Google`s browser Chrome is maybe one of the most downloaded software nowadays. Why? Because it’s developed by Google and it has that unique flavor of quality that makes it great. Besides that it also has a small disadvantage if you compare it with Firefox: the difficulty in creating themes and addons. That’s why in this article I’ll show you how to create your own Google Chrome theme with a little knowledge of Photoshop and a few clicks.

First of all you’ll need three things:

• Google Chrome theme files with Chromium Theme Creator by vhanla – Download link
• GoRC.exe by Jeremy Gordon – Download link
• ResHacker.exe by Angus Johnson – Download Link

What you need to do next is unzip the files from theme-files.zip into a folder called “theme files” (for example) and also extract all the other programs in this folder. Make sure that gorc and reshacker are not in or separated folders in the root folder.

Now open Themer.exe and you’ll see some interesting things. You have the option to search for the theme path. Click search, a box will show up and click “yes” if you don’t know where Google Chrome’s theme is, then the software will automatically find it. Normally the theme is located in (yes Chrome is not installed in Program Files)

C:\Documents and Settings\Your User\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\Application\Latest version\Themes\

and it has the name default.dll.

After you’ve successfully found the location you can begin editing, testing and building a new default.dll (a new Chrome theme).

For example when you go with your mouse cursor hover the elements in the image it will show you their name. You can either click on the elements and it will open you a folder with the png files or you can remember the names and go in the “theme files” folder and you’ll find a bunch of folders that contain png files.

For starters you should open all the image files with Adobe Photoshop and change the hue/saturation or you can just apply a gradient over them as an overlay or lighten layer. Save all files and overwrite theme with a .png extension, then press the “build” button in themer.exe and voila, you have a new Google Chrome theme.

Credits go to vhanla for this software, so thank him.

Now get to work and build awesome themes! I might as well design a Chrome theme but until then I want to create a gallery of themes designed by chrome users. That’s why I’ve added in the navigation menu a button – Submit themes – take a look there and if you have a theme submit it because when the gallery is done I’ll add it.