How to specify a desktop background for all users and prevent them from changing it in Windows 7

Windows 7 provides its users with a large set of customization settings. Changing the wallpaper, selecting a theme and scheduling or troubleshooting an application etc. are some amongst the many. The main idea relates to the customization of the system appearance as per user need. A user is also allowed to specify wallpaper for all the users working on the computer having individual accounts. The users will not be able to manipulate the specified wallpaper and the option like "Change desktop background" in "Personalization" and "Set as Background" in context menu for images in computer and web pages will not be greyed out though but surely will not work. In addition a user is allowed to specify the desktop position (i.e. Center, fill, fit, tile, and stretch etc.) of the wallpaper for all users too. Go through the below mentioned steps for specifying a desktop background for all users and prevent them from changing it.

Steps to specify a desktop background for all users and prevent them from changing it in Windows 7: -

1. Click on the Start Orb, and type 'regedit.exe' in the search space. Then right click on the 'regedit.exe' link that is visible above the search box and then select the option "Run as administrator".



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2. Click on "Yes" button if, prompted by User Account Control (UAC).

3. As soon as the "Registry Editor" dialog box opens, navigate to the below mentioned path exactly from its left pane.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Policies\System



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4. After navigating up to the "System" folder click on it from the left panel of "Registry Editor" dialog box. Now, right click in the right panel of the "Registry Editor" dialog box and click on the option "New" to expand it. Then click on the "String Value" option from the expanded options for "New" option.



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5. Type "Wallpaper" as the name for the newly created "String Value". Now right click on "Wallpaper" and then click on "Modify..." option.



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6. Type the exact path of the JPG or BMP file that you would like to use as the wallpaper for all users in the text box for "Value data:" label, located under the "Edit String" dialog box and then click on "OK" button of the "Edit String" dialog box.

(Note: - In case you don’t want to use wallpaper just specify some invalid path in the "Value data:" textbox.)



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7. Again click on "System" folder from the left panel of "Registry Editor" dialog box. Now, right click in the right panel of the "Registry Editor" dialog box and click on the option "New" to expand it. Then click on the "String Value" option from the expanded options for "New" option.



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8. Type "WallpaperStyle" as the name for the newly created "String Value". Now right click on "WallpaperStyle" and then click on "Modify..." option.



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9. Select and Type a number from the below mentioned choices for Center, Fill, Fit, Stretch, Tile etc., in the text box for "Value data:" label, that you would like to use for specifying the position of wallpaper on the desktop for all users. You will find it located under the "Edit String" dialog box. Now click on "OK" button of the "Edit String" dialog box.



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For setting the wallpaper position as Center type 0 in the text box for "Value data label or,
For setting the wallpaper position as Tile type 1 in the text box for "Value data label or,
For setting the wallpaper position as Stretch type 2 in the text box for "Value data label or,
For setting the wallpaper position as Fit type 3 in the text box for "Value data label or,
For setting the wallpaper position as Fill type 4 in the text box for "Value data label.

10. Close the "Registry Editor" dialog box by clicking the close (X) button and then reboot your computer for the changes to take effect properly.



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Once you have traced the above steps successfully, you will then be able to specify a desktop background for all user on your computer and can prevent them from changing it in Windows 7.


( Note: - At any time if you feel like reverting back the above settings and set them to default. Follow the below mentioned steps.)

1. Click on the Start Orb, and type 'regedit.exe' in the search space. Then right click on the 'regedit.exe' link appeared above the search box and then select the option "Run as administrator".



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2. Click on "Yes" button if, prompted by User Account Control (UAC).

3. As soon as the "Registry Editor" dialog box opens, navigate to the below mentioned path exactly from its left pane.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Policies\System



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4. After navigating to the "System" folder click on it and then from the right panel of the "Registry Editor" dialog box, right click on "Wallpaper" string value and click on "Delete" option. A dialog box for "Confirm Value Delete" will appear with a prompting message "Deleting certain registry values could cause system instability. Are you sure you want to permanently delete this registry value?". Click on "Yes" button of the "Confirm Value Delete" dialog box.



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5. Now again from the right panel of the "Registry Editor" dialog box, right click on "WallpaperStyle" string value and click on "Delete" option. A dialog box for "Confirm Value Delete" will appear with a prompting message "Deleting certain registry values could cause system instability. Are you sure you want to permanently delete this registry value?". Click on "Yes" button of the "Confirm Value Delete" dialog box.



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6. Click on close button of the "Registry Editor" dialog box to close it and reboot your computer for the changes to take effect.



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Above mentioned steps were for reverting back the default settings.

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