You might envisage theme creation as a very complex process that only phone developers can do. You’d be wrong though, because Theme Creator Pro makes it very easy to design your own themes. The program comes with four example themes that you can edit, or you can design your own from scratch, by choosing 'New' from the 'File' menu, then choosing the model of phone you’re designing for (see below for the list of supported devices).

The editor in Theme Creator Pro looks a little old fashioned in terms of its interface, but it's surprisingly straightforward. The list of phone screens you can edit is displayed on the left-hand side. Screens include Standby, Desktop, Notes, Calendar and Menu. Select one of these screens from the menu and a preview window will display how it currently looks. A list of the elements on that screen that can be edited will be shown. Theme Creator Pro mainly centers around changing the color of the text, cursors, menu bars, etc.

Adding images to themes

However, there is an option for adding images to the theme with Theme Creator Pro, which is where you can really start making your phone look unique. You can apply new images to the status bar, background wallpaper, softkeys, desktop, and more. Only GIF and JPG images are supported by Theme Creator Pro , and even with these there are lots of restrictions on the image, so make sure you abide by the instructions, or your whole theme will corrupt.

Theme Creator Pro also includes a Sound option, where you can set a new ringtone for your Ericsson phone. It's a shame that you're not able audio to other system sounds, though.

Once you’ve finished making your theme in Theme Creator Pro it can be saved either as a theme (.thm) file to be transferred directly to your phone. You can also choose to export the XML code used to create your theme.

Despite it’s rather ugly, old-fashioned user interface, Theme Creator Pro makes for a fast and easy way to make themes for your Ericsson phone.

Download Theme Creator Pro 3.1.260 in Softonic

One of the much vaunted features of Nokia's Series 60 range of phones is the capability of personalising your handset with custom themes. Just as we're now encouraged to 'skin' desktop applications such as WinAmp media player, so Nokia wants us to develop a more personal attachment to our phones by choosing or even creating our own themes.

Series 60 Theme Studio's installation includes some atypical steps, so it's important that you don’t rush through the installation. The most problematic step is selecting default editors for bitmaps, vectors and sound files. No guidance is given for this step, and no default editing programs were found on my test system. Without any assistance from the Series 60 Theme Studio manual, this proved to be a major stumbling block in getting the program to function at all. I'd therefore recommend installing Adobe PhotoShop for Windows prior to attempting to install Series 60 Theme Studio, as the install program should detect PhotoShop as a default bitmap and vector editor.

More annoying problems

At the end of the Series 60 Theme Studio installation, I was prompted to restart the computer now, or wait and do it myself later. I chose to wait, but the installer immediately started trying to close my computer down. I managed to stop it, but this was an annoying reminder of why you’re always warned to close all other applications before an installation: things can go wrong.

Once up and running, Series 60 Theme Studio doesn’t really improve much. After a few minutes tinkering with the program's interface, it becomes clear that this is not an application aimed at users with a basic to intermediate skill level. Creating themes is a time consuming, fiddly and perplexing chore – as is trying to find help in the program's manual. This is a shame, because Series 60 Theme Studio is graphically well designed and looks like it could be used to produce some stunning results, if only it weren't aimed at developers only.

In all, Series 60 Theme Studio is a disappointingly complex tool really aimed only at developers.

Download Series 60 Theme Studio Carbide.ui 3.4 in Softonic

True, it won't add any of the functionality of Microsoft's famous operating system to your phone, but it will make it look a bit like you're using a PC.

I say "a bit", because in reality it's only the Bliss wallpaper and the blue and green menu bars that give it that Nokia XP that Windows look. Unfortunately, the system icons in your Series 60 device won't be altered to look like Windows shortcut keys.

That said, Nokia XP is still as striking theme for fans of the Windows OS.

Download Nokia XP (S60 3rd) in Softonic

There are two separate applications included in BlackBerry Theme Studio. The first, Composer, is a complex editor for creating interactive, animated graphics for your display. The second, Theme Builder, lets you make themes by customizing elements of the BlackBerry user interface.

BlackBerry Composer is the more creative of the two apps in BlackBerry Theme Studio. It allows you to design and output images, menu icons, bars, banners, etc. then export them for use in BlackBerry Theme Builder. This app can be pretty complicated if you're new to the world of graphic design. But if you've used software like Photoshop or Flash before, you should pick it up fairly quickly.

Theme Builder is easier to use, and allows you to tweak virtually every aspect of the BlackBerry's appearance that you can think of. You can apply background wallpapers, alter font sizes, change icons, tweak colors and much more. Once you're finished, BlackBerry Theme Studio can export your theme to your device, publish for Desktop Manager, or publish on the web.

