How To: Change Windows Desktop Wallpaper
Applies to: Windows XP
Symptoms
Normally you can change the desktop background (wallpaper) in Windows from the Display Properties control panel. However, the Background selection list may be disabled or grayed out.
Cause
The ability to change the background color or picture from a default setting can be disabled using a policy setting stored in the Windows Registry. This may have been set by the system administrator in the case of a company PC. If the facility to change the desktop wallpaper is disabled in a home PC then this is usually the result of some malware that has changed the policy setting maliciously.
Solution
To resolve the issue, carry out the following steps:
- Start the Registry Editor (click Start, Run and enter regedit.)
- Expand HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies.
- Select Policies
- If Policies contains a key named ActiveDesktop, select ActiveDesktop and delete it.
- Now expand HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies.
- Select Policies
- If Policies contains a key named ActiveDesktop, select ActiveDesktop and delete it.
Alternatively, download and run the file fixwallpaper.reg which will perform the above steps.
You should then be able to change the desktop background color or wallpaper image in the normal way.
