Most of us enjoy displaying our favorite Desktop Background or Wallpaper on our Windows Desktop. But, if you find for some reason that you cannot change the desktop background or wallpaper in Windows 11/10, you may try some of these troubleshooting steps.
Cannot change Wallpaper in Windows 11/10
Before you begin, please check if you have installed and third-party customization software and if it is restricting you from changing the desktop background. If so uninstall it and restart your Windows PC. Here are a few other things that you need to check:
- Check Accessibility setting
- Check Power Options
- Reset wallpaper cache
- Check Registry setting
- Check Group Policy.
1] Check Accessibility setting
Open Control Panel and select the ‘Ease of Access’ Center. Then, click on ‘Optimize Visual display’ link. Scroll down until you find ‘Make the computer easier to see’ section. Once found, make sure that Remove background images (where available) is unchecked. Save, Apply, Exit.
This should help!
2] Check Power Options
Open your Power Setting in Control Panel. Open Power Options > Select your power plan > Change plan settings > Change advanced power settings > Expand the Desktop background settings option > Expand Slide show.
Ensure that the Plugged in option is set to Available.
3] Reset wallpaper cache
If the above option too fails, maybe your TranscodedWallpaper.jpg file has become corrupted.
Open explorer and type the following in the address bar and hit Enter:
%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Themes\
Here, rename TranscodedWallpaper.jpg to TranscodedWallpaper.old.
Next, double-click slideshow.ini file and open it with Notepad. Empty its contents. That is, select all the text and delete it. Save the changes. Close explorer windows.
4] Check Registry setting
If not, try this. Run regedit and navigate to the following key in the Registry Editor:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies
Right-click on Policies > New > KEY > name it as ActiveDesktop.
Next in the right side, right-click > New > DWORD > name it as NoChangingWallPaper.
The DWORD value 1 will restrict change in desktop wallpaper. To allow change give it value as 0.
Reboot.
5] Check Group Policy
Alternatively, you could open the Group Policy Editor, by typing gpedit.msc in Run box and hitting Enter.
Navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Desktop. Click Desktop again. Double-click Desktop Wallpaper.
Ensure that the Not Configured option is selected. This will enable the option to change the desktop background.
Read: Desktop Background Group Policy is not applying.
I hope something helps!
See this post if you want to prevent users from changing the Screensaver.
I’m having the same issue from Windows 7 to Windows 8.1: when I uncheck “Use Drop Shadows for Icon Labels on the Desktop” from Visual Effects in Systems (Control Panel) if my theme has 1 wallpaper it works and shadows disappear, but if my theme has more than 1 wallpaper that change every x time, shadows remain also if “Use Drop Shadows for Icon Labels on the Desktop” is uncheked. WHY???
Hmmm, could this be a bug or by design?
I do think it’s a bug, could you check if you have the same issue? Thanks :)
thank’s
artikel ini amat sangat membantu saya
Very Helpful! Many thanks for sharing…!
Dont get into the above shit…..ur file maybe corrupted or missing……simply copy files from working (friends) pc from d location “C:UsersVJAppDataRoamingMicrosoftWindowsThemes” n replace it in yours…reboot…PROBLEM SOLVED…….EnJoY! (Y)
[ incase u dont have the resources mail me mbittu92@gmail.com or find me on fb ]
Hello to all, who are reading this, and specially to Mr.Anand.
Your work is professional.
My windows 7 ultimate was running nice and even the background slide with 10 seconds duration was running nice. When I updated the window updates, it happened, no slides on the desktop. I read the solutions, with ease center, it did not work. I checked the window updates, and updated to internet explorer 10. Still the problem was there.
With irritation, I went back to desktop right click, clicked personalization the window opened, clicked desktop background,in the new window,- picture location,- clicked the drop down arrow,selected picture library, clicked browse button and from there I went to the folder of wallpapers I had saved on my computer and selected it and clicked OK, !!!! it was there and it started working after saving the theme, selected all, fixed 10 second duration for the slide background, and it is working now, as it was before. How did it happen, a professional can explain.
