Desktop Background - Change in Windows 8

How to Change Your Desktop Background and Slide Show in Windows 8 and 8.1​

   Information

Your desktop background can be a different picture set for each specific monitor, a single picture set for all monitors, or a slide show playing selected pictures randomly on all monitors.

This tutorial will show you how to set images of your choice as your desktop background wallpaper or slide show in Windows 8, Windows RT, Windows 8.1,and Windows RT 8.1.

   Note

Using a picture that is the same size as the monitor(s) screen resolution will give you the best looking results.

If you have multiple monitors in a row, then using a widescreen picture that is close to the combined screen resolutions of the monitors will give you the best looking results. For example, a 3840 x 1200 widescreen picture looks great as one image across three 1920 x 1080 monitors using Fill. Your results may vary.

The default folder for Windows 8 wallpapers is located at: C:\Windows\Web\Wallpaper\Windows

The hidden cache folder that stores a copy of the current desktop background image is located at:

%AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Themes\CachedFiles

If you are using a Microsoft account and have the Personalize setting turned on to sync, then the desktop background you currently have set will also be displayed on any PC that you sign in to with the same Microsoft account. The folder that contains this image on your PC is located below instead of the folder above:

%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Themes\RoamedThemeFiles\DesktopBackground

   Tip

For free desktop backgrounds from Microsoft, see: Desktop backgrounds - Microsoft Windows

OPTION ONE

"Set as Desktop Background" or Slide Show by Right Clicking on a Picture

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1. Do either step 2, 3, or 4 below for what you would like to do.​

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2. To Set a Single Picture as Desktop Background​

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A) In Windows Explorer, navigate to the picture that you want to set as desktop background.​

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B) Right click or press and hold on the picture, and click/tap on Set as desktop background. (see screenshot below)​

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3. To Set Pictures as Your Desktop Background or Slide Show ​

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A) In Windows Explorer, navigate to the folder that contains the pictures that you want to set as a slide show.​

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B) Select more than one picture in the folder, right click or press and hold on the selected pictures, and click/tap on Set as desktop background.​

NOTE: You could also press and hold the CTRL key while clicking on pictures randomly to select them in the folder, then release the CTRL key when finished selecting pictures.​

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C) The selected pictures will now play as a slide show on all monitors randomly, and changing the picture at the time you already had set in step 10 of OPTION TWO below.​

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D) Open your Advanced Power Plan Settings. Under Desktop background settings for Slide show, make sure that you have the setting as Available, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)​

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4. To Set a Single Picture as Desktop Background in Internet Explorer​

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A) While in Internet Explorer, right click or press and hold on a picture that you want to set as desktop background, and click/tap on Set as desktop background. (see screenshot below)​

NOTE: Sometimes you may need to click on a picture in Internet Explorer first to view it's largest size.​

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B) Click/tap on Yes. (see screenshot below)​

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OPTION TWO

To Change Desktop Background or Slide Show in "Personalization"

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1. Do step 2, 3, or 4 below for how you would like to open Personalization.​

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2. Right click or press and hold on your desktop, click/tap on Personalization, and go to step 5 below. (see screenshot below)​

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3. Open the Control Panel (icons view), click/tap on the Personalization icon, and go to step 5 below.​

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4. While on the desktop, open the Charms bar, click/tap on the Settings charm, click/tap on Personalization, and go to step 5 below. (see screenshot below)​

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5. Click/tap on the Desktop Background link at the bottom. (see screenshot below)​

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6. To the right of Picture location, either click/tap on the drop down menu arrow to select a picture folder location, or click/tap on the Browse button to navigate to and select a picture folder location. (see screenshot below)​

NOTE: This will allow you to be able to select the pictures in the folder to set as your desktop background. To remove a folder from the Picture location, see: How to Remove the Windows 7 Desktop Background Picture Location History.​

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7. Do step 8, 9, or 10 below for what you would like to do.​

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8. To Set a Single Picture as Desktop Background for All Monitors​

NOTE: If you have more than one monitor, then the same selected picture will display on all monitors.​

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A) Click/tap on a image to select (check) it, then go to step 11 below.​

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OR ​

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B) Right click or press and hold on an image, and click/tap on either Set as desktop background (one monitor) or Set for all monitors (multiple monitors), then go to step 11 below.​

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9. To Set a Picture as Desktop Background for Specific Monitors​

NOTE: You will not be able to do this step have if you only have one monitor. This will allow you to have a different picture on each monitor.​

