This tutorial will show you how to add or remove Open desktop background file location on the desktop context menu for all users in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
You can change your desktop background in Windows 11 to be a picture, solid color, a slideshow, or Windows Spotlight.
You can add a Open desktop background file location context menu to find and open directly to the image file location of your current picture, slideshow, or Windows Spotlight desktop background with the image selected.
This can make it easy to find and save the current desktop background image as wanted.
You must be signed in as an administrator to add or remove the Open desktop background file location context menu, but all users can use this context menu.
Contents
- Option One: Add "Open desktop background file location" context menu
- Option Two: Remove "Open desktop background file location" context menu
EXAMPLE: "Open desktop background file location" context menu, and file location examples
You will need to click/tap on Show more options first by default, then click/tap on Open desktop background file location.
1 Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below.
Add_Open_Desktop_Background_File_Location_context_menu.zip
Download
2 Save the ZIP file to your desktop.
3 Unblock the ZIP file.
4 Open the ZIP file, and extract (drag and drop) the Add_Open_Desktop_Background_File_Location_context_menu.reg and Find_Desktop_Background.js files to your desktop. (see screenshot below)
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell\DesktopBackgroundFileLocation]
"icon"="imageres.dll,-5346"
@="Open desktop background file location"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\shell\DesktopBackgroundFileLocation\command]
@=hex(2):77,00,73,00,63,00,72,00,69,00,70,00,74,00,20,00,22,00,25,00,57,00,69,\
00,6e,00,64,00,69,00,72,00,25,00,5c,00,46,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,5f,00,44,00,\
65,00,73,00,6b,00,74,00,6f,00,70,00,5f,00,42,00,61,00,63,00,6b,00,67,00,72,\
00,6f,00,75,00,6e,00,64,00,2e,00,6a,00,73,00,22,00,00,00(Contents of JS file for reference)
Code:
var HKCU = 0x80000001; // HKEY_CURRENT_USER
// Correct WMI connection
var oReg = GetObject(
"winmgmts:{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\\\.\\root\\default:StdRegProv"
);
var sKeyPath = "Control Panel\\Desktop";
var sValueName = "TranscodedImageCache";
// Proper method call pattern
var oMethod = oReg.Methods_.Item("GetBinaryValue");
var oInParams = oMethod.InParameters.SpawnInstance_();
oInParams.hDefKey = HKCU;
oInParams.sSubKeyName = sKeyPath;
oInParams.sValueName = sValueName;
var oOutParams = oReg.ExecMethod_("GetBinaryValue", oInParams);
var arr = new VBArray(oOutParams.uValue).toArray();
var sContents = "";
for (var i = 24; i < arr.length; i++) {
if (arr[i] !== 0) {
sContents += String.fromCharCode(arr[i]);
}
}
var shell = new ActiveXObject("WScript.Shell");
shell.Run('explorer.exe /select,"' + sContents + '"');5 Perform the following steps: (see screenshots below)
- Open the C:\Windows folder in File Explorer (Win+E).
- Copy or Move the Find_Desktop_Background.js file into the C:\Windows folder.
- Click/tap on Continue to approve.
6 Double click/tap on the Add_Open_Desktop_Background_File_Location_context_menu.reg file to merge it.
7 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
8 You can now delete the downloaded ZIP, REG, and/or VBS files on your desktop if you like.
This is the default setting.
1 Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below.
Remove_Open_desktop_background_file_location_context_menu.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell\DesktopBackgroundFileLocation]2 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
3 If you have Smart App Control turned on, you will need to unblock the downloaded REG file.
4 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
5 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
6 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
7 Perform the following steps: (see screenshots below)
- Open the C:\Windows folder in File Explorer (Win+E).
- Delete the Find_Desktop_Background.js file in the C:\Windows folder.
- Click/tap on Continue to approve.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
Last edited:
