Windows Mobile 6.5 Default Color Schemes

When Microsoft released Windows Mobile 6.5 in late 2009, the operating system introduced a overhauled touch-friendly user interface featuring the "Titanium" home screen and a hexagonal honeycomb Start menu. Alongside this redesigned experience, Windows Mobile 6.5 included a refreshed set of built-in themes and color schemes out of the box, allowing users to alter system accent colors, highlight states, and matching background wallpapers.

Out-of-the-Box Color Schemes

Windows Mobile 6.5 managed color schemes through system theme files (.tsk files). The standard, unbranded operating system shipped with a series of distinct color variations built around Microsoft's signature abstract ribbon wallpaper aesthetic:

  • Windows Default: The flagship theme of Windows Mobile 6.5. It featured a deep slate/charcoal and dark navy background accented by multi-colored, flowing ribbons and the classic Windows flag palette.
  • Classic Blue: A nod to traditional Windows styling, this scheme used vibrant royal blue accents for highlights, menus, and system bars alongside a coordinated blue abstract background.
  • Green: A nature-inspired theme utilizing emerald and forest-green accents across the interface, paired with a matching green-tinted wallpaper.
  • Orange: An energetic scheme featuring warm amber and orange tones for active selections, softkey highlights, and background imagery.
  • Pink: A bright scheme that applied magenta and rose-colored accents to system highlights and sliding panels.
  • Purple: A deep violet and plum theme that styled UI elements and system highlights in rich purple hues.
  • Red: A bold, high-contrast scheme featuring crimson highlights and a matching red-toned ribbon background.

How Themes Affected the Interface

Applying these color schemes altered several core components of the Windows Mobile 6.5 environment:

  • The Titanium Home Screen: Changed the background wallpaper and the tint of the horizontal sliding plugin panels.
  • System Title and Softkey Bars: Tinted the top notification bar and bottom softkey taskbar to align with the chosen hue.
  • Selection Highlights: Dictated the color of highlighted text, cursor focus boxes, and selected list items throughout native applications like File Explorer, Messaging, and Contacts.
  • The Honeycomb Start Menu: Set the background wallpaper behind the hexagonal grid of application shortcuts.

While original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) such as HTC, Samsung, and Sony Ericsson frequently overlaid their own proprietary interfaces (such as HTC Sense/TouchFLO 3D) or added branded carrier themes, the stock Microsoft ROM consistently provided these core color options.