This tutorial will guide you all the way through installing themes – both “over the air” and manually, on your BlackBerry. Note: I have a BlackBerry Pearl 8120, so the screenshots and exact steps in this tutorial are using that model. However, I suspect they are nearly identical for most BlackBerrys.

First you’ll need to find a theme that you like. Two of the best places (or at least my favorites) are themes4bb.com and the crackberry themes forum. Once you’ve found a theme you want to install, look for an “OTA” or “Over The Air” link. That’s the easiest way to install a theme. But if there is no OTA link and just a link to download the theme, have no fear, we’ll walk you through that too.

Installing BlackBerry Themes Over The Air
Installing BlackBerry Themes Manually

Instructions for Installing BlackBerry Themes Over The Air

1. Over the air installations (called OTA) allow you to point your BlackBerry browser to a file, and have it downloaded and installed directly from there. This is the easiest way to install themes and other BlackBerry software.
2. In this example I’ll be installing the Custom Silver theme using the Over The Air method. Launch your BlackBerry browser and enter the URL http://themes4bb.com/upload/files/users/evancory/Silver/com_plazmic_theme_Silver.jad. Since that’s pretty long, and a lot to type, I’ve created a “shortened” version for you, which is http://tinyurl.com/dcxq22. They both take you to the same place (file).



3. You’ll be prompted to download a file (com_plazmic_theme_Silver.jad). Click the Download button.



4. Themes are generally not very large files, so the download won’t take very long.



5. Once the download has completed, the installation should begin manually. If it doesn’t, click the Install button. Once it has successfully completed, click OK.



6. Navigate to your Themes section (if you need help changing themes, see this tutorial) and select your newly installed theme.



7. And now your newly installed theme is up and running, ready to go

 

1. Manually installing BlackBerry themes is a bit more involved than Over The Air installations. Generally these themes come in the form of a zip file, and you’ll need to download it to your PC. For this example I’m going to use a Vista BlackBerry Theme. Once downloaded, extract the zip file to somewhere on your hard drive that you’ll remember. I have a specific folder for BlackBerry themes, but anywhere will do.


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2. Now launch your BlackBerry Desktop Manager (and make sure your BlackBerry is connected to your PC). From the Main Menu select Application Loader



3. From the Add / Remove Applications section, click the Start button.



4. Click the Browse… button below the Device application selection list.

   
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5. Navigate to the folder you stored your theme file in, select it, and click Open.


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6. The BlackBerry Desktop Manager will now run a check on that file…


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7. and now it will be listed in the Device application selection list. Make sure that the check-box is checked, and that Install is the Action. Click the Next button.


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8. You’ll be presented with a Summary screen that will list your new theme as the ’software’ to install on your BlackBerry. Click Finish.


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9. First the theme will load…


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10. and then the BlackBerry Desktop Manager will make the connection to your device, and install the theme.


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11. At this point you should have a successful update. You can return to the main menu and/or disconnect your BlackBerry.


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12. Navigate to the Themes section of your BlackBerry Options ((if you need help changing themes, see this tutorial) and select your newly installed theme.



13. Exit out of the Theme Options, and your new theme will be up and running. That’s it!