Desktop Background - Remove Picture Location History

How to Remove the Desktop Background Picture Location History in Windows 7 and Windows 8​

   Information

This will show you how to either reset to default or remove a folder in the desktop background picture location drop down list in Personalization in Windows 7 or Windows 8.

EXAMPLE: Desktop Background Picture Location

OPTION ONE

To Reset Picture Location to Default using a REG Download

NOTE: This option will reset the picture location drop down menu list back to only having the default folders removing any folders that you have added (Option Three below) by browsing to them. 1. Click on the Download button below to download the file below. Reset_Desktop_Background_Picture_Location_History.reg

Download


2. Save the .reg file to your desktop.

3. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

4. Click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK when prompted.

5. When finished, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.

6. Close and reopen Desktop Background in Windows 7 or Windows 8 to see the change.

OPTION TWO

Reset or Remove a Picture Location Through Registry

NOTE: This option will allow you to either manually reset the picture location drop down menu list back to only having the default folders removing any folders that you have added (Option Three below) by browsing to them, or only remove one or more folders listed in the picture location drop down menu list. 1. Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog, type regedit, and press Enter.

2. If prompted by UAC, then click/tap on Yes to approve or type in the administrator's password.

3. In regedit, navigate to the location below: (see screenshot below)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Wallpapers\Images

4. To Reset Desktop Background Picture Location History A) In the left pane of regedit, right click on Images, and click/tap on Delete. (see screenshot above)
NOTE: Images is restored automatically the first time that you add (Option Three below) a folder by browsing to.

B) Click/tap on Yes to confirm deletion. (see screenshot below)
C) Go to step 6.
5. To Remove a Listed Folder in Picture Location A) In the right pane of Images, right click on one of the listed ID# (0-9) that you want to remove, and click/tap on Delete. (see screenshot below)

   Tip

The top 4 Windows Desktop Backgrounds, Pictures Library, Top Rated Photos, and Solid Colors default folders will not be included in the listed ID#'s.

The folders that you added will be listed in order under the default ones above with the same ID# order listed in the registry.

B) Click/tap on Yes to confirm deletion. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: If you made a mistake and deleted the wrong picture location folder, then you can add it back by just browsing to and selecting it in Option Three below.
C) Repeat steps 6A/B if you wish to removed another added picture location folder.
6. Close regedit.

7. Close and reopen Desktop Background in Windows 7 or Windows 8 to see the change.

OPTION THREE

Add a Picture Location Through Desktop Background

1. Open Desktop Background in Windows 7 or Windows 8 in Personalization.

2. To the right of Picture location, click on the Browse button. (see screenshot below)
3. Navigate to and select the folder you want to be added to the picture location history, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)
4. It will be listed in the Picture location drop down arrow box.
That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Change the Windows 7 Desktop Background
• How to Change Your Desktop Background and Slide Show in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1
• How to Create a Change "Desktop Background" Shortcut in Vista and Windows 7
• How to Allow or Prevent Changing Desktop Background in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8
• How to Specify a Desktop Background for Users in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8

 

[derekimo]

AWESOME Shawn! That is another great tutorial, That bugs me seeing those old ones there. You're the Man.

 

[Brink]

Thank you Derek. You're most welcome. Yeah, that had bugged me to.

 

[Endless]

Thank you, this really helped me out!

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Endless, and welcome to Seven Forums.

 

[Endless]

You're most welcome Endless, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Thank you .

 

[Jack8530]

good job but do you know how to change the: how the pointer looks history
post a tutorial if you do

thanks Jack

 

[Brink]

Hello Jack,

You should be able to just select a "Mouse Pointer" scheme that you had saved, and delete it to remove it from the list. You cannot delete the default schemes though.



Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[debellator]

Can no longer add folder

So I know how to do whats described, yet somehow (in the last two weeks) I have lost the ability to add folders.

I Browse to one(any folder anywhere) and select it, and it doesn't work. Nothing happens, the folder is not added?? Any ideas?

How can I make it work again?
or
How can I manually(regedit) add in a new folder location? ++

Full add min rights etc.

 

[Brink]

Hello Debellator, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Interesting. Does the folder that you selected contain any images in it? Could you post a few screenshots of what you are seeing instead to see if something may stand out?

 

[debellator]

Windows 7 BG

Hello Debellator, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Interesting. Does the folder that you selected contain any images in it? Could you post a few screenshots of what you are seeing instead to see if something may stand out?

Well No Screenshot would really show anything there is no error or alert, it allows me to navigate to any folder. I have several sub folders in my Pictures library and when I select one nothing happens, the window goes away as if though it worked but the folder is not there to select.

I thought it might be related to how many pics were in a certain folder(18k) so I chose one with only 10 in it and it did not help.

 

[Brink]

Do they show if you select the Pictures Library itself from the drop down menu for "Pictures location"?

Do you have this same problem if you select any other folder with images in it other than a included library folder?

 

[debellator]

Windows 7 BG

No they don't show even the main Pictures Folder.

And yes same problem, I tried creating a folder with two images on the desktop and selecting that one and it did the same thing.

 

[Brink]

Debellator,

Go ahead and run a sfc /scannow command to see if it can find and fix any corrupted system files that may be the cause of this.

If not, then you might consider doing a system restore using a restore point (if available) dated when this did work properly.

 

[trasman]

So I know how to do whats described, yet somehow (in the last two weeks) I have lost the ability to add folders.

I Browse to one(any folder anywhere) and select it, and it doesn't work. Nothing happens, the folder is not added?? Any ideas?

How can I make it work again?
or
How can I manually(regedit) add in a new folder location? ++

Full add min rights etc.

Finlay! Someone with the same error/problem as me. I'm not alone.

This has happen to me on two different computers, both where fresh installs of Windows 7 (Ultimate I think).
Your guide on how to remove one path using regedit works fine.
Adding a path using the normal method with the browse botton does not work. You can browse for a folder but it doesn't get added.

My temporary solution to this:

On a working windows 7 computer.
1. Add a path to some wallpapers like C:\wallpaper
2. Regedit to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Wallpapers\Images
3. Export the folder Images to a .reg file

On the non working windows 7 computer.
4. Make the folder as in step 1, making sure it's the exact same name and path.
5. Run .reg file and the path should have been added.

 

[Orbidia]

For anyone else reading this, the Picture Location Browse button stops working AFTER "Libraries" are disabled using this registry entry:

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace\{031E4825-7B94-4dc3-B131-E946B44C8DD5}]

I like not having Libraries, but that's one of the side effects.

One way around it is to be sure libraries are working. Create a folder to use for personal wallpapers somewhere. Go to the Personalize / Desktop Background page / Browse to that Personal Wallpaper folder. Now that folder will show up in the drop down list from then on. Then disable libraries.

 

[Brink]

Hello Orbidia,

Instead of deleting the library registry entry like that, you could use the tutorial below to hide Libraries in the navigation pane of Windows Explorer to not have that issue.

If you need copy of the registry entry you deleted to restore it, then just let me know. I export a copy from my system for you.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/35627-libraries-folder-add-remove-navigation-pane.html

 

[RpD]

Windows 10?

Can you update this topic for Windows 10? ...on removing picture location history (removing added images from the choices available in Personalize, Backgrounds).

I have cleared the registry entries for ...\Explorer\Wallpapers\Images ...and the pictures persist among the choices for Backgrounds.

I have also checked/cleared C:\Windows\Web\Wallpaper\Windows of any images that I don't want... but images persist in choices.

Thanks

 

[Brink]

Hello RpD,

That would be a topic to post at our sister site www.tenforums.com instead.

 

[RpD]

Looking

Yes, I am searching there.