Quickest Way to Build Custom Orkut Theme

Orkut has introduced over a dozen themes for their users to choose. But unlike iGoogle themes, Orkut doesn’t have the API required for third parties to build themes for the service. If you use Firefox + Greasemonkey, then you can build your own Orkut themes in just a few seconds. Here’s how:

  1. Go to this page, and enter the url of a valid image. (Make sure that your image has enough width, else it’ll get repeated)
  2. Click on the submit button and you’ll get the greasemonkey script with the background image of your choice.

It took me several trial and errors to determine the best width for Orkut. If you are already using an official theme, then make sure you switch back to the classic theme before using the custom greasemonkey theme. Else, it’ll screw it up.

Custom themes will extend the pageload time by several seconds. This is because it has to fetch the image from an external source after the page is fully loaded. Personally, I’m not a great fan of themes for Orkut. I’ll stick to the classic Orkut theme for now.

Hopefully, Google will someday open-up Orkut’s themes API to developers [Via: Nirmal TV]

Related Downloads: Greasemonkey for Firefox 2 | Firefox 3

This post was published by on June 19, 2008

About the Author: Thilak Rao works as a Social Media Expert. He is one of the first professional bloggers from India, and he loves to write, travel and click photos. Follow him on Twitter @thilak

  • http://aninosaintlife.wordpress.com kenneth D

    yeah me too. not a fan of those themes. although for now the space theme looks decent enough.

  • http://sankaranand.com Sankaranand

    i have a query to shoot ! will this themes be visible to others ?

  • http://www.pallab.net Pallab

    I like the official orkut themes a lot. They are clean and simple.
    And I really hope orkut doesn’t open up their theme api. I don’t want it to turn into a myspace. I like how it is. Google should go ahead and create 30-40 themes and users would have the option of choosing the one they thing represents their personality the best.

  • http://tech-buzz.net Thilak

    Pallab: I agree with you, but I think opening up the API will encourage the developers to do something better. Finally, it ends up to what we choose. I personally hate all themes, and I love the classic orkut interface (like Kenneth said the comments below)

    Sankaranand: No, greasemonkey themes are confined within your browser only!

  • http://www.greatpriceshere.com Nicole Price

    Why is it that WordPress themes are more popular? In fact, even in their other activities, Orkut seems to be losing a lot of share!

  • http://technodorm.com Fahad

    Nice. I gotta try this out. Its always nice to have a change…..

  • http://www.technodiary.com TechnoDiary.com

    I never liked the official orkut themes. May be because I don\’t like orkut anymore :P

  • http://www.evawhite.com Eva White

    Any idea as to the specifications of the image to use?

  • http://lovermus.com paulette

    Thanks for the info.

  • whilyn

    Hi..

    So sorry i’m so dumb when i get the script how do i install this to my orkut

  • Tushar Roy

    How would that help? Only the person making it would be able to see the new theme, that too only in Firefox, and only in the same computer where the script is stored! My visitors will still see the boring classic orkut theme!

    I guess we just have to wait until Google listens to our prayers!

  • abhi

    how to go back to the default orkut theme ?

  • http://www.seoresults.co.za SEO Man

    Orkut is going places, and this development should lead to loads of new and interesting custom developments by the enthusiast community. The simpler the better! Here’s to the eventual dethroning of facebook!

  • http://www.networkingblogger.com Gadgets

    wow, i never knew you can change orkut themes.
    Great man :)

  • http://bestyogaworkout.com Yoga Man

    This is a good fix for now. I don’t really like any of the themes that Orkut currently offers.

  • http://www.techiesworld.org anand1

    @palab
    i do like the official theme of Orkut and loving it the most. the thing which keeps myself away from it is that these themes looks very much troublesome to read.

  • Northdako

    wat use r custom themes if they cant b viewed by others????

  • http://www.gameplanet.co.cc althaf

    that great …
    thank you for the information.

  • http://www.rajeshpatel.net/ Rajesh Patel
  • http://www.rajeshpatel.net/ Rajesh Patel