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
- 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.
- 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).
- You’ll be prompted to download a file (com_plazmic_theme_Silver.jad). Click the Download button.
- Themes are generally not very large files, so the download won’t take very long.
- 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.
- Navigate to your Themes section (if you need help changing themes, see this tutorial) and select your newly installed theme.
- And now your newly installed theme is up and running, ready to go
Instructions for Installing BlackBerry Themes Manually
- 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.
- Now launch your BlackBerry Desktop Manager (and make sure your BlackBerry is connected to your PC). From the Main Menu select Application Loader
- From the Add / Remove Applications section, click the Start button.
- Click the Browse… button below the Device application selection list.
- Navigate to the folder you stored your theme file in, select it, and click Open.
- The BlackBerry Desktop Manager will now run a check on that file…
- 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.
- You’ll be presented with a Summary screen that will list your new theme as the ’software’ to install on your BlackBerry. Click Finish.
- First the theme will load…
- and then the BlackBerry Desktop Manager will make the connection to your device, and install the theme.
- At this point you should have a successful update. You can return to the main menu and/or disconnect your BlackBerry.
- Navigate to the Themes section of your BlackBerry Options ((if you need help changing themes, see this tutorial) and select your newly installed theme.
- Exit out of the Theme Options, and your new theme will be up and running. That’s it!
i download the theme and installs succesfully but i dont see it on my themes list :S
If the new themes are not listed, which happens with sometimes but mostly with other Blackberry series, you can still get the theme to work. This step is ONLY if your theme is not listed. From your Homescreen go to Options then Advanced Options then Applications. This will give you a list of all applications you have installed on your Blackberry. Find the file name of the theme(s) you just installed. Click on it with your trackball and click Edit Permissions. One of the three permissions should say Custom. Click on it and change it to Allow. Save your settings and go back to the Homescreen. Turn off your battery and do a hard reset by removing the battery for at least 3 seconds.
Hi, very good info on your site.
I have an old BB Pearl 8000 and wish to copy a theme to my new BB Pearl 8110. How can I do this? I can’t seem to find how to download a theme from my old BB using my desktop manager. My new Pearl came with a painful all white theme..
Many thanks
Denis
Hi,
thanks for the info. However my bb says that 3rd part appls are not allowed to install by IT policy. Any other maual method to install the theme?
thanks alot
Still can not..
is it take a long time??
THANK YOU SO MUCH pullareddy! IT TOOK ME FOREVER TO TRY TO FIND MY THEMES..YOUR THE BEST!
aiuto… ho un black berry 8120 e sono stufa di avere quegli stupidi temi.. vorrei scaricarli con internet dal mac e poi tramite il cavo inserirli nel telefono… ma come si fa
uffaaaaa
J’ai un petit problème , je n’arrive pas à installer correctement un lots de themes que je viens de telecharger sur mon BB 8520 , j’ai tout essayer; telecharger directement avec mon telephone, mettre les themes via le PC, rien n’y fais . Je suis aller dans multimedia , j’ai fais explorer, carte media et j’ai retrouver le fichiers de themes mais lorsque je clique dessus on me dit impossible d’afficher le fichier/carte medai card/themes8520.zip c’est surement dut à un problème de decompression, j’ai essayer rienavez WinZip mais rien ne change . quelqu’un pourrais t’il m’aidée , merci d’avance
I was having the same problem as billy…i did what u said however, and the themes still dont appear in the themes list…is there anything else i can do?
have a similar Problem…my IT policy does not allow the OTA installation and the desktop software loader as well denies due to missing policy…so how do i get the theme on my device? When I connect it via USB I can see only the document, music and picture files…and a hidden “system” folder that contains 1 file only. Strange. So what can I do?
@pullareddy I still have the same issue. Did u guys figure out how to get the themes under the theme list?
Tusen takk for hjelpen
Endelig klarte jeg det!! 
si en mi menu no sale vista q debo hacer
THANK YOU !!!! THANK YOU FOR THIS SITE!! I just got a new Blackberry Bold 9700 and have been looking for helping with themes for the last two days! I used your instructions for OTA and you explained everything perfectly and I was able to get my theme after two days of trying so many different things!!! Thank you so much
the themes still dont appear on the themes list what can i do?
How do I change the action from None to Install on the BlackBerry Desktop Manager ?
hey friend…evn m havin d sam problm
i hav successfuly installd the compatible themes through desktop manager
bt i cannot find it in d themes list in options..i am using BB storm-9530
i wud b grateful if u help me out
thanx
I have the Pearl 8120 and am trying to upload *.alx files and when i go pick it from the list on the computer i get the following error message:
“No additional applications designed for your device were found.”
Is there anything i can do to load the themes? Thanks
Hi, ive got the same problem with my downloaded themes not showing on my themes list, i have switched it from custom to allow in advanced option, let it reset but it still doesne show up the themes in my themes list.
Please has anyone any ideas, im getting frustrated
Im having the same problems as Leanne…anything else I can try?? Its in my applications but not in my themes..gr
Awsome. This was very helpful. Downloaded a theme via zip.
Tried again today…. doing exactly the same way as yesterday and today it worked! Thanks!
Hey i just downloaded this theme like you said, but like the others it hasn’t appeared on my list, after that i did as pullareddy said to do but it still hasn’t worked, is there anything else i can do?
Still having problems, ive tried everything ppl ahve suggested except for the desktop manager way as i ahve lost my cd and have not loaded it onto my laptop.
really at the end of my teather, i knew i should of swaped my blackberry for a nokia when i had the chance
Ciao, ma è giusto che dopo che selezioni il file del tema dal Caricatore Di Programmi, lui faccia il Controllo degli aggiornamenti disponibile per il cell anche per 10/15 minuti??
I tried all that pullaredy said but the themes still don’t appear on my themes list and I can’t use them
ya dude thx for the help but how do u get the url for other 1s
ya and i cant see th theme i have a blackberry curve 8310
Hoe maak je van een .cod bestand een .alx?
Hey guys, i also got the same problem, i cant find themes in the list. Anyone figure it out yet? Please help !!!!!!!!
hey this has helped so much.. but im having a problem i downloaded my themes off of coolblackberrythemes.com but when i go and plug my phone in to usb cord the themes i downloaded disapare from when the file i saved all of them in to.. i even saved them on to my desktop so i knew that i really did save them and they still will on show up when i browse for them on the blackberry desktop application manger i dont know how to get them to show up to upload on to my phone… what do i do?
Thanks pullareddy. This worked perfectly.
Thanks a lot but my theme doesn’t show in the theme list T_T
…….what should I do now?? I’m totally stuck =.=
moi jai essayer de suivre ton conseil pour installer le logiciel iberry pour blackberry ou encore meme le thème indiquer sur ta page et il est sur mon telephone mais quand je clik sur telecharger il me marque “echec installation”
donc je voulais savoir si tu savais comment faiire pour regler ce problème .
bisous
nn esce il tema nella lista cosa posso fare e ho seguito pure quel consiglio ma nn fa losresso