Running win10 pro v1909, but this is a continuing problem through almost all the versions. have tried almost all the fixes found by google. Anyone have a definitive solution to this? thx
Change Desktop Background in Windows 10
Hi, the various options are given here.
At the start of the tutorial the locations of the pictures provided are given. This may help you delete the one you don't want.
You can also choose your own folder as a source for images.
That way you only see the pictures you have specifically put there.
Or, you could use a free 3rd party wallpaper changer such as
Wally
Wally download | SourceForge.net
or
John’s Background Switcher | John's Adventures
Thank you for your reply.
Confirm that you are talking about the desktop background, not the lock screen picture or background to the login screen.
If you select your own folder of pictures, and the program is using that folder, that's the only option. I use Wally myself.
Further, if you have deleted the offending picture successfully from your PC as I suggested it's impossible that it then be displayed except either by magic or because in fact you have not succeeded in specifying that only your personal folder be used, and the picture is being downloaded.
If that's what's happening, pleaseIf I put on an image, it reverts to black in one minute
a. try a clean boot (to eliminate something starting up that's causing that)
b. disable the slideshow here so Windows doesn't replace the Wally selected picture
(Note, on this laptop I just don't use a background yet).
What I like about Wally is that I can set it to change the background on logon randomly from a range of personally selected high quality images against which icons do show clearly, then have it exit so it's no longer resident.
It has a lot of other options too of course.
Neither Wally nor his little brother Beaver worked for me. (ancient TV series reference)
I did find a solution by creating a registry hack that is solid and does maintain my picture on the desktop. For posterity and those who find their way here by googling the same problem, here it is:
Open a new .txt file, (right click on desktop, on the menu, choose "New" and then "text document" on the menu that pops out). Open this new document and copy and exactly paste the text below and above the &&&&&:
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\system]
"Wallpaper"="C:\\name of your folder\\xxxxxxx.jpg"
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
edit the address putting the exact location of your desired desktop picture. Could be drive "C", "D", or whatever. Fill in the folder name and then the name of the jpg (or other image extension) file
Then save as wallpaper.reg (or whatever name you like, making sure the three letter extension is .reg) Double click on this file and accept all the subsequent "do you really want to..." type Microsoft popups.
Maybe happens right away or maybe have to reboot. I don't recall.
Naturally using a different wallpaper changer won't help if you've something else changing it as well. That's what you needed to have found. Seems you've found a way of fixing it it in your case.
Did you look at Settings as I suggested?
Another possibility is anything causing reversion to a theme with a particular wallpaper.
As I said, nothing was working for me. The option would change from "picture" to color after a few seconds
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