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A) Right click or press and hold on an image, and click/tap on Set for monitor #. (see screenshot below)​

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B) Repeat step 9A if you have more monitors that you would like to set a specific picture for.​

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C) When finished, go to step 11 below.​

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10. To Set a "Slide Show" as Desktop Background for All Monitors​

NOTE: If you have more than one monitor, then each monitor will show a different picture from the slide show.​

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A) Select (check) as many pictures that you would like to be included in the Slide Show. (see screenshot below)​

NOTE: You could also press and hold the CTRL key while clicking on pictures randomly to select them in the folder, then release the CTRL key when finished selecting pictures.​

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B) Set the Change picture every time option for how often you would like the pictures in the slide show to change. (see screenshot below)​

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C) Check the Shuffle box if you would like the selected pictures to be played randomly in the slide show. (see screenshot above)​

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D) If you like, and if available, check the When using battery power, pause the slide show to save power box. (see screenshot above)​

NOTE: This option is only available if your computer has a battery (ex: laptop or tablet), or is connected to a UPS.​

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E) Open your Advanced Power Plan Settings. Under Desktop background settings for Slide show, make sure that you have the setting as Available, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)​

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F) Go to step 11 below.​

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11. Under Picture position, click/tap on how you want the selected picture(s) to show on the desktop background. (see screenshot below)​

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12. When finished, click/tap on the Save changes button at the bottom. (see screenshot under step 6)​

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13. You can now close the Personalization window if you like. (see screenshot under step 5)​

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That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

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• How to Add Desktop Background File Location context menu in Windows 8 and Windows 10
• Change Your Start and Sign in Screen Background and Color in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1
• How to Set a Default Start Background Image for All Users in Windows 8.1
• How to Allow or Prevent Changing Desktop Background in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8
• How to Remove the Desktop Background Picture Location History in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Show your Desktop Background on Start Screen in Windows 8.1
• How to Change Start and Sign in Screen Background and Color in Windows 8
• How to Change the Lock Screen Background Image in Windows 8
• How to Duplicate, Extend, or Switch Display to a "Second Screen" in Windows 8
• How to Create a Theme in Windows 8
• How to Save a Theme in Windows 8
• How to Switch Between Themes in Windows 8
• Add or Remove "Personalize" from Desktop Context Menu in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• Add or Remove Expanding "Personalize" Desktop Context Menu in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Set Bing Homepage Image in Bing Desktop as Desktop Background in Windows 8
• How to Restore Missing "Desktop" Tile on Start Screen in Windows 8
• Add or Remove "Set as desktop background" from Context Menu in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• Set Desktop, Lock, and Start Background to Show Image or Solid Color in Windows 8 and 8.1
• Add or Remove "Next desktop background" from Desktop Context Menu in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Add or Remove Desktop Background "Slide Show" in Power Options in Windows

 

[Brink]

Hello Brink, is third-party software required to set a Single Picture as Desktop Background for one Monitor and Slide Show for another monitor?

Hello c627627,

I'm not sure that's possible. Usually it's an either or setting.

 

[c627627]

You are correct, Windows 8 only has an either/or setting. Third party software is required.
I haven't been able to find any freeware that would allow Slide Show on Monitor 1 and Single Picture on Monitor 2. DisplayFusion freeware doesn't have this feature but DisplayFusion Pro does, I just tested it and it works. If anybody finds any freeware that can do this in the future, please post.

 

[Brink]

Well, at least you have the DisplayFusion Pro option. To bad it's not free.

 

[c627627]

I was not able to find any other program that can do this, pay-for DisplayFusion can do this and interestingly instructions on how to do this were not available until today, I had to contact the author.

I wrote notes on how it is done:

To have a single wallpaper on Monitor 1 and Random Wallpapers on Monitor 2:


1. Enable single monitor only > Right click on DisplayFusion in Task Bar > Desktop Wallpaper > [upper center] Save As > Single Monitor > OK

2. Right click on DisplayFusion in Task Bar > Monitor Configuration > [upper left] Save Profile... > New Profile > Single Monitor > OK

3. [upper center] Manage Monitor Profiles > Click on Single Monitor > Wallpaper Profile button > Single Monitor > Close > OK


4. Enable second monitor > Right click on DisplayFusion in Task Bar > Desktop Wallpaper > [upper center] Save As > Dual Monitor > OK

5. Right click on DisplayFusion in Task Bar > Monitor Configuration > [upper left] Save Profile... > New Profile > Dual Monitor > OK

6. [upper center] Manage Monitor Profiles > Click on Dual Monitor > Wallpaper Profile button > Dual Monitor > Close > OK

 

[EShirou]

I haven't found it here so let me ask, How to change behavior of Windows 8.1 Slideshow to show the same wallpaper on both monitors (dual monitor setup) so it will be the same as Windows 7? Win8.1 has something I don't like, He is setting two different wallpapers for separate monitors while using slideshow, I want them both to be the same while using slideshow option. How to do it?

