How to Change the BlackBerry Home Screen Image and Theme

For my background, I use BlackBerry Curve's preloaded picture because it works great with my favorite theme (more on that shortly). It comes with several of the same designs in different colors. These pictures are basic backgrounds that show up well when you select the right color to contrast the icons and text. I'd love to use pictures of my family, but they make it harder to see. You can turn any picture into a background.

BlackBerry refers to the background image as "Home Screen Image." Load the image onto your BlackBerry through BlackBerry Desktop.

You could also email the image to your BlackBerry and set it as the Home Screen Image.

1. Open the email with the attached image.
2. Move the cursor to the attachment.
3. Click the scroll wheel.
4. Select Open Attachment.
5. Click the button to the left of the scroll wheel.
6. Select Save Image.

This opens the Save file window. Here you can set the picture as the Home Screen Image by selecting the checkbox and click Save.

If you downloaded the image through BlackBerry Desktop or it was already on your BlackBerry, change the background picture with these steps:

1. Go to Media.
2. Select Pictures.
3. Select My Pictures or Preloaded Pictures depending where your desired image lives. Preloaded are the ones that came with the BlackBerry.
4. Select the picture.
5. Click the picture with the scroll wheel twice.
6. Select Set As Home Screen Image.

Themes affect the look of the BlackBerry aside from the Home Screen Image. This includes fonts, home page layout, and icons. The home page layout optoins are as follows:

1. Icon: The home page shows only icons.
2. Today: The home page lists Messages, Calendar and Phone/Call Log.
3. Zen: The home page shows five icons at the bottom or on the left side.

Many sites offer free themes. Just search for "Blackberry themes free" to get a few.

My favorite is the bPhone Theme for BlackBerry. This looks like the iPhone's theme. No, I'm not dreaming of an iPhone. I love the style. Go to the site to get the theme and instructions for installing it on your desktop or over the air (OTA) (I suggest the latter). It may take a couple of tries, but it works.

After you load the new theme on your BlackBerry, do these steps (as confirmed on the Curve -- some steps might differ slighlty)

1. Go to Options.
2. Select Theme.
3. Select the theme you want to use.
4. Click the selected theme by pressing the scroll wheel.
5. Exit out of options.

Rather make your own? Here's How To Create Your Own BlackBerry Themes.

Also check out: Blackberry Themes Add Style to Your Phone,