BlackBerry Theme Studio allows you to preview your themes before you save them, either on a BlackBerry simulator, or on the device itself.

You'll need patience to learn how to use BlackBerry Theme Studio, but once you've mastered it you're imagination is your only limit!

Download BlackBerry Theme Studio 5.0 in Softonic

The background image of the Nokia 3D Theme consists of a brick wall with 3D shelves sticking. In our opinion the gray color looks very drab, but the 3D effect of the shelves is pretty striking.

The best thing about the Nokia 3D Theme though, is its icons. The colorful icons are well rendered in 3D and have a Mac OS X feel to them. As well as the application icons, there are new Symbian icons for the various options and settings within the Symbian operating system.

If you're tired of two dimensional themes, the Nokia 3D Theme will really make your phone stand out from the rest.

Download Nokia 3D Theme in Softonic

The free Harry Potter Theme features a background image of the schoolboy wizard in action, during a scene from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. It makes for a welcome addition to the phone of any Harry Potter movie.

Download Harry Potter Theme in Softonic

If you're longing to get an iPhone but can't quite justify the cost at the moment, then fear not because the iphone Theme will at least help you pretend you've got one.

Although, of course, it doesn't add the functionality of the Apple device to your phone, iphone Theme does provide a remarkably accurate copy of the iPhone's user interface. So, you get the sliding dashboard, a set of gorgeous icons, and stylish gray info bars set on a black background that makes everything else show up very clearly.

Provided you have a Java-enabled mobile you can install this iphone Theme on your handset.

While it looks great, ultimately, you're only kidding yourself!

Download iphone Theme in Softonic

Install the iPhone Theme and you'll get a new set of menu icons in the style of those you'll find on iOS. The Calendar, Contacts, Gallery, Messaging, Settings and Applications icons are all as you would find them on the iPhone. There are some new ones (Log and Help, for example) for apps that don't appear on the Apple device.

The iPhone Theme also places an iOS-style dock at the bottom of your Symbian phone's home screen. Unfortunately, there are no icons on the dock, and also the home screen lacks a wallpaper image.

The iPhone Theme won't completely replicate iOS on your Nokia, but it does bring a touch of the Apple magic to the Symbian platform.

Download iPhone Theme (S60 5th) in Softonic

This cellphone wallpaper features the character Goku, is described as an odd 'monkey-tailed boy who practices martial arts and possesses superhuman strength'. He sounds like he might be quite a tough-nut and judging the picture here, he is.

It's a dynamic picture due to the angle at which Goku is shooting upward towards the screen and you get a good impression of motion such is the quality of the drawing. The gradiated orange background is fairly subtle, meaning that your phone's icons still show up well.

If you like Dragonball Z then you'll love this download.

Download DragonBall Z Wallpaper - Goku in Softonic

If you fancy customizing your phone to stand out from the crowd a bit, you could install a theme for your device. However, those who really dare to be different choose to create their own themes and the Series 40 Theme Studio allows you to do just that.

The Windows-based application - an official Nokia software package - lets you change virtually every part of your display, from the folder icons to the battery indicator. You can tweak colors, change fonts and add custom pictures to set your phone apart from the rest.

The user interface is split into two halves - the left containing a menu of all the things you can change, and the right a live preview window displaying the current state of the theme. The degree you can customize your device really is limited only by your imagination. Actually, it's also limited by your patience because the user interface in the Series 40 Theme Studio isn't very user friendly. The menus are cluttered and poorly-labeled and this program is crying out for drag-and-drop functionality.

If you have the persistence to master the cumbersome interface, you should be able to pull off some cool designs though.

Download Series 40 Theme Studio 1.2 in Softonic

The catchy melody of the Angry Birds Ringtone can be set as your phone's default sound for incoming calls, making this a great download for fans of the game.

If you've yet to try Angry Birds then you're really missing out. With hilarious visuals and addictive gameplay, it's one of the best mobile games around today.

Install the Angry Birds Ringtone and you'll be the coolest person on the bus when your phone rings!

Download Angry Birds Ringtone in Softonic

That's why I've now installed this cool desktop background on my phone. Displayed at an optimum resolution of 240 x 320 pixels, the famous 'S' looks amazing as a backdrop to your phone's commands and will make you the envy of all your window-jumping friends.

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, but it's a really cool background wallpaper.

