Luna

Luna is the main visual style used in most editions of Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. Prototyping for the theme started in 1999 and it was officially unveiled on the CES 2001 conference in January 2001. The first available build to include the visual style was Windows XP build 2428, where it replaced the previously included Watercolor and Mallard placeholder themes.

The first known build to include the final variant of Luna is build 2481. There are various slight differences between the preliminary and final version, most importantly the lack of color schemes other than blue in the preliminary variant, while the final version also includes the Silver and Olive Green color schemes. The preliminary version is also slightly more glossy than the final one.

Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 introduced the newer Royale theme, which uses contemporary visual effects but retains the overall dimensions and look of Luna. A variant of Royale is also used by the Windows Embedded 2009 family. The Slate theme used in later post-reset Longhorn builds is also partially based on Luna, but notably uses a different font for window captions.

The theme was also available in Windows Server 2003 (can be optionally enabled), all pre-reset Longhorn builds as well as early post-reset builds. The last available build to include the theme is build 5048, which uses a different graphic for the Start menu right pane from the Slate theme for an unknown reason. Build 5059 is the last known build to include the theme, as it was demonstrated on the WinHEC 2005 conference with the Olive Green variant set.

It was also included and set as the standard in Windows CE 5.0 until Windows Embedded Compact 7.