Rainmeter, the popular desktop customization tool, is mostly stable and free of problems. But, sometimes, things can go wrong. If you don’t know which element is misbehaving, it can be difficult to get it working again.
A complete clean uninstall and reinstall is often the best way to fix ongoing problems. Especially if you have restored Rainmeter from a backup and are experiencing file ownership errors.
How to back up your installed Rainmeter skins
If you have installed or created any skins in Rainmeter, save them to a different location to prevent them from being uninstalled.
Copy the contents of the folder to a new folder on the Desktop or somewhere similar. It is worth doing the same for the contents of the plugins folder.
If you prefer to start from scratch or believe one skin is causing problems, you can skip this step.
Rainmeter isn’t the only way to personalize your Windows desktop. Take a look at the best tools to tweak and customize Windows 10 to learn more.
How to uninstall Rainmeter
The next step is to uninstall the Rainmeter software. You can do this by following the normal process of uninstalling apps.
This will remove most, but not all, of the files associated with the Rainmeter software. To continue with the clean uninstall, you’ll need to find and delete them manually.
How to delete Rainmeter content folder
For a completely clean Rainmeter uninstallation, there are a few folders you need to locate and remove.
This isn’t as important as deleting leftover content files, but it should be done for a completely clean uninstall.
After removing all Rainmeter software and files, you can complete the process by restarting your computer.
How to reinstall the latest version of Rainmeter
Visit the Rainmeter website and download the latest version of the software. If there’s a specific version you prefer to use, select it from the list of older downloads on the site.
Hopefully, everything is working perfectly, and you can go back to enjoying Rainmeter desktop customization. If you want to give Windows an elegant look, here’s our pick of the best minimalist Rainmeter skins to try.
Uninstalling Rainmeter cleanly to fix errors
Rainmeter problems can often be easily resolved by removing a recently installed skin or plugin. But if you have more persistent problems with customization software, a clean uninstall is usually the best way to make sure they get fixed. And you can do so without losing your favorite skins and plugins.
Desktop organization ranges from exceptionally pretty to visual pox. While some avoid desktop clutter like the plague, others are entirely about downloading files and letting them fall where they may. That’s fine… unless you lose an important file in the wreckage.
For that reason, I’m a big fan of Rainmeter, and you should be too. Not only does Rainmeter provide a great, free outlet for fans of customization, but it can also be used as an impressive organization tool. Read on to organize your desktop using Rainmeter!
1. Choose a clean, orderly wallpaper
While Rainmeter is an impressive tool in its own right, it’s nothing without a well-thought-out wallpaper. In some ways, the wallpaper is the backbone of the desktop. This is why choosing a wallpaper is important to either organize or simplify your desktop work space.
Simple Desktop does both. A personal favorite in terms of wallpaper repositories, Simple Desktop offers just that: minimally styled wallpapers that can serve as sectioning tools or simple backgrounds. what do i mean Some wallpapers naturally create division in their design, which is perfect for an organization wizard.
The video above uses Photoshop, but you can use any image-editing software you’re most comfortable with. Whatever decision you make, remember to keep the organization in mind.
2. Find or Create Icons for Common Programs
While there isn’t much difference between using a desktop program or the Rainmeter icon, Rainmeter offers a wider range of opportunities for icon placement and function.
There are also several icon types you can use, all simple to code, that will allow you to easily call up programs and folders.