Some info about where Windows stores info on desktop wallpapers

WindowsWallpapers.md

Contents

• Wallpaper paths
• Windows Spotlight Paths
• Registry

Wallpaper paths

Wallpapers set from Photos app:

%LocalAppData%\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.Photos_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\PhotosAppBackground

Current wallpaper copy:

%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Themes\CachedFiles
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Themes\RoamedThemeFiles\DesktopBackground

Current wallpaper path:

HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop\WallPaper
HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Wallpapers\CurrentWallpaperPath

History of wallpapers:

HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Wallpapers\BackgroundHistoryPath0
HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Wallpapers\BackgroundHistoryPath1
...

Registry keys are duplicated in HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-...:

HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-...\Control Panel\Desktop\WallPaper
HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-...\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Wallpapers\BackgroundHistoryPath0
...

Standard wallpapers:

%windir%\Web
%windir%\Web\Screen
...

Photo app cache (may contain thumbnails for wallpapers):

%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\thumbnails\normal

Windows Spotlight Paths

%LocalAppData%\Packages\MicrosoftWindows.Client.CBS_cw5n1h2txyewy\AC\INetCache\
%LocalAppData%\Packages\MicrosoftWindows.Client.CBS_cw5n1h2txyewy\LocalCache\Microsoft\IrisService\

Registry

Background type:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Wallpapers\BackgroundType

Values:

• 0 - Picture
• 1 - Solid color
• 2 - Slideshow
• 3 - Windows spotlight

Current wallpaper path:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\Wallpaper

Desktop color in RGB (with empty previous wallpaper path setting):

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Colors\Background