How To Get Windows 8 Ribbon UI In Windows 7, Vista And XP Explorer [Exact Ribbon UI Look]

Ribbon UI in Windows Explorer is one of the new features available in upcoming Windows 8 OS. The all new explorer Ribbon UI helps you quickly access explorer options with a mouse click. If you are still using the good old XP, Vista and Windows 7 and want to get the Windows 8 Ribbon UI in XP, Vista and Windows 7 as well, here is a nice way to get it.

A deviantart member, PeterRollar, has created a Windows 8 7989 build Ribbon UI for Styler toolbar.  By installing Styler toolbar software and this ribbon UI skin, you can get the exact Windows 8 Explorer ribbon UI look in Windows 7 and Vista as well.

How to install and apply Ribbon UI in XP:

1. Start by downloading the Styler software from here.

2. Install the software and reboot your machine. If you are installing it on Windows 7, you need to run the program under compatibility mode. To do this, right-click on the installer, select Properties, switch to Compatibility tab and then enable Run this program in compatibility mode for option and select Previous versions of Windows option. Finally run the installer to complete the installation.

3. Open Explorer, Click View, Toolbars and enable the option named Styler Toolbar.

4. Now download Windows 8 Ribbon UI skin for Styler software from here. Extract the zip file and move “ribbon2” folder to Program Files\Styler\TB\Skins\Styler’s folder.

5. Go back to explorer, click on Floppy button, Skin, and select new Styler’s skin as Ribbon2 to enable the Ribbon UI in Windows XP explorer.

Please note that all the functions and tabs in the Ribbon UI may not work under Windows 7. If you know a working method to install and enable this skin in Windows 7 (x64), please let us know in comments so that we can update the post with mode details.

Please note that we haven’t tested this skin on Windows XP as we are on Windows 7. Hope it works!