Hope this will help the others, if it dose, let me get a thank note.
Dr.Malik.
drmalik169fm@yahoo.co.in
Thank for your kind information.
thanks boss…….
Thank you much, it took me a few websites before I found your post but problem #1 is what I had, thank you much!
Thank you so much! AnandK!
thank you! was very helpful for me (the registry one).
Thank you so much! I changed the transcodedwallpaper and now it works perfectly.
i have windows xp and i want vista is there a differance?
Glad it helped. :)
Yes, they are two different operating systems. If you are planning to upgrade from Windows XP, consider Windows 7 or Windows 8, instead of Windows Vista.
Thanks… The first one helped.
Very useful solutions. Earlier I was unable to change my desktop background. I tried solution steps 1, 2, and 3 one by one. No result. Finally step 4 solved my problem. Thanks.
Glad something helped. :)
this post helped me more than any Microsoft help forum ever has. Thanks!
Thanks it helped me to resolve the issue..
Thanks for the info..but I saw something about change lock screen image. see this site http://www.technology151.club/2014/07/how-to-change-lock-screen-image-for.html
nope.avi does NOT fix the problem
Thanks
nothing is working for me, i just bought the computer and i am already tired of the background. i have windows 8.1 and i have no clue how to change the backgorund/ wallpaper. any ideas?
not solve my problem
ohhhhh. i got it.. now i can change my wallpaper
HELLO Dr.Malik
How have you been ..! okay!
I need help Edivan Baptista (Brazil – São Paulo)
Restored the classic themes of windows, and would create a folder on the local disk to colocalos separately … as shown in customize mode … when clicked on with the right hand mouse button and chose the option to customize .. . Soon we see the themes … divided into classes:
1st) My class is Themas
2nd) class is the standard Themas windwos
3rd) class is Themas Instaldos …
I would like to create two classes ….
The first would Themes Windows Clasic … to view my classical songs ….
And the other would be … Personal Collection Themes for viewing of my favorite subjects more objectively …
All two options have to have a specific folder.
Would like your help … I searched on imternet .. everything you can ask for more .. without success … So consutar solves your person ..
I’m already looking forward and thanks for all grade teacher.
Edivan Baptista
ediva.baptsta@gmail.com
HELLO Dr.Malik
How have you been ..! okay!
I need help Edivan Baptista (Brazil – São Paulo)
Restored the classic themes of windows, and would create a folder on the local disk to colocalos separately … as shown in customize mode … when clicked on with the right hand mouse button and chose the option to customize .. . Soon we see the themes … divided into classes:
1st) My class is Themas
2nd) class is the standard Themas windwos
3rd) class is Themas Instaldos …
I would like to create two classes ….
The first would Themes Windows Clasic … to view my classical songs ….
And the other would be … Personal Collection Themes for viewing of my favorite subjects more objectively …
All two options have to have a specific folder.
Would like your help … I searched on imternet .. everything you can ask for more .. without success … So consutar solves your person ..
Registration is between politics and Regedit !?
I’m already looking forward and thanks for all grade teacher.
Edivan Baptista
edivan.baptsta@gmail.com
very helpful, especially the explorer directory!!,thnx!!
Hello Anand Sir,
It was great description to this problem and helped me a lot.
Thank you and keep this work.
The above information is sound I had the same problem on WIndows 8 and this corrected my issue — many thanks for the advice.
not working!!! my desktop background is black yet :(
not working!!! my desktop background is black yet :(
thank you very much…it was very useful…
Worked like a charm saving this for future settings thank you alot,Zacharybradley@hotmail.ca
Thanks a lot. It saved the day!!!
Solution 3 worked nicely for me! Thank you very much, AnandK!
Thanks a lot , your 3rd solution really worked for me , now i can change my desktop easily
I renamed the transcodedwallpaper.jpg and my themes slideshow started working again. Yay! Thank you!!!
So helpful, thanks for sharing my friend!!! Thank you!!
