change) on some wallpapers.
    – karthik101
    Jan 3, 2019 at 19:10
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For Windows 7, go to the file path mentioned before ==> C:\Users\\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions

Once in there, the hard part begins if you have a lot of apps. Open each folder and/or sub folder and just look for some image files. It is the easiest way to tell what app the folder is for because you will see some icon images or .png images.

I opened up a folder called "mgihmkgobaljfehcadcckdggpeojaadh" and a sub folder called "images" and right away saw my theme picture. Somewhere in that main folder ("mgihmkgobaljfehcadcckdggpeojaadh") for the app is a file called "manifest.json". Open it with notepad, but don't change anything in there. Look for "name": "(your theme name here)", (it is usually on line 4) and you will see the name of your theme! Mine was "name": "Into The Mist",

No need to copy the big long app code name and paste it into your browser.

Hope this helps!

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  • I am upvoting it because it gave some crucial info which even the right answer didn't give. Although I am still not able to find out my theme! :(
    – Mohit
    Apr 2, 2013 at 10:35
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I found this Google Chrome Plugin that lets you actually save the .crx files of themes and extensions.

Give Me CRX - Chrome Web Store

  1. Install the plugin.
  2. Find the theme store page.
  3. Right click and select "Get CRX of this extension"
  4. Then it opens a new page with a link to download it.
  5. Right click on the link, and select "Save link as..."

I hope this helps!

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This doesn't work on the main chrome theme site cause they have some weird re-direct thing going on but if you right-click on the link and click save-as, you should be able to save the .crx file itself rather than running it.

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I found this way and I think is the most easy one (at this time at least). This method works only for the active theme:

  1. Open a new Tab in Google Chrome (if the new Tab isn't the Chrome's home page, then type: chrome://newtab)
  2. Right click somewhere at the background
  3. Click "Inspect" or press Ctrl+Swift+I
  4. Locate "Sources" Tab and navigate to it
  5. On the left side, locate the category "theme" and extend it
  6. You should see some files like:IDR_THEME_NTP_BACKGROUND**?** some_text
  7. Copy the text after the "?"
  8. Navigate to Google Chrome installation Folder (usually: "C:\Users\ your_username\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions")
  9. Now make a search with the text you copied earlier. The result of the search should be the folder of our current active theme of Google Chrome.
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The name of the theme inside of your AppData\Local folder is in the URL from the chrome web store. For example :https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/robot-theme-inspired-by-a/oeljdmeofcikjblcoehpmdnooimalbmj

would be oeljdmeofcikjblcoehpmdnooimalbmj

Hope this helps!

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It's been changed to support user profiles. Here's the new location:

C:\Users\<User Name>\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Profile <#>\Extensions

The default profile number is 1, but yours may be different depending how many profiles you have and which one you want to access.

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The easiest way I found out how to do this on mac is:

  1. go to the site where your theme is that you want

  2. download it

  3. click on the down arrow on the right of the download and click show in folder

  4. drag .crx file to desktop

  5. go to your google docs

  6. create folder for themes ("THEMES")

  7. drag the .crx files from desktop to the THEMES folder (which should download to the folder)

  8. you are done and they are saved, then the apply theme

  9. repeat steps 1-4 to download more

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****Save to Favorites**** I Found its easier to create a folder called themes in my bookmarks and save the page there so when ever i feel like a change i just go into the said folder an choose one ive previously saved.

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