Personalization Enable or Disable Desktop Background in Windows 11


Desktop_background_banner.png

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable the desktop background for your account in Windows 11.

You can change your desktop background in Windows 11 to be a picture, solid color, a slideshow, or Windows Spotlight image.

You can enable or disable showing the desktop background on all desktops and displays at once on demand.

When the desktop background is disabled, it will show as a solid black color until enabled again. When the desktop background is enabled again, your currently set desktop background will show again.


EXAMPLE: Desktop background settings removed when disabled

Desktop_background_disabled.png



Here's How:

1 Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the Ease of Access Center icon.

2 Click/tap on the Make the computer easier to see link. (see screenshot below)

disable_desktop_background-1.png

3 Check (disable) or uncheck (enable - default) Remove background images (where available) for what you want, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

The Remove background images (where available) setting and others are saved together in the UserPreferencesMask binary value in the registry key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop location for the current user.


disable_desktop_background-2.png

4 You can now close the Ease of Access Center if you like.


That's it,
Shawn Brink


 
Last edited:
Why would someone want to do this?
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win 11 Pro 26100.3323
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Alienware Aurora R16
    CPU
    Intel Core i9 14900F (24 -Core, 68 MB Total Cache)
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    Dell Alienware
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    32GB DDR5
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    RTX 4080 Super
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    Corsair Strafe RGB MK.2
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    Corsair M65 Pro
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    1000Gb's Down-20 Up
    Browser
    Firefox 136
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    Defender
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    Very Quiet And Fast
    CyberPower UPS CP1500PFCLCD
  • Operating System
    Optimum 11 24H2 Build 26100.2454
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    IBuypower
    CPU
    Intel Core i3 1315u
    Motherboard
    ASRock
    Memory
    32GB DDR5
    Graphics card(s)
    PNY RTX 4017
    Sound Card
    onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell 2419HGCF
    Screen Resolution
    1920 X 1080
    Hard Drives
    Kingston 2TB SNV2S20006 PCIe 4.0 M.2.2280
    SAMSUNG 980 PRO SSD 2TB, PCIe 4.0 M.2 2280
    PSU
    850Watt
    Case
    Small
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    Closed loop Liquid
    Mouse
    IBP
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    IBP
    Internet Speed
    1GB
    Browser
    Firefox 133.0
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Noisy but fast
Why would someone want to do this?
For the most part, as far as I can recall, back in the day of weaker machines, users would often disable Desktop background when doing a screen recording. The Desktop background process is still a heavy one, along with all of it's affiliated processes.
Some screen recording software still have the option included.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS ROG Strix
  • Operating System
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS VivoBook
Also, in OS's of the past, it would show the base color of that special folder the Desktop Folder Proper.
In Windows 11, things have changed, the default seems to be black.

0004018.png
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS ROG Strix
  • Operating System
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS VivoBook

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