Some users have said that their Windows desktops receive a Save A Theme error message.
The full message of error says: Windows can’t find one of the files in this theme. Wanna save the theme still?
You will see a “Save a Theme” error dialogue on your Windows 10 computer at regular intervals. By clicking on “Yes” or “No,” the pop-up will appear once again when you reject this prompt.
This error message appears by random means that theme files and elements are missing. There are a few resolutions to Save a Theme error.
Table of Contents
Why “Windows can’t find one of the files in this theme” error occur?
The “Windows can’t find one of the files in this theme” error may happen because of one of the following reasons:
- The theme you have downloaded is a mistreated theme.
- Your theme is broken. A file that was specified (in the .theme file) as a part of this file is missing. A wallpaper (.jpg,.jpeg,.bmp,.dib,.tif,.png), sound file (.wav), cursor (.ani,.cur), icon (.ico) or brand iamge file (.png) might be missing in your theme file.
SettingSyncHost.exe — File description: generates the error message: Host Synchronization Setup Method. If synchronization is allowed, the host synchronization process will attempt to synchronize your theme with Microsoft cloud.
Related Post: Fix Device Not Migrated in Windows 10
How to Windows can’t find one of the files in this theme?
The theme you downloaded could have been misrepresented. The .theme file can contain bugs that point to one or more non-existent files. The synchronization tool Windows 10 Settings tells you that an object in the topic is missing.
You also can adapt the theme by adding a screensaver, wallpaper images and sounds or cursors from another source, and then removing topic files, renaming the asset folder or moving it from a different position on the disk. The topic gets malformed anyway.
Fix 1: Redownload the theme or Switch to a new theme
The easiest way to resolve “Windows can’t find one of the files in this theme” is to remove a theme from the Microsoft Store and download a new copy. If the error occurs again, the problem may be the theme pack itself. Changing to a different theme should help.
The SettingSyncHost.exe reads and retrieves the assets listed in the current active .theme file. It packages and uploads it in the Microsoft cloud, not even with a.themepack extension. When the synchronization engine detects missing files, the operation stops. In the following registry key the last Sync operation is written:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SettingSync\SyncData\Namespace\windows\theme
The key contains four REG_DWORD values namely:
- AttemptedOperations
- Created
- IsLocalReplicaDirty
- PendingOperations
It could be possible that if IsLocalReplicaDirty has the value data of 1, then one or more files in your theme are missing.
Fix 2: Check “Save theme for sharing” option work?
Now Perform a small task-
- Click Start → Settings → Personalization → Themes
- Right-click on your current theme, and click Save theme for sharing
You can’t find… error on the same Windows? If so, the missing theme elements should be found, when running a process monitor, by repeating the process (for advanced users). You need SettingSyncHost.exe in the filter in the Process Monitor.
In the next 19H1 Windows 10 function update v1903, Microsoft can modify it to avoid regular “Save a Theme” prompt.
Fix 3: Workaround for “Save a Theme” error
You can disable syncing of the theme as a solution if reinstalling a theme or moving to a new theme doesn’t help.
- Click Start → Settings → Accounts → Sync your settings
- Turn off the toggle switch for Theme
I agree that disabled sync isn’t a permanent solution. But the annoying Save a Theme error annoyance is at least got rid of.
If missing theme elements exist, the synchronization engine must be programmed such that the missing parts are ignored and the next file can be passed. The Windows 10 team needs to do something and hopefully, in the upcoming build 19H1, they get the problem solved.
Fix 4: Switch the Theme Background setting to Picture
The Save Theme error can be fixed by shifting it to one background if the theme is a slideshow, and the majority are.
To do so, right-click on the desktop and select Personalization > Background to open the following options.
Then click on the picture from the Background menu and select a wallpaper by clicking the Browse button. To do so.
Fix 5: Run an SFC scan and DISM
Most users verified that their problem has been solved by running the SFC scan and DISM command. It says the problem could be with device files that were missing or corrupted on Windows.
