Q: My desktop has a black background. Whenever i go to Desktop Properties, it won’t let me change any of my backgrounds. I’m able to select the images, but the background never changed. I rather just have it back to the Vista background.
To restore the ability to change the desktop Wallpaper in your system, download the file wallpaper_enable.reg for Windows 2000/XP/Vista systems, and save the file to your Desktop. Right-click wallpaper_enable.reg and choose Merge to apply the settings.
The REG file removes the Wallpaper Policy setting from the following registry locations
Windows Vista specific setting
Click Start, Control Panel, Ease of Access, Ease of Access Center.
Under Make things on the screen easier to see, deselect the option:
Select Save.
You should be able to change the desktop background now.
Related Posts
- Prevent Desktop Background (Wallpaper) Change When Applying a Desktop Theme
- Wallpaper Changer PowerToy Does Not Work Under Limited User Accounts
- Fix: Cannot Change Wallpaper Picture Position to Tile or Center in HP/Compaq PCs Running Windows 7
- John’s Background Switcher: Change Desktop Wallpaper at Predefined Intervals
- How to Add “Desktop Background File Location” Option to Desktop Right-Click Menu in Windows 7
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed! We feature Tips, Troubleshooting information, Scripts and Utilities for Microsoft Windows Operating Systems!
Prefer an E-mail subscription?
it didn’t work for me…sigh…=(
Yaay it worked!!! Thanks sooooooo much!
this is awesome. thank you for the post, it saved my life!
[...] For Instant Help See: http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/cannot-change-the-desktop-wallpaper-fix/ [...]
“1) Open up a run box (Windows key+R or Start Menu and click run).
2) Type “gpedit.msc” (without the quotes) in the box and press “Enter” or click “Ok.”
3) Go to this path:
User Configuration->Administrative Templates->Control Panel->Display
then make “hide desktop tab” and “prevent changing wallpaper” disabled
Awesome, Thanks It fixed my Laptop up, Whoo Hoo no more just plain color screen! Keep up the great work!!! ;-)
Clearly there are a number of us who still have the problem – unmoved by the .REG file merge (registry didn’t have anything there to change, anyway, in my case) NOR was the checkbox checked, nor did checking it and unchecking it (as someone suggested) avail any change whatsoever. In addition to this patent refusal to set an image file as wallpaper (sure, I can change the solid color to things other than black, but BFD) I notice that the dialog for selecting from pic files now shows odd, pixellated icons or NOTHING in the selection window (except that holding the cursor over where one guesses the file’s icons to be pops up file properties). So, much as I’d like to join the chorus of “Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you for saving my sanity,” it would be specious flattery at this juncture. Has ANYONE out there come across something that actually DOES work?????