You can give your BlackBerry smartphone a whole new look by installing a new theme, and there are plenty of free options available online. A theme goes much further than simply replacing the background wallpaper, often including changing things like native app icons, notification sounds, ringtones and other customizations. Themes may also offer new color schemes and more.
Places to Find No-Cost BlackBerry Themes
When downloading a new theme for your BlackBerry, make sure that the theme is compatible with your specific model. Not all themes are compatible with all BlackBerry devices, so you will need to check for compatibility with both the operating system version and the actual model of the device itself. Each individual theme page should have this information.
BlackBerry World
Just as the iPhone has its App Store and Android has the Google Play Store, the most reputable and safest source of content for a BlackBerry device is through BlackBerry World, formerly known as BlackBerry App World.
The official app store for BlackBerry devices has three main sections: apps, games and themes. Both free and paid themes are offered here with a curated list of the 25 top free themes listed prominently on the main page at any time. The page for each theme contains screenshots and a QR code, as well as links to check compatible carriers, countries and devices.
Many of the themes available here are whimsical, with inspiration taken from comics and cartoons for a light-hearted approach to your BlackBerry.
Zedge
A long-time trusted name in the area of free mobile downloads, Zedge offers over 100 free BlackBerry themes for users to download and to use without having to pay a penny. This selection is part of a larger catalog of over 8.5 million free downloads, including wallpapers and ringtones.
The search results page provides large thumbnails, which makes it really easy to browse for themes that best suit your preferences. The themes offer a good deal of variety, with many unique icon sets and color schemes available. Some are more aggressively different from the default than others.
A robust rating system and a download counter display the relative popularity of each theme. You can download the theme locally and transfer the file to your phone or you can scan the provided QR code to download the file onto your phone directly. Before browsing themes, be sure to select your device near the top-right corner to make sure the displayed themes are compatible.
BlackBerryRC
Updated every few days with new BlackBerry themes, BlackBerryRC has more of a blog-like approach to its free digital downloads. The themes are not organized by color scheme or category, but are rather presented in reverse chronological order with each theme getting its own blog post-like entry.
The biggest appeal here is the sheer size of the collection. There are literally thousands of free themes for BlackBerry devices, from simple doodles to ones inspired by popular movie and TV franchises, like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or The Expendables. It can be time-consuming to browse them all, so use the search function if you are looking for anything specific.
Each theme page contains screenshots, a list of features, file size and a device compatibility list.
CrackBerry Forums
CrackBerry.com has been one of the most trusted names in BlackBerry news and customization since almost the beginning of the brand. The user-generated and user-submitted content on the CrackBerry Forums is truly impressive and the site's range of free themes continues to grow all the time.
Unlike many other sites that simply list all the BlackBerry themes together in one comprehensive list, the forums at CrackBerry are further organized into sub-forums for each of the main families of devices. There is a sub-category for BlackBerry Torch 9800 themes, for instance, as well as a separate sub-forum for BlackBerry Bold 9780 themes. This makes it very easy to find the theme that suits your device.
Since each theme is effectively its own forum post, a discussion can ensue regarding any questions or feedback for the theme.
Softonic
While the total number of themes offered through Softonic for BlackBerry smartphones isn't quite as impressive as some other websites, the quality of the themes featured is generally quite good.
Each theme is given a rating both by the team at Softonic and by the users of the site, providing prospective downloaders with a better sense of the quality of the theme before deciding to download. Some themes feature popular characters, like SpongeBob SquarePants or Mickey Mouse, while others are more generic with a 'cosmic' or 'race car' design.
Some of the themes available through Softonic can be downloaded directly, while others may require you to sign into the site using either Facebook or Google. For the latter, there may also be the option for an "alternative download" from an external server, though Softonic states that availability is not guaranteed.
Personalize Your BlackBerry
Even though the BlackBerry brand is perhaps most associated with enterprise and the world of doing business, this does not mean that individual users can't add in a dash of personality with a free theme. The device's functionality remains largely unchanged, while the new background and icons can be a lot more fun than the default setting.
