Getting Started With LaunchBox Themes

Written By launchbox

Last updated About 1 month ago

LaunchBox Desktop themes let you customize the main LaunchBox interface with WPF XAML. These themes are different from Big Box themes, Startup themes, and Pause themes. A LaunchBox Desktop theme lives in the LBThemes folder and controls the normal LaunchBox window experience.

Where LaunchBox Themes Live

LaunchBox Desktop themes are stored here:

LaunchBox\LBThemes

Each theme has its own folder:

LaunchBox\LBThemes\[Theme Name]

The main XAML files for the theme live inside the theme's Views folder:

LaunchBox\LBThemes\[Theme Name]\Views

This is separate from Big Box themes, which use:

LaunchBox\Themes

It is also separate from game startup and pause themes, which use:

LaunchBox\StartupThemes    LaunchBox\PauseThemes

Starting From the Default Theme

The easiest way to create a LaunchBox theme is to copy the built-in Default theme folder.

  1. Open your LaunchBox folder.

  2. Go to LBThemes.

  3. Copy the Default folder.

  4. Rename the copy to your new theme name.

  5. Edit the XAML files in the copied theme's Views folder.

For example:

LaunchBox\LBThemes\My Theme\Views\MainView.xaml

For most visual changes, you do not need to compile anything. LaunchBox loads the XAML files directly from the active theme folder.

Selecting the Theme in LaunchBox

After creating the theme folder, select it from the LaunchBox Themes and Media window.

  1. Open LaunchBox.

  2. Go to Tools > Manage > LaunchBox Themes and Media.

  3. Set the type filter to Themes if needed.

  4. Select your installed theme from the list.

  5. Click Apply Theme.

  6. Restart LaunchBox when prompted.

The LaunchBox Themes and Media window is the preferred place to apply LaunchBox Desktop themes. LaunchBox themes are loaded at startup, so changing the selected Desktop theme requires a restart before the full interface is rebuilt with the new XAML.

Theme Folder Basics

A LaunchBox theme keeps customized XAML in its Views folder and may also include Images, Fonts, and Plugins folders.

For the complete directory layout and guidance on what belongs in each folder, see LaunchBox Theme Files and Folder Structure. Most new themes should begin as XAML-only themes and add other folders only as needed.

What to Edit First

Most theme developers should begin with these files:

  • MainView.xaml controls the overall LaunchBox window layout.

  • SideBarView.xaml controls the left navigation, filters, and search area.

  • BoxesContentView.xaml controls the box/grid game view.

  • ListContentView.xaml controls the list/table game view.

  • GameDetailsView.xaml controls the selected game's details panel.

Start with small changes and restart LaunchBox to test. If a custom XAML file fails to load, LaunchBox can fall back to the matching file from the Default theme.

Important Notes

  • LaunchBox Desktop themes use LBThemes, not Themes.

  • Big Box themes, Startup themes, and Pause themes are separate systems.

  • Custom Desktop themes are WPF XAML themes.

  • LaunchBox must be restarted after selecting a different Desktop theme.

  • The active theme should preserve the required license UI in MainView.xaml.

In Short

Create a LaunchBox Desktop theme by copying LaunchBox\LBThemes\Default, renaming the copy, editing the XAML files in Views, applying the new theme from Tools > Manage > LaunchBox Themes and Media, and restarting LaunchBox.