Winstep Xtreme is a software package for changing the Windows interface. Winstep Xtreme is a software package for changing the Windows interface Themes for nexus winstep mac os

DesktopX is a program that lets users build their own desktops. It does this by giving users access to desktop objects. These objects can come in all sizes and shapes. They can have scripts attached to them, they can be combined together to form mini applications or turned into an entire desktop.

Publisher: Stardock Corporation
Developer: Stardock Corporation

Stardock DeskScapes is a program that allows users to have animated wallpaper on their Windows 8, Windows 7, XP or Vista desktop. It supports playing video as animated wallpaper, dynamically generated content as animated wallpaper, and more.

Publisher: Stardock Corporation
Developer: Stardock Corporation
Genre: Object Desktop

IconPackager is a program that allows users to change nearly all of their Windows icons at once by applying "packages" of icons. A package of icons contains icons to replace most of the common icons on your Windows PC.

Publisher: Stardock Corporation
Developer: Stardock Corporation
Genre: Object Desktop

LogonStudio is a free program that allows users to change their Windows 7, Vista and XP logon screens. It comes with several logon screens to choose from, along with thousands that are available online.

Publisher: Stardock Corporation
Developer: Stardock Corporation
Genre: Object Desktop

Publisher: Stardock Corporation
Developer: Stardock Corporation
Genre: Object Desktop

ObjectDock™ is a program that enables users to organize their shortcuts, programs and running tasks into an attractive and fun animated Dock. By allowing users to have more control over how they organize their desktop, users can take control of their desktop icons and shortcuts to have them be available when where and how they need them.

Publisher: Stardock Corporation
Developer: Stardock Corporation
Genre: Object Desktop

Rainmeter allows you to display customizable skins on your desktop, from hardware usage meters to fully functional audio visualizers.

You are only limited by your imagination and creativity.

Rainmeter is open source software distributed free of charge under the terms of the GNU GPL v2 license.

Microsoft Windows® 8 is shipped without the "Start" menu. Stardock heard the cries from Windows 8 users. We put the "Start" menu back in Windows 8. We accurately recreated the most used desktop feature billions of users depend on every day and packed it with additional functionality.

Publisher: Stardock Corporation
Developer: Stardock Corporation
Genre: Object Desktop

Theme Manager is a program that changes the look and feel of the entire Windows environment. It works by talking to existing desktop enhancement programs and then applying a MyColors or Suite file. In short, Theme Manager is a front-end to other desktop enhancement programs to simplify the user experience.

W instep Xtreme is a software package for changing the Windows interface from the developer Winstep Software Technologies . Creator of a well-known program among customization enthusiasts Winstep Nexus , which implements an animated dock panel in the Windows environment similar to the one that comes with MacOS, in the selection Winstep Xtreme offers a range of programs to transform the appearance of the Microsoft operating system and improve its usability.

The current version of the Winstep Xtreme package at the time of writing 16.9 ten stylish design themes include add-on modules:

—Nextstart– menu alternative "Start" and Windows taskbar;

—Workshelf– functional add-on for the desktop;

-Nexus– the mentioned dock panel for quick access to the necessary applications and files;

– information blocks similar to Windows 7 gadgets.

– the product is paid, but on the official website of the program for testing you can download it for free 30 days Trial-version. Let's take a closer look at the functionality of Winstep Xtreme.

Provides an alternative menu "Start" And taskbar module Nextstart by default, it completely replaces only the last one. The taskbar and system tray have a slightly changed order of icon placement and their own options in the context menu. But in general the taskbar Nextstart carried out without any major changes. Here's the menu "Start" Nextstart does not replace the usual system one, but is built in next to it, or rather, in front of it.

In the alternative menu "Start" We also won’t see anything radically new. Nextstart offers a neat menu with a different menu from the regular one "Start" in any version of Windows by the organization. The Nextstart menu provides quick access to important system functions and installed programs. Nextstart menu customizable: using included in the package applications Winstep Start Menu Organizer menu items can be added to groups provided by the program (software categories) . And the module version allows you to create custom menu groups.

In addition to grouping programs in the menu , and organizational settings can be applied to both the menu itself and the taskbar. Access to them is provided in the context menu called up on the taskbar or on the button "Start" Nextstart.

For the menu you can customize transparency, animation, behavior, etc.

The Nextstart taskbar settings provide the ability for it to work next to the native Windows taskbar, displaying it in Windows style XP, flexible adjustment of icon size, detaching the system tray, etc.

The settings you make to the Start menu and Nextstart taskbar can be captured in a backup copy for the purpose of later restoration in the event of a failure of the program or Windows itself. It is possible to return the settings to their original state.

2. Workshelf add-on

Workshelf add-on- This is a pop-up quick access panel divided by tabs and sections to Windows functions, installed programs, and individual options of the add-on itself. Workshelf is intended as an alternative to the Windows desktop and is something of a structured dock panel.

