Wallpaper will not change (stuck on solid color)

Witch Mercy

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May 13, 2017
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Yesterday, I was having some issues with my PC so I system restored it. My problem was then fixed, however for some reason, I was not able to change my wallpaper. So, I went through every single fix I could find on the internet, and none of them worked. So, I went to my last resort and reinstalled windows... and the problem is still here. However, I can change the wallpaper on an admin profile that I have (but the profile I use is also admin as well).

Things I know I've tried;
Attempted to change the transcodedimage file to .jpg, but for me, it was called cacheimage and not transcodedimage.
Changed easy of access options.
Edited it in the registry and local group policy.

My copy of Windows 10 is genuine by the way and I've never had this problem until now.

This is REALLY frustrating me, all help is appreciated!
 
Solution
admin profile is built into windows 10, you not meant to use it as its there for other system users (you are only human user but System & Trustedinstaller are also classified as users so PC functions) and I guess its permissions are locked. I could guess that since you keep files/settings for all users, the other profile also having same bug isn't hard to believe.

I wouldn't mess with permissions as you can make matter worse.
So does it even offer the picture option in the drop down menu in personalisation? or does it swap it back if you choose something else? or show a warning on screen?

Is the login linked to an email address? Have a look in settings/accounts/Sync your settings and see if theme is on or off. Sometimes the roaming profile saved on MS servers will over ride your desktop choices. Mine kept setting desktop to 1080p on a 4k monitor.

Are you on HOme Or Pro as some fixes require group policy edit which isn't on the HOme version of 10
 


In personalization under "background" is tells me "some settings are hidden or managed by your organization". I can't change anything there either.

And no, I don't have my profile linked to an account, never have.
And I'm on Pro.

 
FIX: Some Settings Are Managed By Your Organization Message In Windows 10
FIX 1 – If Your System Is NOT A Part Of Domain
If your machine is not a part of domain but contains Group Policy tool and you can’t recall the policy setting which you configured earlier, you can reset Group Policy Editor to default. Here is step-by-step guide to reset Group Policies using Advanced Recovery Command Prompt or using batch file:

https://www.kapilarya.com/reset-local-group-policy-editor-in-windows-10

CAUTION: By resetting Local Group Policy Editor to default, you’ll loose all customization settings you’ve configured for your system using policies.

https://www.kapilarya.com/some-settings-are-managed-by-your-organization-windows-10

i got that from here, though its not your exact problem: https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/4f3997be-650d-42dc-929b-a53ce95c5cf2/some-settings-are-hidden-or-managed-by-your-organisation?forum=win10itprosetup
 


Though yes, when I'm in personalization and I change the background type to "picture" it changes back to "solid color".

I managed to get the message to go away, I reinstalled Windows again and still cannot set a background. I click a picture to set, and it does nothing. No errors or anything.

Update: If I change my wallpaper to a slideshow, it works. But not for a solid wallpaper.
 


Yes.
When I'm in personalization and I change the background type to "picture" it changes back to "solid color". And when I right click an image to set as background that way, nothing happens.
 


Where did your OS come from?
 


From Microsoft but Windows 10 from the free upgrade when it was available. I've never had the issue before and I've been using it for years.
 


And not a Insider Program install?
(just checking)
 


No.
 
You've probably seen this: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-desktop/i-cant-change-my-desktop-background-to-anything/68e0604b-0bfb-491a-a64b-48b8a1b21a25
but the filename is TranscodedWallpaper, it's not a .jpg file. There is no file extension.

You said:
Attempted to change the transcodedimage file to .jpg, but for me, it was called cacheimage and not transcodedimage.
lTFGl Nightfall said:
On a good note, I figured it out. I didn't think to show hidden files in the file path: C:\Users\dogbo_000\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Themes

Once I revealed the hidden files, I deleted the TranscodedWallpaper(I think it was corrupted or something) and then set the desktop to the image I wanted.
Source: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-start/desktop-background-locked-on-solid-colorwindows-10/758a7144-9daf-447c-b8b2-98de595f86bd?auth=1

So if you haven't, be sure to show hidden files / folders, then try to delete the TranscodedWallpaper. Here is what my folder looks like:

iugEjKp.jpg
If you deleted the CachedFiles folder, you might want to re-create it (if Windows doesn't it for you).
 


