Windows Media Player - Changing Background Image

How to Change the Background Image in Windows 7 WMP12​

   Information

This tutorial will show you how to change the default background image in Windows Media Player that is shown in Library mode.

   Warning

This tutorial involves hacking the registry, while this hack is safe, you must follow the instructions carefully. If your at all tired or fatiqued then dont do it!

Here's How:
1) Run regedit by going to start menu and entering regedit in the search bar,

2) Navigate to the following registry key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences

=
3) Double click on the LibraryBackgroundImage key name and a dialog box will appear asking for a value. The value to be entered is from 0 to 6. Restart WMP each time you change the key value.
NOTE: Below are screenshots of the various backgrounds.

 

[Lee]

Very nice. . .thank you. using no. 3

 

[NoN]

Great! I'm on N°1

 

[reghakr]

I'll be damned.:shock:

I used to do that with the very old version on WMP 6.1. I located how to add Open DVD from the File menu.

 

[dw96]

Great! On number 4 now, but is there any way to change the color? I wanna make it grey tro match the theme, but I dunno how... Could you help

 

[reghakr]

I guess I was mistaken.

In Windows Media Player 6.2 you can have you own bitmap filling up the entire screen until you played a file.

I choose Budweiser background for mine.

 

[jblazea50]

any way to put in custom images as the background of wmp?

that would be great

 

[dw96]

any way to put in custom images as the background of wmp?

That's what I wanna know too!

 

[reghakr]

Unfortunately, I haven't found a way for that.

However if you've copied the Windows mail folder from a Vista machine and replaced the files in the C:\Program FilesWindows mail, you can add a custom graphic here.

Copy and paste the info inside the quote into Notepad, choose Save As, then save as ANSI format and type in backbitmaop.reg. Save it to your desktop and double-click on it to merge it intro the registry.

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar]
"BackBitmap"=""

You need to choose a graphic (*.bmp) that is approximately 1078 x 77 x 24 other wise it will look like a tiled image.

 

[nizaradil]

Great! I'm on No:3

 

[TheTemplai]

That is very cool, on N°5
Edit: On N°3, five is ugly..

 

[rsvr85]

@reghakr & jblazea50

If you download the demo version of restorator 2007, take ownership of wmploc.dll (sys32)
and then open up wmploc.dll in restorator, navigate to;
wmploc.dll>257>LIBRARY_BACKGROUND4.PNG or 2,3 etc.
from there you can extract the existing image for backup, you can then assign the to any other .PNG image you fancy.

Anyone have any ideas how to change the font color?

 

[araujo]

i use this

 

[rsvr85]

If only my missus didn't use my PC too. The second one is loooovely

 

[maansu16]

i use this

have restorator but having a hard time doing it.not that good with computer.pls can u be more specific with the instruction.been doing this for some time with no luck.hope u dont mine

 

[Dzomlija]

Hi Swarfega

Great tutorial. I have just 2 questions, and 1 problem:

1. Is there a way to use a custom image (sort of like a desktop wallpaper) for the library background?
2. Is there a way to change the background image of WMP when not in Library view? (Playback View)
3. I tried the tutorial, but for some reason, when "LibraryBackgroundImage" is set to anything other than 6, then WMP will not start...

 

[rsvr85]

Hi Swarfega


Great tutorial. I have just 2 questions, and 1 problem:

1. Is there a way to use a custom image (sort of like a desktop wallpaper) for the library background?
2. Is there a way to change the background image of WMP when not in Library view? (Playback View)
3. I tried the tutorial, but for some reason, when "LibraryBackgroundImage" is set to anything other than 6, then WMP will not start...

1. See this post.
2. It should display the cover art of the album you're playing as the background.
3. An odd issue, hopefully someone else has an idea.

 

[FatalKill]

Why does Microsoft hide this from us

 

[reghakr]

these are fun things for the serious tweaker to discover.

I feel it's better that way.

 

[angeloelibz24]

any way to put in custom images as the background of wmp?

that would be great

This is the closest I can find:
YouTube - Windows Media Player 12 Skins

I'm currently using his Black Glass theme:
WMP12 Black Glass X64 by ~Legacy-Code on deviantART