In chapter "Basic" we will get access to options Workshelf– clock widgets, battery widgets, applications for tracking RAM load, battery charge, Internet traffic, etc. Sections "Desktop" , "Recent" , "Documentation" , "Quick Start" designed to simplify access to frequently used programs and files. You can add new programs and files to the existing objects of these sections, customizing the panel to your preferences. In chapter "Processes" currently running applications are displayed. The panel can be supplemented with your own tab sections. A separate section on the Workshelf panel implements a choice of design themes that applies to all modules .

The add-in is attached by default to the bottom of the screen, above the Nextstart taskbar. But in the Workshelf settings, called up by the button on the left side of the panel, you can choose a different location.

Same as the previous module Nextstart, Workshelf also provides many options for fine-tuning the behavior of the panel, the ability to backup and restore settings, as well as reset them to their original state. Moreover, in the Workshelf settings there is functionality for backing up and resetting settings both specifically for this module and for all other modules . When you reset the settings for all modules, the appearance of the system will be the same as it was delivered immediately after installing the Winstep Xtreme package.

3. Nexus Dock

Nexus is a multi-level animated dock panel for quick access to your most frequently used applications and files with customizable designs and effects.

In settings called using the context menu or the button "Nexus", the position of the dock panel, its behavior, appearance, effects are configured. Nexus is a more independent module than other components of the package For the dock panel, you can choose your own theme, different from the theme of other add-ons. Moreover, a much larger list of design themes for the dock panel is available than the dozen pre-installed themes for other modules. Plus, additional themes for the dock panel can be downloaded from the developer’s website by following the link from the Nexus settings.

Comes with a selection of widgets by type gadgets Windows 7 - mini-applications that display on the desktop the clock, weather, processor and RAM load, network traffic, battery charge, information about new email messages.

In the context menu called on any of the widgets, we will have access to their settings. Winstep Xtreme's widgets include the useless but entertaining Wanda the Fish widget. When you click on a floating fish, catchphrases and quotes from famous people will appear on the screen, although only in English.

5. Font viewer

The Winstep Xtreme package also includes a module - a simple font viewer without the ability to use them.

6. About the product in general

– the software product is not for every user, it is rather for everyone. Winstep Xtreme is an opportunity to change the boring Windows design, customize access to frequently used software and data, and work with a different organization of individual system functionality. Of course, not everyone will need such opportunities. Only for those who spend a lot of time at the computer. Or who is not satisfied with Microsoft's vision of how the operating system should be structured. Among the advantages of Winstep Xtreme are active developer support, saving settings and restoring them on another Windows device or after reinstalling the system, low demands on computer resources, and the ability to disable individual modules.

Winstep Xtreme package is compatible with all versions of Windows starting from 2000.

Download the trial version of Winstep Xtreme 16.9 from the official website.

DesktopX is a program that lets users build their own desktops. It does this by giving users access to desktop objects. These objects can come in all sizes and shapes. They can have scripts attached to them, they can be combined together to form mini applications or turned into an entire desktop.

Publisher: Stardock Corporation
Developer: Stardock Corporation

Stardock DeskScapes is a program that allows users to have animated wallpaper on their Windows 8, Windows 7, XP or Vista desktop. It supports playing video as animated wallpaper, dynamically generated content as animated wallpaper, and more.

Publisher: Stardock Corporation
Developer: Stardock Corporation
Genre: Object Desktop

IconPackager is a program that allows users to change nearly all of their Windows icons at once by applying "packages" of icons. A package of icons contains icons to replace most of the common icons on your Windows PC.

Publisher: Stardock Corporation
Developer: Stardock Corporation
Genre: Object Desktop

LogonStudio is a free program that allows users to change their Windows 7, Vista and XP logon screens. It comes with several logon screens to choose from, along with thousands that are available online.

Publisher: Stardock Corporation
Developer: Stardock Corporation
Genre: Object Desktop

Publisher: Stardock Corporation
Developer: Stardock Corporation
Genre: Object Desktop

ObjectDock™ is a program that enables users to organize their shortcuts, programs and running tasks into an attractive and fun animated Dock. By allowing users to have more control over how they organize their desktop, users can take control of their desktop icons and shortcuts to have them be available when where and how they need them.

Publisher: Stardock Corporation
Developer: Stardock Corporation
Genre: Object Desktop

Rainmeter allows you to display customizable skins on your desktop, from hardware usage meters to fully functional audio visualizers.

You are only limited by your imagination and creativity.

Rainmeter is open source software distributed free of charge under the terms of the GNU GPL v2 license.

Microsoft Windows® 8 is shipped without the "Start" menu. Stardock heard the cries from Windows 8 users. We put the "Start" menu back in Windows 8. We accurately recreated the most used desktop feature billions of users depend on every day and packed it with additional functionality.

Publisher: Stardock Corporation
Developer: Stardock Corporation
Genre: Object Desktop

Theme Manager is a program that changes the look and feel of the entire Windows environment. It works by talking to existing desktop enhancement programs and then applying a MyColors or Suite file. In short, Theme Manager is a front-end to other desktop enhancement programs to simplify the user experience.