Number 3 really helped. Thank you. I have been searching the internet for hours about this issue, and nobody had the right answer for me.
thanks for the help
it is helpful other person
Thank you very much for this fix. I’ve been trying to do this for a week or so and your instructions to make the transcoded wallpaper file old and clear the ini fixed it. I greatly appreciate your help.
Great article! I haven’t tried the Active Desktop config yet but I suspect that a simple reboot will fix things. I just liked the clear exposition here.
thanks a
5] Alternatively, you could open the Group Policy Editor, by typing gpedit.msc in Run box and hitting Enter.
is perfect
The third solution works to me ‘ Win 8.1 Thanks a lot!!!! :D
Thank you so much … waooooo really helpful …..
Deleting the text inside the slideshow.ini file is what fixed it for me. Been working at this for about an hour now, so I greatly appreciate this article.
Hi , mine is windows 7 ultimate, when ever i set a desktop wallpaper it stays only few seconds and after that its going and i am getting only black color desktop. please tell me the solution.
Thank you!
‘Once found, make sure that Remove background images (where available) is unchecked. Save, Apply, Exit.’
THANKS! i was stuck with black as my background!
Step #3 fix the problem for me. Thanks!
This really helped me. The first step fixed my issue of not being able to have a desktop background. Thank you!
I know this is an old thread, but I’ll give it a try. I am running Windows 7 Home Premium. I used to be able to change my desktop background. I’m not sure when I was no longer able to change it, since I don’t very often. I had a standard windows background picture, but now I can’t change it. I managed to change it to a solid color and I can change the background color, but solid colors is all I can get. I have tried all of the above with no success. The only thing – when I search for “%USERPROFILE%AppDataRoamingMicrosoftWindowsThemes”, the search returned no results. If I remove the end “/”, I can see the Themes folder. However, the folder is empty; there is no TranscodedWallpaper.jpg file. Could that be my problem? BTW, even though I was unsuccessful find that file, I proceeded to step #4 with no luck.
Thank you for any help.
If I add an image as the desktop background that is smaller than the screen resolution and select “Fit” option there’s a different color surrounding the image. I can’t find where I can select “White” as the fill color around the image. Any suggestions?
Very old post, but I had Windows 7 Starter edition. Somehow I had a 3rd party app or something that came with it which allowed me to set up a slide show of pictures. I recently updated to Windows 7 Ultimate, then Windows 10. This means I can change my background. However when I do the slideshow remains. In my settings however it shows the image I changed it to. I have removed all malware and I couldn’t find any dodgy 3rd party apps, do you know what is happening and how to fix it?
Thanks man! My TranscodedWallpaper.jpg file has become corrupted. Now Problem Resolved after 3-4 Months.
Love You!
Thanks! Already Option 1 worked for me. It was – of ourse – me who had earlier changed the option w/o thinking, and then I forgot about having done it :-) :-(
The title leads one to believe this will contain instructions on issues with changing backgrounds/themes in Windows 7/8/10, but you have instructions which only are applicable to Windows 7–drastically different than those applicable to Windows 10.
as in direction no. 3 given there is no transcodedwallpaper.jpg in my windows 10. what to do now?
My TranscodedWallpaper.jpg file has become corrupted. This option worked for me. Thanks for the help. Can’t believe that windows can have some many problems that can affect the background.
Still issue is not sorted out :(.. i followed all the steps but cant able to change the wallpaper
13/06/2016:
For those who failed to fix the issue, they can try searching for the key “NoChangingWallPaper” and set the value to 1
The full path is “HKEY_USERSSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsPoliciesActiveDesktop”
Thank you so much! i was losing hope but finally the 5 step works for me. Thanks man!
Is there a way to remotely change the “change every x” value by script,shell commands or registry.
Thank you
its worked thank you guys
Thanks! my TranscodeedWallpaper.jpg file was corrupt and i fixed it, I didn’t know windows left that file alone when reinstalling windows…
The first solution really worked for me. Thanks a lot for your help!
i can change my lock screen on my PC but not my background
i have the same problem i did all the solutions but i still showed that my organization blocked it
Thank you bro.