HOW-TO:Install and switch between skins in XBMC

XBMC is noted as having a very flexible and robust framework for its GUI, (now also proven by the fact that several other software projects have copied it), making theme-skinning and personal customization very accessible. Users can download and user others third-party skins in XBMC, or create their own skin (or modify an existing skin) and share it with others.

Many third-party skins exist and while many are of original and unique designs, a few skins are almost exact replicas of other multimedia software, with skins clones of Apple TV and Front Row, Microsoft Windows Media Center Edition (MCE), MediaPortal, Meedio/MeediOS, HDeeTV, Kaleidescape, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and others. Each skin provides a totally different and unique user experience, all showing just how flexible XBMC’s skinning engine really is.

=Fully Skinnable and Customizable Interface= Users can create their own skins, or choose one of the many already available skins. XBMC uses a standard XML base, making theme-skinning and personal customization very accessible to everyone. Users themselves can create their own skin (or simply modify an existing skin) and share it with others. Colors, controls, navigation, positioning of elements, animation, even adding additional functionality can be achieved with a skin. “Confluence” is the official skin from Team XBMC.

=Installing Skins= Skins are installed (copied) into the skins directory under XBMC application data folder (the folder which contains the Userdata folder) and is after that is very simple to switch between the installed skins from under "Appearance" in the "Look and Feel" tab under the Settings menu in the XBMC GUI.

List of working Skins
On this other wiki page you can find an updated list of working and non-working skins.

Manually installing skins
Skins are copied to the "skins/" directory in XBMC's application data folder inside a folder that is the name of the skin.

Example of a skin directory hierarchy structure:
 * skins/Project Mayhem III/skin.xml
 * skins/Project Mayhem III/720p/
 * skins/Project Mayhem III/1080i/
 * skins/Project Mayhem III/colors/
 * skins/Project Mayhem III/fonts/
 * skins/Project Mayhem III/media/
 * skins/Project Mayhem III/NTSC/
 * skins/Project Mayhem III/NTSC16x9/
 * skins/Project Mayhem III/PAL/
 * skins/Project Mayhem III/PAL16x9/
 * skins/Project Mayhem III/sounds/

XBMC for Linux skin directory
On your Linux based computer you will find the plugin directories here:
 * ~/.xbmc/skin/

XBMC for Mac skin directory
On your Mac OS X based computer you will find the plugin directories here:
 * ~/Library/Application Support/XBMC/skin/

XBMC for Windows skin directory
On your Windows XP or Windows Vista based computer you will find the plugin directories here:
 * $APPDATA$/XBMC/skin

("$APPDATA$" is the users' application data folder).

=Switch between skins in XBMC= Switching between already installed skins are done from within the GUI from the "Appearance" section in the "Look and Feel" tab under the Settings menu in the XBMC GUI.

Look and Feel Skin Settings
=Skinning XBMC= You can find an detailed explanations of how to modify or make new skins for XBMC yourself here (and more here and here).