Highlighted Winstep Themes
Highlighted Nexus Themes
Please note that Nexus is FULLY compatible with skins for ALL 3rd party docks (RocketDock, ObjectDock, RKLauncher, etc...). Besides the hundreds of native Winstep themes, such as the ones below, you also have thousands of non-Winstep dock backgrounds at your disposal. To use a 3rd party dock skin, download it to your hard drive and then Import it in the Themes tab of Nexus Preferences.


Animated Icon Pack
Winstep Xtreme, Nexus and Nexus Ultimate feature built-in support for animated icons from version 11.5 onwards. The following is a pack of eight beautiful animated icons to get you started:


With no need to install 3rd party docklets and full drag and drop support, animated icons in Winstep applications are as easy to use as any other icons: drop the animated icon PNG strip directly into a dock item and the icon will automatically start animating.

Animated Nexus Dock Control Icons
A pack of animated Nexus dock control icons which you can use to replace the static control icons on your Nexus docks.


Extract the animated icons in this pack into a folder in your hard drive, then drag one of the animated icons and drop it into the static Nexus control icon on your dock.

Alternate battery module images (Nexus Ultimate/Winstep Xtreme)

If you like the look above and would like to use it for your battery module, here is what you need to do:

Clicking one of the above links will download, install and apply the specified voice pack. You can always change the Voice pack currently active in the Sound tab of WorkShelf, Nexus or Nexus Ultimate Preferences.

Theme Sites

Community sites
Hungry for more exciting themes? No problem... The sites listed below offer hundreds and hundreds of Winstep themes ripe for the picking!


Nexus dock backgrounds
Nexus is fully compatible with themes for ALL 3rd party docks. Besides the hundreds of native Winstep themes listed above, you have thousands of non-Winstep dock backgrounds at your disposal:

Hello. If you remember, I already wrote about Winstep Nexus. This is a beautiful panel for quickly launching programs, opening folders and files. But, firstly, then I only described the installation to you and gave you two archives with animated, stunningly beautiful icons, and did not consider the settings, believing that they were in Russian and you could handle them yourself. I was wrong - I repent. There were a lot of questions about setting up this panel.

Secondly, a new version has been released - Winstep Nexus. Even more super effects have been added to it. I can’t describe this beauty in words - you have to see it. To the effects when hovering over labels, they were added to the appearance or disappearance of the panel itself. Now it can burn, flare up...

Winstep Nexus - quick access panel

Complete with the animated shortcuts that I gave you in the first article (two archives - for all occasions), the new Winstep Nexus causes complete shock among my friends. For the first couple of minutes they can't talk at all. And their first words are “And for me, install it for me too!!!”

Below I will tell you in more detail and show you where to find and how to set up all these wonders. So, don’t hesitate and read on...

On the fifth try I managed to catch the effect when hiding the panel called “Flash”...

The program icons are not animated (a shoemaker without boots) - they make everything look even more beautiful.



Useful additional information on the website:

So... I won’t describe the installation - it is shown in the first article. I provide links to download Winstep Nexus 12.2. By the way, if you think that by clicking the “Check for updates” button you will be told that you have an outdated version and need to update it, then you are deeply mistaken - when you click on it, there is complete silence. I don't know the reason for this behavior of the program.

Download Winstep Nexus

Archive size is 31 MB. There are no viruses. The program runs on all versions of the Windows operating system.

Setting up Winstep Nexus

By the way, if you are afraid that the program will not work on your weak computer, you are mistaken, it works on any configuration, it has been tested. You just need to disable some effects on very weak machines and that’s it.

When you first launch it, the appearance of the panel is very modest and filled with unnecessary icons. I personally immediately delete them by right-clicking on them and selecting the appropriate item in the drop-down menu or by dragging them down from the panel - where they burn up in a nuclear explosion. That's where they go.

Now right-click anywhere on the panel and see...

This is us in the full version and there are two settings options...

More useful additional information on the website:



A blue, live arrow indicates which panel we are making settings for.


Be careful here. Experimentally set the delay for hiding the panel and the method for activating it. After any changes to the settings, do not forget to click “Apply”. And most importantly - the effect when appearing or hiding...

Play around with them - keep the one you like best.


These are additional settings for sub-folders. This is when when you hover over a folder, its contents drop out. There is also animation, etc. The top checkbox is responsible for triggering when you hover the mouse over a folder. Without this checkbox, just click on the folder and it will open.


Icon size, shadows, whether captions are needed (I removed mine), transparency, spacing, background color and an indicator of running programs that you can select.


Everything is in Russian... Now the second menu item is simply “Settings”...


Here you can create or delete, and also configure where to display additional panels.


Here you can choose how your panel will look - there are a lot of options. At the top there is a button where you can decide for which panel you are choosing a theme. There is also a bottom panel with tabs, where you can also hang a lot of things, but you didn’t notice it?



And here you need to remove all the checkboxes if you have downloaded and are using the full version from my second link. Otherwise you will be “burned”. In principle, in the free version this function is also useless - for some reason it does not work.

How to change program icons in Winstep Nexus to live, animated ones

Right-click on the icon and...