Download Superman Logo I Wallpaper in Softonic

The application changes the menu interface of the S60 platform to make it behave more like iOS. With vMenu installed, your tools, options and applications will be split across multiple screens, which you can flick through by sliding your finger left and right across the screen, just like an iPhone.

Hold your finger down on the screen and vMenu will allow you to add or delete icons, in much the same way as you would on an iPhone. A small trash can icon appears, which you hit to remove an icon, or you can add a new one on with the 'Add' option.

vMenu comes bundled with a handy task manager, which allows you to browse through the list of running programs and switch to them or close them.

Although vMenu makes for a much more user friendly way to operate your Symbian phone, it does have a tendency to lag. Not only does the screen stick sometimes when you're flicking through, but it can also slow response times when launching applications.

That said, vMenu is still probably the closest thing you'll get to running iOS on a Nokia phone.

Download vMenu 1.52 in Softonic

With N-Desk running, the S60 interface behaves more like the iPhone OS, displaying all the icons for applications, tasks, setttings, etc. on separate screens. You simply swipe the screen to move through the various apps and utilities.

N-Desk includes a helpful toolbar that displays a list of your most used applications, allowing you to switch tasks very quickly. Hit the N-Desk icon and you'll be able to personalize the desktop through a range of different settings. You can change the background, text color, image color and icon layout. You can turn off the toolbar if you like as well.

It would've been nice if N-Desk came with some different themes, icons or backgrounds in order to customize the desktop even more..

Overall though, N-Desk offers a quicker, simpler way to move around a Symbian phone.

Download N-Desk 2.5.99.18 in Softonic

Download Transformers Theme (S60 2nd) in Softonic

The Motorola V3 Theme Pack helps you differentiate your phone from the rest, personalizing the look and feel of your device to your liking.

There are six different skins included in the Motorola V3 Theme Pack. Themes include computer software, video games and electronic art. Fans of Windows XP will love the Bliss wallpaper-inspired theme, while Firefox lovers will also go crazy for the foxy theme based around the browser's logo. Other themes include Half Life, and a robotic eye.

Besides just changing the wallpaper, these free Motorola themes also add new icons and menu items to completely revamp the look and feel of your phone.

You can decompress the files from the Motorola V3 Theme Pack directly to your phone without needing a PC, for extra convenience.

With this Motorola V3 Theme Pack you can quickly make your V3 phone stand out from the rest.

Download Motorola V3 Theme Pack in Softonic

If you're into cosmic butterflies (and, let's face it, who isn't?) then you should definitely check out the Butterflies 2 Theme. The most immediately obvious update is the addition of a gorgeous new background wallpaper, consisting of an image of glowing flowers and butterflies, against a black backdrop.

Equally impressive in the Butterflies 2 Theme is the addition of a 'dock' at the bottom of the Today screen, which houses the shortcuts to your frequently-used items. The best thing about this is the bouncing effect that is applied to each icon when you highlight it.

Other changes made to your interface by Butterflies 2 Theme is a fancy new menu font, and a new set of application icons. These icons are smart enough, but I felt they weren't bright enough and some of the images on them were a little vague.

That said, Butterflies 2 Theme is a great way to add a fantastical touch to your BlackBerry.

Download Butterflies 2 Theme in Softonic

If the price point is still putting you off the Apple device then check out the i-Phone Theme. Install it and your Nokia Series 40 phone will be magically transformed into something that resembles the iPhone (or at least the inside of it will).

The i-Phone Theme adds a new background image to your display, based around the tropical fish screensaver in the Apple Phone. What's more, it also adds new icons to your applications menu, which are based around the equivalent shortcuts on the iPhone.

The i-Phone Theme doesn't actually give you any of the functionality of the Apple device, but it does provide a nice way of recreating some of the gorgeous visuals of the iPhone.

Download i-Phone Theme for Series 40 (3rd Edition) in Softonic

The glowing background wallpaper used by the Apple Leopard Today Theme is as striking and vibrant as the default OS X image on which it's based.

But that's not the only thing that changes on your BlackBerry when you install the theme. The font and icons of the elements on your Today screen are transformed to make them more 'Maccy', and this works very well. The Apple Leopard Today Theme also alters your application icons in the main application window, and these look very authentic too.

I guess the worst thing about the Apple Leopard Today Theme is that it fails to deliver anything other than superficial cosmetic changes. Unfortunately this means that the dock you see at the bottom of the today page is merely for show and won't transform the functionality of your BlackBerry.

The Apple Leopard Today Theme brings a bit of the magic of the OS to your BlackBerry - but only a bit.

Download Apple Leopard Today Theme in Softonic