PS: I really hate that different wallpapers are on different monitors... makes me not want to use slideshow anymore :/

 

[Brink]

Hello Eshirou,

The only way that I know of to have the same wallpaper on both displays' desktop is to set the displays to "duplicate" instead of "extend" the desktop in your screen resolution settings.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorial...licate-extend-switch-display-windows-8-a.html

 

[EShirou]

Hello Eshirou,

The only way that I know of to have the same wallpaper on both displays' desktop is to set the displays to "duplicate" instead of "extend" the desktop in your screen resolution settings.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorial...licate-extend-switch-display-windows-8-a.html

No this isn't the method, this makes second display useless, I want to make it work like in Windows 7 via a registry tweak or something.

 

[Brink]

EShirou,

Yeah, I don't like to duplicate displays either.

It's not exactly what you may want, but you could set Picture position to Span to have the same image show across all extended displays.

The same image will not show the same on both displays separately, but across both.

Hope this helps.

 

[EShirou]

EShirou,

Yeah, I don't like to duplicate displays either.

It's not exactly what you may want, but you could set Picture position to Span to have the same image show across all extended displays.

The same image will not show the same on both displays separately, but across both.

Hope this helps.

Wont this make the whole wallpaper a lil bit messy :/ ?

 

[Brink]

It really depends on the resolution/size of the images.

If you have say two 1920x1080 (Horizontal x Vertical) displays, then the images would look best using Span if the image was 3840x1080 (2x1920 for 2 displays). Otherwise the image could be stretched to fit.

 

[EShirou]

It really depends on the resolution/size of the images.

If you have say two 1920x1080 (Horizontal x Vertical) displays, then the images would look best using Span if the image was 3840x1080 (2x1920 for 2 displays). Otherwise the image could be stretched to fit.

I have two 1280x1024 screens.

 

[Brink]

In that case images that are 2560x1024 in size would look best spanned on them.

Here's some if you like: https://www.google.com/search?q=256...CEefL2wX5zYC4Dw&ved=0CD0QsAQ&biw=1920&bih=963

 

[EShirou]

In that case images that are 2560x1024 in size would look best spanned on them.

Here's some if you like: https://www.google.com/search?q=256...CEefL2wX5zYC4Dw&ved=0CD0QsAQ&biw=1920&bih=963

I still prefer having the same wallpaper on both screen mainly because I don't see the wallpaper on first screen 90% of times, only on second screen.

 

[Brink]

In that case, it shouldn't matter to much using Fill instead of Span to be able to have a separate full image on each display.

 

[EShirou]

In that case, it shouldn't matter to much using Fill instead of Span to be able to have a separate full image on each display.

It matters for example automatic aero coloring takes the color from first wallpaper which is different than the second, also you see the wallpapers sometimes when you minimize everything and also there is the issue of transparent taskbar where you can see the wallpaper but I guess there really isn't a way to do it :/ Or at least so far no one send anything about method of doing so :/ I guess I will either have to stop using slideshow (which I will probably do) or start to live with this "feature". Though I am still hoping there is something to change that in registry or somewhere.

 

[Brink]

I'll keep looking for one though.

 

[nOm nom NOM3]

I apologize if I am a bit late to this thread however I am having a rather annoying issue. windows is displaying the same background on moth my monitors. I am using slideshow and I have about 25-30 images in the pool. I have two displays 1920x1080. this happened about a week ago. and I have no idea what could have caused it, previously it jsut worked and the monitors would occasionally sync up. but now no matter what I do it refuses to actually do the slideshow. and ideas?

 

[Brink]

Hello n0m, and welcome to Eight Forums.

How do you have your displays set as far as extended or duplicated in your Screen Resolution settings page?

 

[nOm nom NOM3]

Extended

 

[Brink]

Interesting. As a test, turn off your desktop slideshow, then try setting it up again to see if the images will be different per display afterwards.