Rainmeter - Setting Up a Minimal Desktop (Win 10)

Clear desktop of all icons (create a folder if needed). Unpin unneeded programs from the taskbar, as the focus is in minimalism.

Right-click the taskbar and hover over “Cortana”. Check either “Hidden” or “Show Cortana icon.”

Right-click the taskbar and this time uncheck “Show Task View button”, “Show People on the taskbar”, “Show Windows Ink Workspace button”, and “Show Touch Keyboard button” if there.

Right-click the taskbar again, this time unlocking it. This is done by clicking “Lock all taskbars”, removing the checkmark from next to the option.

Right-click once more, and hover over “Toolbars”. Check “Links”, and a new moveable text (“Links”) should appear on the taskbar.

Click and hold on the “||” which appears next to “Links.” Doing this should allow you to move the text left/right.

“Links” should be on the right-hand side of your taskbar icons. Drag “Links” all the way to the left, holding until it drags/pops on the left-hand side of your taskbar icons.

Right-click “Links”, and uncheck the options “Show Text” and “Show title”.

Now is a good time to choose which shortcut icons you desire on your taskbar. After choosing so, center those icons by dragging the “||” to the left of them.

Note that the “||” objects take up space, and when the taskbar is locked, the objects are hidden and their space is “deleted”, shifting your icons left.

Lock your taskbar once done.

Browse around for a desired desktop background. Please note that the best backgrounds for this theme are simple and dark in color. This is so the installed widgets can contrast and be easily visible.

After downloading your new desktop background and setting it, we can begin the installation of widgets.

Head to [www.rainmeter.net] and download the latest release. This will be the main program for creating a minimal desktop. Run the executable, and install the standard mode.

After installing, stock widgets should have appeared on the desktop. Disable these by right-clicking them and clicking “unload skin”.

Head to [https://www.deviantart.com/arkenthera/art/TranslucentTaskbar-1-2-656402039]. There should be a box labeled “Download” with a green arrow on the right. Click on that.

Once downloaded, click and run the file to install via rainmeter. This skin will make the taskbar translucent, allowing the background to blend through.

Please note that rainmeter must have been opened at least once (as in previous steps) to correctly install.

Rainmeter offers a variety of different skins to choose from, but our focus will be on the skin “Elegance 2”, as it features clean bold fonts. Head to [https://www.deviantart.com/lilshizzy/art/Rainmeter-Elegance-2-244373054] and download the file. Install by running executable.

Head to the bottom right of your taskbar and expand the shortcuts box ("^"). In it should be a drawn raindrop icon. That is “Rainmeter”, click to open it.

Once open, head to the “Skins” tab. Under it are where installed skins will appear.

Find and expand the folder “Translucent Taskbar”. Click on the .ini file and select "Load" to activate the skin.

Find and expand the folder “Elegance2”. We will be using the “Clock” and “Date” widgets.

Expand the folders "Clock" and "Date". There are two options available, “x_hori1.ini” and “x_vert1.ini”, with “hori” being a horizontal layout and “vert” being a vertical layout. Click on and choose your desired .ini and load in the widget.

Steps 21 to 26 are standard in installing any future widgets, and should work with most skins. Step 22 will be optional.

While clicked on the .ini file, there should be plenty of modifiable data. Head down to “Position” and choose which layer you desire your widget to appear on (for our purposes, select “On Desktop”).

On the right, there is a expandable box allowing you to select which monitor you desire your widget to appear on. As of default, make sure “Use default: Primary monitor” is selected.

Underneath the box, there are multiple checkable boxes. Make sure “Draggable”, “Keep on screen”, and “Save position” are checked, and that “Click through” is unchecked.

With this, head to your desktop and your widgets should be moveable. Click and drag to desired locations. An alternate way is to type in desired coordinates in the rainmeter box “Coordinates”.

After picking a location, uncheck “Draggable” and check “Click through”.

Head down to “Transparency” and select “20%”, then click on “On hover” and choose “Fade In”. This will make it so your widgets do not pop out all the time and distract from your desktop when unneeded.

Repeat steps 21 to 26 for desired widgets.

Choose your desired widget colors by loading “SetColors.ini” under "Elegance2" and selecting from there.

With this, your desktop is finished. With this as a base, navigating your desktop should be much easier with quick notifications to time and other widgets if desired.

Here are some optional widgets and alternatives if desired:

Executable Covers:

1) “unFold”* [https://www.deviantart.com/devilrev/art/unFold-A-Launcher-618503449]. *some .ini files may not work and will require editing the .ini file and correcting file locations

Audio Visualizers:

1) “Fountain of Colors” [https://www.deviantart.com/alatsombath/art/Fountain-of-Colors-desktop-music-visualizer-518894563]

2) “VisBubble” [https://www.deviantart.com/undefinist/art/VisBubble-Round-Visualizer-for-Rainmeter-488601501]

For Fun:

1) Sharkle** [https://www.reddit.com/r/NightInTheWoods/comments/5wdaca/sharkle_for_rainmeter/] *

*For this, make sure “Click through” is unchecked.