Desktop Slideshow

How to Create a Desktop Slideshow in Windows 7​

   Information

This will show you how to create a slideshow of wallpaper images (pictures) on your Windows 7 desktop. You will have the option to select how often the pictures change and to shuffle them.

The default folder that Windows 7 uses to store the pictures in is located at:
C:\Windows\Web\Wallpaper.

   Note

The Windows 7 Starter and Home Basic editions do not include the Desktop Slideshow feature.

Lets talk about Windows 7 Starter - Windows 7 Team Blog - The Windows Blog

Instead, you will need to use the tutorial in the link below to have a Desktop Slideshow in the Windows 7 Starter and Home Basic editions.

How to Change the Desktop Background in Windows 7 Starter Edition

   Warning

If you checked the Turn off all unnecceassary animations box in the Ease of Access Center, or uncheck the Animate controls and elements inside windows option in the Visual Effects settings, then this will also remove the fade effect between wallpapers in the desktop slideshow.

You must also be using a Aero theme to be able to use and set the desktop slideshow.

Here's How:
1. Right click on a empty space on the desktop and click on Personalize.

2. Click on the Desktop Background link at the bottom of the window. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: The name in gray under Desktop Background is the current desktop background file name.

3. You will now see this window. (see screenshots below)
NOTE: You may need to scroll down or enlarge the window to see all available options like below.




4. Select a Picture Location
A) Click on the drop down arrow menu to select from the list of available picture folder locations, or click on the Browse button to navigate to the picture folder or library location. (see screenshots above)

B) Select the picture folder and click on Select Folder.
5. Select Desktop Background Pictures
A) Select more than one picture by right clicking on an available picture, or clicking on the check box (to check) in the upper left corner of the picture. (see screenshots below and below step 3)

6. Select the Picture Position
A) Click on the drop down arrow menu, and click on the picture position you want for the desktop background images. (see screenshots below and below step 3)

7. Select How Often to Change Pictures
A) Click on the drop down arrow menu, and click on how often you want the pictures to change. (see screenshots above and below step 3)
8. To Shuffle the Pictures
A) Check the Shuffle box to shuffle the selected pictures to change in a random order. (see screenshot below step 3 and below step 6)
NOTE: Uncheck the Shuffle box to have the selected pictures change in order.
9. To Pause Slide Show when on Battery Power
A) Check or uncheck the When using battery, pause the slide show to save power box for what you would like. (see left screenshot below step 3)
NOTE: This option is only available if you have a PC that has a battery (ex: laptop), or a destop with a UPS and it's data cable connected.
10. Click on Save changes to apply the changes. (see screenshots below step 3)

11. Close the Personalize window when done. (see screenshots below step 2)

12. Open your Advanced Power Plan Settings. Under Desktop background settings for Slide show, make sure that you have the setting as Available for both "Plugged in" or "On battery" (if available), and click on OK. (see screenshots below)
NOTE: The "On battery" option is the same setting in step 9 above.

13. You will now have your selected images (step 5) change automatically on your desktop for how often (step 7) you set it to.

   Tip

You can now also right click on your desktop, and click on Next desktop background to change or scroll your desktop background to the next image you had selected (step 5) in the slideshow.

The keyboard shortcut for this is:
Shift+F10 and press N

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Have a Windows 7 Desktop Slideshow Shuffle Images in Multiple Folders
• How to Change or Save a Windows 7 Theme
• How to Change the Window Color and Appearance in Windows 7
• How to Change the Windows 7 Desktop Background
• How to Change the Desktop Background in Windows 7 Starter and Home Basic Editions
• How to Turn Aero Peek On or Off in Windows 7
• How to Play a Music Video as the Desktop Background
• 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

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello Brink....

Oh my goodness; this is way cool! I already had a folder with well over 125 images from interfacelift; all loaded at 1920 x 1200. I set the whole folder to "shuffle" every 30 seconds. It's awesome! I had heard about this but wasn't sure how to go about it.

Thank you so much for this excellent tutorial!...











Later Ted

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Ted. Did you ever get the Sidebar back on?

Shawn

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello Brink....

Do you have any idea how big (in GB) a file the slideshow can handle; is there too large a file it won't be able to deal with?

No I haven't got the sidebar working again. I would believe that sooner than later people will be asking for a tutorial on this subject.

Thank you again for all the hard work you're putting in here at Seven Forums!









Later Ted

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hi!

I guess I wasn't clear.......I meant many seperate images in one file. Like from interfacelift.

Sorry for the confusion.












Later Ted

 

[Brink]

I do not know if a file like that can be used. You might try it and see to let us know if it will work.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Thanks!

I'll do that; as I'm adding to the file I'm currently using. About three quarters of a GB at a time.

I'll keep you informed!













Later Ted

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello all....

I've got the file up to 4.01GB in size with 647 images contained therein. As Brink has said it does take "many minutes" to open the file completely. Fortunately (so far) file size doesn't seem to have any effect on how Desktop Slideshow operates. The only thing I've noticed; if it's on "shuffle" it doesn't seem to go through the entire file; it seems to 'get stuck' around a certain group of images; and continually repeat the same section of the file.

I will continue to keep you updated.









Later :shock: Ted

 

[garysgold]

The only thing I've noticed; if it's on "shuffle" it doesn't seem to go through the entire file; it seems to 'get stuck' around a certain group of images; and continually repeat the same section of the file.[/COLOR]

Hi Ted,

I've noticed this also and I only have 8 files @ 2.5 MB. Uncheck shuffle and everything is fine. :huh:

Gary

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

...

Hello all....

As Brink has said it does take "many minutes" to open the file completely. Fortunately (so far) file size doesn't seem to have any effect on how Desktop Slideshow operates.

I just wanted to clarify; this has nothing to do with how long it takes for DS to start functioning. It starts 'doing its thing' as soon as the OS starts up.


Hello Gary; thanks for the input!


Later :shock: Ted

 

[THEGriffkilah50]

nice tutorial millions of possibilities

 

[Night Hawk]

I can't keep the slideshow option going for some reason here since I tend to pack "all" types of images into one custom wallpaper folder. :shock:

 

[Brink]

Hello Night Hawk,

You might create a separate folder to use instead for just the images you want to use for the slideshow to see if that may work better.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Night Hawk]

Most that was simply tossed into a separate jpg folder and later copied into the actuall custom wallpaper folder in the Windows directory there. I'm still going through an endless volume of images collected for some time now and have to separate what will eventually be used on 7.

With it set to only the one minute display however you can end up seeing some interesting results in a very short period of time.

 

[satchmo]

I set the change interval to "1 day", but the desktop wallpaper hasn't changed for three days.

Does it mean "1 day" of continuous running time for Windows? Does shutting down and re-starting reset the timer interval?

 

[Brink]

Hello Satchmo,

Correct. The time setting is for continuous running. You could put your computer to sleep instead of shutting down to have the sleep time count as well, or just adjust the time to a lower amount if you wanted to still shut down.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[satchmo]

Thanks.

How do you know everything?

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Satchmo. I wish I knew everything, but no chance of that. LOL

 

[gpinkham]

I don't know if anyone's seen this, but on an HP Touchsmart, I set up a desktop slide show, but no matter what I select in picture position, it returns to "Stretch", which makes some of my photos look very strange. All other selections work normally.

Thanks in advance for any help.

GJP

I forgot to mention, the position option works normally with the screensaver slide show.

 

[Night Hawk]

You're welcome Satchmo. I wish I knew everything, but no chance of that. LOL

No but you'll be getting close soon enough with all the practical experience and guides you write!