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Symptoms

If users right-click a picture and then click Set as Desktop Background, they can change their desktop wallpaper even though you (the administrator) have enabled the Prevent changing wallpaper property in Group Policy.

Cause

The Prevent changing wallpaper Group Policy prevents users from changing the desktop wallpaper by using Display Properties. However, there are ways of changing the wallpaper setting, such as through Image Preview, which does not involve Display Properties. By these other methods, users do not experience the limitations that apply to Display Properties. You must specify Active Desktop Wallpaper in Group Policy to prevent users from changing the desktop wallpaper without using Display Properties. 

Resolution

To have us fix this problem for you, go to the "Here's an easy fix" section. If you prefer to fix this problem manually, go to the "Let me fix it myself" section.

Here's an easy fix

To fix this problem automatically, click the Download button. In the File Download dialog box, click Run or Open, and then follow the steps in the easy fix wizard.

  • This wizard may be in English only. However, the automatic fix also works for other language versions of Windows.

  • If you’re not on the computer that has the problem, save the easy fix solution to a flash drive or a CD, and then run it on the computer that has the problem.


Let me fix it myself

Easy fix 50547

To resolve this issue, specify an Active Desktop wallpaper setting in Group Policy. To do this, follow these steps:

  1. Click Start, click Run, and then type gpedit.msc.

  2. Under Local Computer Policy, expand User Configuration, expand Administrative Templates, expand Desktop, and then click Active Desktop.

  3. Double-click Active Desktop Wallpaper.

  4. On the Setting tab, click Enabled, type the path to the desktop wallpaper that you want to use, and then click OK.

Status

This behavior is by design.


Did this fix the problem?

Check whether the problem is fixed. If the problem is fixed, you are finished with this section. If the problem is not fixed, you can contact support.

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