# Unable to change theme using Budgie Desktop Settings **URL:** \ **Category:** Budgie\ **Created:** [April 9, 2023, 10:46pm UTC](https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/unable-to-change-theme-using-budgie-desktop-settings/39501 "2023-04-09T22:46:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![priten](https://forum.endeavouros.com/user_avatar/forum.endeavouros.com/priten/32/74909_2.png) [@priten](https://forum.endeavouros.com/u/priten)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2023, 10:46pm UTC](https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/unable-to-change-theme-using-budgie-desktop-settings/39501/1 "2023-04-09T22:46:02Z")
I have followed [this tutorial](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj5YNnkprwo&t=84s) to [install Orchis GTK3 themes](https://github.com/vinceliuice/Orchis-theme) for Budgie. However, when I try to switch to different themes, the appearance of window decorations and controls do not update based on the theme. ![image](https://forum.endeavouros.com/uploads/default/original/3X/d/9/d94e6ca742b76462c2ffe96b3e04b8537deac349.png) ![image](https://forum.endeavouros.com/uploads/default/original/3X/5/2/521f60b39a2caf9eb76ba540f87facd55a6eb58c.png) It seems like I stuck with the default Budgie theme for window decorations and controls. I can see that the fonts and icons change based on the selected font/theme. I am not sure what to look for and where. Any help in this regard is highly appreciated. Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![EbonJaeger](https://forum.endeavouros.com/user_avatar/forum.endeavouros.com/ebonjaeger/32/72683_2.png) [@EbonJaeger](https://forum.endeavouros.com/u/EbonJaeger)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2023, 3:03pm UTC](https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/unable-to-change-theme-using-budgie-desktop-settings/39501/2 "2023-04-12T15:03:28Z")
It looks like the Gtk theme didn’t change at all… those aren’t Orchis-styled widgets in those pictures. If you have or install `dconf-editor`, what does the key `/org/gnome/desktop/interface/gtk-theme` show? ---
**Author:** ![eso](https://forum.endeavouros.com/user_avatar/forum.endeavouros.com/eso/32/36767_2.png) [@eso](https://forum.endeavouros.com/u/eso)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2023, 6:34pm UTC](https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/unable-to-change-theme-using-budgie-desktop-settings/39501/3 "2023-04-12T18:34:15Z")
Here I’ve simply installed [Yaru Colors](https://www.gnome-look.org/p/1299514) It seems to work. Built-in theme switch brings back blue in main menu selected item, but not in Apperance Style: …Interface/gtk-theme value is Arc-darker (default) ![Built-in=OFF](https://forum.endeavouros.com/uploads/default/original/3X/7/b/7bf815ce4b481841de49c0e1c38a6b0e4e41548e.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![EbonJaeger](https://forum.endeavouros.com/user_avatar/forum.endeavouros.com/ebonjaeger/32/72683_2.png) [@EbonJaeger](https://forum.endeavouros.com/u/EbonJaeger)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2023, 8:14pm UTC](https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/unable-to-change-theme-using-budgie-desktop-settings/39501/4 "2023-04-12T20:14:33Z")
The built-in theme only has theming for Budgie panels and applets, nothing else. ---
**Author:** ![priten](https://forum.endeavouros.com/user_avatar/forum.endeavouros.com/priten/32/74909_2.png) [@priten](https://forum.endeavouros.com/u/priten)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2023, 8:27pm UTC](https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/unable-to-change-theme-using-budgie-desktop-settings/39501/5 "2023-04-12T20:27:20Z")
Thank you for looking into this. > [@EbonJaeger](#): > > If you have or install `dconf-editor`, what does the key `/org/gnome/desktop/interface/gtk-theme` show? ```auto priten@Steelix ~ $ dconf list /org/gnome/desktop/interface/gtk-theme/ priten@Steelix ~ $ priten@Steelix ~ $ dconf list /org/gnome/desktop/interface/ clock-format clock-show-date clock-show-seconds color-scheme cursor-size cursor-theme document-font-name enable-animations font-hinting font-name gtk-theme icon-theme locate-pointer monospace-font-name show-battery-percentage ``` I see that the gtk-theme is not set for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![EbonJaeger](https://forum.endeavouros.com/user_avatar/forum.endeavouros.com/ebonjaeger/32/72683_2.png) [@EbonJaeger](https://forum.endeavouros.com/u/EbonJaeger)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2023, 8:40pm UTC](https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/unable-to-change-theme-using-budgie-desktop-settings/39501/6 "2023-04-12T20:40:53Z")
Try `gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.interface gtk-theme` That command only lists the keys in that directory. ---
**Author:** ![priten](https://forum.endeavouros.com/user_avatar/forum.endeavouros.com/priten/32/74909_2.png) [@priten](https://forum.endeavouros.com/u/priten)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2023, 8:43pm UTC](https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/unable-to-change-theme-using-budgie-desktop-settings/39501/7 "2023-04-12T20:43:12Z")
Seems like the `gtk-theme` value is set correctly. ![image](https://forum.endeavouros.com/uploads/default/original/3X/6/9/693d8b17817ac1ef157e1e56d9408ce6e51008f4.png) ---