Tried it, however there was never a "TranscodedWallpaper" file there.
 
In settings/apps/default apps, what is set as Photo viewer? Just curious if there isn't an app for that feature and hence reason its not a choice
In settings/Ease of Access/Colour & High contrast, have you got a filter on or using one of these themes?

what are specs of PC? What size screen are you using? Are you using right graphics drivers?

Generally Windows will drop from a wallpaper to a color when it drops the display quality. I can't find the wording for Windows 10. In Windows 7 it was when Aero would be turned off.

This generally happens when your display driver has crashed or a program is putting your computer in a low graphical state for resources (like launching a game).

You can check in Event Viewer (Click Start and type in Event Viewer) under Windows Logs then Application. If there is anything about the Display Adapter you might want to try to find a new driver.
https://superuser.com/questions/1125002/windows-10-background-changes-from-picture-to-solid-color-option-randomly
 


Photoviewer default is set to "Photos".
And I haven't messed with Ease of Access except for the "Remove Wallpaper" option, but unticking that does nothing.

CPU is an i5 2500 3.3Ghz OC'ed to like 3.9Ghz. GPU is a GTX 1060 6GB. And I'm using 1080p. I just updated the graphics driver a couple hours ago, did nothing for the wallpaper.

It worked perfectly fine before I system restored the computer.
 
The problem could be system restore. How far back did you roll back to fix it? It can do odd things, it is the last resort.

See if this helps:

right click start button
choose powershell (admin)
type SFC /scannow and press enter
once its completed, copy/paste this command into same window:
Repair-WindowsImage -Online -RestoreHealth and press enter
SFC fixes system files, second command cleans image files, re run SFC if it failed to fix all files the first time and restart PC

Another option is: https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/16397-repair-install-windows-10-place-upgrade.html
(Note, are you on version 1709, Build 16299.182 of win 10? as if you not on 1709 that fix may not work - to tell, right click start, choose run..., type winver & press enter)

If you reinstalled win 10 since, how? Fresh install or over the top? what version are you on? repair install still might help
 


I rolled it back to the 13th of this month. I reinstalled Windows last night, did the option to keep my files because I don't have an extra HDD large enough to back my stuff up right now. The checker thing is running, will post results when finished.
And my windows version is 1709 (16299.192).

I ran sfc /scan now yesterday, told me nothing was detected.
 


This is what came up after the scan was done.

Path :
Online : False
ImageHealthState : Healthy
RestartNeeded : False
 


Install over the top I guess? It's the option built into Windows. And yeah, I'm on the current build.
I created a new local account yesterday, it wouldn't let me change it there either. But, there is an admin profile called "admin" that I enabled awhile back, I know last time I tried changing the wallpaper on there, it changed. Though, the profile I use is also considered an admin profile. I haven't tried changing it on that profile since the second reinstall though.
 
Did you go to settings/update & security/recovery/reset this PC and ask it to keep files/settings?

Or

did you go to settings/update & security/windows defender & click Turn on windows defender antivirus to bring up the Windows defender security centre, and then press device performance and health, and click fresh start? (why must this menu be so buried) - easier to just search Cortana for Windows defender and pick it from list, or just search for Fresh start but you need to know its called that first.,..

As both of these would keep your login info making the reset pointless.

Fresh install means formatting the entire drive and reinstalling win 10 from scratch.
 


I had to keep everything because I don't have an extra HDD large enough to back my files up to. I guess the bright side is that I'm getting a whole new PC in the near future (besides the GPU) and this one won't be relevant.

I just don't think it's the profile because it doesn't change on another profile either, besides that one admin profile.
 
admin profile is built into windows 10, you not meant to use it as its there for other system users (you are only human user but System & Trustedinstaller are also classified as users so PC functions) and I guess its permissions are locked. I could guess that since you keep files/settings for all users, the other profile also having same bug isn't hard to believe.

I wouldn't mess with permissions as you can make matter worse.
 
Solution