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William Devereux's avatar
William Devereux
Icon for Microsoft rankMicrosoft
Jan 21, 2021

Make Microsoft Edge your own with themes

Browsers are very personal. Much of what we do on a computer happens in a web browser, and like anything you use frequently it’s important to be able to make it your own. We’ve heard your requests to...
binaryhelix's avatar
binaryhelix
Copper Contributor
Jan 26, 2021

William Devereux there doesn't seem to be an easy way to switch between 2 custom themes that I have installed without 'reinstalling' one of them. I have scoured the UI to find such an option and have been unable to find it.

 

Edge Installation Information

Version 88.0.705.50 (Official build) (64-bit) running on Windows 10 1909 18363.1256

 

If I go to Settings > Appearance > Custom Theme I see the following microcopy:

Get themes from the Microsoft Edge Add-On Store or other stores. Currently using: Grounded – Ground War.

I cannot find any option within the Appearance UI to change the currently selected custom theme to the other one that I have installed (Halo - Haven)

 

The only way I am able to change the custom theme is by clicking on the hyperlinked microcopy Grounded - Ground War and 'installing' the Halo - Haven custom theme again - even though I had previously 'installed' it.

 

Proposed Solution

 

(1) Insert a drop-down box into the Appearance Settings UI that enables users to switch between installed custom themes.

 

(2) List all installed custom themes when a user visits the Extensions UI, with a heading of Installed Custom Themes and 3 sub-headings:

a. Custom themes installed from the Microsoft Edge Add-ons store

b. Custom themes installed from the Google Chrome Webstore

c. Custom themes installed from other webstores

 

More Context Relating to Confusing UX for Edge Add-ons Theme Page

 

What makes this experience all the more confusing is the microcopy on the Edge Add-ons theme page. The microcopy displayed after I click the Get Theme button is as follows:

Add-on already installed on your browser

 

This implies to the user that the theme has been installed and can be recalled or viewed within the browser UI. This implication is true in a limited sense: The user can only view the currently installed custom theme in the browser UI.

 

If a user 'installs' another custom theme from the Edge Add-ons theme page and returns to the Appearance Settings UI, any themes that were previously 'installed' is no longer visible.

 

This UX is confusing because the implication behind 'installing' something means it is retained or stored within the software.

 

Not being able to view previously 'installed' custom themes results in confusion and user friction.

 

Warmly,

 

Jay from 🌞🌏🦘

 

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