**Author:** ![EbonJaeger](https://forum.endeavouros.com/user_avatar/forum.endeavouros.com/ebonjaeger/32/72683_2.png) [@EbonJaeger](https://forum.endeavouros.com/u/EbonJaeger)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2023, 3:26pm UTC](https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/unable-to-change-theme-using-budgie-desktop-settings/39501/8 "2023-04-13T15:26:40Z")
Does this affect all applications, or just Budgie Desktop Settings? ---
**Author:** ![priten](https://forum.endeavouros.com/user_avatar/forum.endeavouros.com/priten/32/74909_2.png) [@priten](https://forum.endeavouros.com/u/priten)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2023, 3:30pm UTC](https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/unable-to-change-theme-using-budgie-desktop-settings/39501/9 "2023-04-13T15:30:01Z")
It is supposed to apply the theme to all the applications. However, I see some frankenstein’s monster situation where pretty much every other application is using a theme of their own e.g: qBitTorrent, File manager, etc. ---
**Author:** ![anon11595408](https://forum.endeavouros.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/f1d935/32.png) [@anon11595408](https://forum.endeavouros.com/u/anon11595408)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2023, 3:41pm UTC](https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/unable-to-change-theme-using-budgie-desktop-settings/39501/10 "2023-04-13T15:41:20Z")
Just to be sure, you did log off and back on to apply the settings (if themes are applied on the root level, a reboot is needed)? ---
**Author:** ![priten](https://forum.endeavouros.com/user_avatar/forum.endeavouros.com/priten/32/74909_2.png) [@priten](https://forum.endeavouros.com/u/priten)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2023, 3:50pm UTC](https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/unable-to-change-theme-using-budgie-desktop-settings/39501/11 "2023-04-13T15:50:03Z")
Correct, I have rebooted and re logged multiple times but still see the same theme being used. Also, not sure whether it is relevant here but in my previous distro (Solus) and the YouTube video I followed to setup the themes, the theme was applied system wide as soon as it was changed in the Budgie Desktop Settings ---
**Author:** ![anon11595408](https://forum.endeavouros.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/f1d935/32.png) [@anon11595408](https://forum.endeavouros.com/u/anon11595408)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2023, 4:06pm UTC](https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/unable-to-change-theme-using-budgie-desktop-settings/39501/12 "2023-04-14T16:06:16Z")
@priten … Ok, so I can confirm what you say from an Arch Linux VM install with budgie-desktop, according to [the Arch Wiki](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Budgie). I have the same situation here, i.e. no GTK themes if applied (Orchis) do actually work. A whole bunch of crap, apparently designed to work with a modified 'Buntu-Budgie desktop, not a “naked” Arch-Budgie…? What I found to work on some windows (widgets in Budgie) but not all windows is the Dracula GTK theme. Like I said, not homogenous, but only on some app-windows… Vimix cursors work, icons (regardless) don’t. Duh… :poop: For their benefit - buddies of budgie - it is quite light-weight in comparison to Gnome (not to be compared to a WM or Lxqt, Lxde): ```auto $ free -h gesamt benutzt frei gemns. Puffer/Cache verfügbar Speicher: 5,3Gi 1,0Gi 3,6Gi 49Mi 623Mi 4,0Gi ``` (One FF window, one forum-tab opened, nothing else, and still 1G used.) ```auto $ free -h gesamt benutzt frei gemns. Puffer/Cache verfügbar Speicher: 5,3Gi 1,5Gi 3,0Gi 80Mi 735Mi 3,4Gi ``` (One FF window, one forum-tab opened, and one YT video on in a second tab, 1.5G used.) ---
**Author:** ![priten](https://forum.endeavouros.com/user_avatar/forum.endeavouros.com/priten/32/74909_2.png) [@priten](https://forum.endeavouros.com/u/priten)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2023, 6:31pm UTC](https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/unable-to-change-theme-using-budgie-desktop-settings/39501/13 "2023-04-15T18:31:10Z")
Thank you for trying. Wish there was some way to fix it ---
**Author:** ![EbonJaeger](https://forum.endeavouros.com/user_avatar/forum.endeavouros.com/ebonjaeger/32/72683_2.png) [@EbonJaeger](https://forum.endeavouros.com/u/EbonJaeger)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2023, 1:50pm UTC](https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/unable-to-change-theme-using-budgie-desktop-settings/39501/14 "2023-04-16T13:50:41Z")
If you run `gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface gtk-theme Arc-Darker` (or substitute another them you have installed), does the theme change then? ---
**Author:** ![priten](https://forum.endeavouros.com/user_avatar/forum.endeavouros.com/priten/32/74909_2.png) [@priten](https://forum.endeavouros.com/u/priten)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2023, 2:01pm UTC](https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/unable-to-change-theme-using-budgie-desktop-settings/39501/15 "2023-04-16T14:01:09Z")
I don’t think it works but I do not have a way of knowing. I switched to Plasma DE yesterday. Sorry for the late update and thank you for your help ---
**Author:** ![EbonJaeger](https://forum.endeavouros.com/user_avatar/forum.endeavouros.com/ebonjaeger/32/72683_2.png) [@EbonJaeger](https://forum.endeavouros.com/u/EbonJaeger)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2023, 2:35pm UTC](https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/unable-to-change-theme-using-budgie-desktop-settings/39501/16 "2023-04-16T14:35:22Z")
No worries. I’m sorry we couldn’t figure this out. It’s a weird one.