Xfce is known for being one of the most lightweight desktop environments yet flexible enough to carry out heavy loads easily.
One major issue with Xfce is that its default interface may look old and outdated to many users. This could be offputting for some new users who prefer beautiful-looking Linux distributions.
But Xfce does not bound you to use the default theming and allows you to theme your Desktop as per your taste.
Where to find some good themes for Xfce? There are numerous themes listed on Xfce Look website. You can surely browse through the huge collection.
But to save you some time, I am going to list some of the best Xfce themes that should attract a variety of users.
Best Xfce themes
I have tried to list themes that have been updated not too long ago in the past.
Some or all of these themes could also be available for other desktop environments such as GNOME and KDE. However, I cannot guarantee that. You’ll have to confirm it on your own.
A quick word about installing themes in Xfce. There is an appearance tool in the system menu. You can just drag and drop the downloaded theme file in zip format and it should handle the rest.
Alternatively, you can extract the contents of the archived theme file in the .themes folder in your home directory.
With that aside, it’s time to see the themes in action.
1. BaZik
This is one of my favorite themes, especially for Xfce Desktop as it can revamp the whole experience of using it. Rather than just giving us Dark and Light variants of theme, you get 6 color accents to match your Desktop taste.
BaZik is one of those modern flat themes based on Materia design which allows users to completely change how your default Xfce Desktop visually appears. So if you are looking for something modern which is completely different, BaZik will surely please you.
2. Flat Remix GTK
This is one of the rare themes which supports GTK 2, 3, and even 4! A flat remix is one of the most pleasant-looking flat themes which are available for Xfce Desktop. It comes in 4 variants: Normal, Dark, Darker, and The Darkest.
You also get 13 color variants to match your taste. So if you are looking for one of the best falt themes available, Flat Remix GTK is all you need.
3. Sweet
As its name suggests, its sweet combination of futuristic looks and premium finish with on-point color gradients. Sweets have been used by numerous users and are often suggested for those who are looking for something different from the traditional look.
Sweet is available in 5 variants: Dark, Mars, Sweet, Ambar Blue, and Ambar. It is GTK 3-based theme and blends well with Xfce Desktop. Sweet can be a good option for those who are tired of traditional options and want to have a completely different look.
4. Skeuos
This is yet another theme by the creator of Flat Remix GTK which I have already discussed above. While Flat Remix GTK was more inclined towards the Dark variants, Skeuos is an overall package as you get dark and white variants which are equally good!
Skeuos also supports GTK 2,3 and 4 so you can have great synchronization with all other apps. Being simple yet elegant, Skeuos deserves a try!
5. Pandora Arc
Pandora Arc is a completely different theme from the given list as it brings wives of hacker-ish or cyberpunk. You will get dark colors with cyan and green fonts, and a purple accent bundled with green buttons.
So if you are looking for something which brings hacker-ish vibes to your Xfce Desktop, Pandora Arc is just made for you.
6. Drakula
Being the official theme for Awesome, Drakula is known for getting users one of the best dark theme experiences. A Dark theme with a purple and pink accent will surely bring a perfect experience to your Xfce Desktop.
Sure, there are many options for dark themes but personally, Drakula is what you need. Creator has precisely selected the color pallet so you can have a great experience without many tweaks.
7. Pop Xfwm
As its name suggests, this theme will bring a similar look to what System 76 offers in their Pop!_OS. As Pop!_OS is one of the most popular Linux distros, many users are fans of its visuals, and using Pop Xfwm, you can achieve it easily.
Using this theme, you get the window decorations similar to Pop OS.
8. Windows 10 (no, seriously)
You can easily guess what this theme will offer. This theme made it to the best Xfce themes list through attention to detail. This is considerably the best Windows 10 theme for Linux Desktop, including Xfce.
It requires GTK 3.6 and above for better integration as has some dependencies such as Murrine and Pixmap theme engines but once you are done with the setup, you can enjoy the Windows 10 vibes on your Linux system.
9. WhiteSur (still serious)
Most people love the visuals of macOS, including me, and WhiteSur is considerably the best option to bring macOS feel to your Xfce Desktop.
You do have add-on options for this theme such as Firefox theming to better sync. This is the best option for users who are willing to add a premium feel to their Xfce Desktop as WhiteSur mimics macOS theming.
Alternatively, you can use the Fluent Round GTK theme for looks similar to Xfce:
10. Nordic
A dark, gray mystic atmosphere. That’s Nordic. Both in themes and actual landscape. One of the most loved GTK themes, Nordic gives your Xfce desktop a subtle, classy dark look.
11. Orchis
This is yet another flat-style GTK theme for your Xfce Desktop. I included Orchis to this list as it is one of the most popular themes in Linux and users are having mostly positive feedback.
Orchis will not surprise you with its elegant looks but will bring simplicity and minimal vibes to your setup as it looks so clean out of the box.
Conclusion
As you can see, I have tried to include a wide variety of themes from dark themes for hackers to flat, light themes for minimalists.
You can combine these themes with a set of beautiful icons for your Linux desktop and make it look even better. Read this post for more Xfce customization tips.
There are surely more themes out there. We don’t have the functionality of sharing images in the comments otherwise I would have loved to see a screenshot of your Xfce desktop. Share the name of your favorite Xfce them nonetheless.
