Personalization Enable or Disable Desktop Background in Windows 11


  • Staff
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


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Last edited:
Click to expand...
Why would someone want to do this?
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win 11 Pro 22631.3447
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Digital Storm Velox
    CPU
    Intel Core i9-10940X
    Motherboard
    MSI X299 PRO (Intel X299 Chipset) (Up to 4x PCI-E Devices)
    Memory
    128 GB DDR4 3200 MHz Corsair Vengance LPX
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti Black
    Sound Card
    Integrated Motherboard Audio-Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    CORSAIR XENEON 32QHD
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1440
    Hard Drives
    2 Samsung 980 Pro NVME 2TB
    1x Storage (6TB Western Digital
    PSU
    Corsair / EVGA / Thermaltake (Modular) (80 Plus Gold)
    Case
    VELOX
    Cooling
    H20: Stage 2: Digital Storm Vortex Liquid CPU Cooler (Dual Fan) (Fully Sealed + No Maintenance)
    Keyboard
    Corsair K63 Wireless
    Mouse
    Corsair NIGHTSWORD RGB
    Internet Speed
    1000Gb's Down-20 Up
    Browser
    Firefox 125.0.1
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Cyber power CP1350AVRLCD -UPS
    NVIDIA 552.22 Driver
  • Operating System
    Arch Linux
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Intel NUC13ANHi3
    CPU
    Intel Core i3 1315u
    Motherboard
    NUC13AN
    Memory
    64GB GSKILL DDR4 3200
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel On Board
    Sound Card
    Intel on Board
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell 2419HGCF
    Screen Resolution
    1920 X 1080
    Hard Drives
    1TB Crucial M2NVME
    PSU
    External 90 Watt
    Case
    NUC Tall
    Cooling
    Fan
    Mouse
    Razer
    Keyboard
    Logitech
    Internet Speed
    1GB
    Browser
    Slimjet 43.0.1.0
    Other Info
    quiet & fast
Josey Wales said:
Why would someone want to do this?
Click to expand...
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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