I cannot select slideshow for my desktop

Question

I cannot select slideshow for my desktop

Phillip Lewis 40

When I select personalize to change the desktop to a slideshow it reverts back to picture. I cannot select slideshow for my desktop.When I select personalize to change the desktop to a slideshow it reverts back to picture. I cannot select slideshow for my desktop.

Thank you

David Taylor 10 Reputation points

2025-11-15T09:24:44.6766667+00:00

It's not just difficult to click on folder of photos for slideshow in the time frame indicated, it is IMPOSSIBLE. Seems like this prob has been going on for a few weeks now, and still no fix? is this an indication of how quick Microsoft technology works. Very disappointing.
Mangino, Michell 5 Reputation points

2026-02-19T15:24:39.2233333+00:00

The same thing is happening to my computer. It shows the option to select slideshow. When selected, it immediately goes back to color. There is no opportunity to choose anything from the slideshow features as it returns to color option as soon as the click of the mouse is done.
Martin W 0 Reputation points

2026-04-06T21:29:54.44+00:00

You are the best! Thank you.

Answer accepted by question author

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4 additional answers

Your answer

David Taylor 10 Reputation points

2025-11-15T09:24:44.6766667+00:00

It's not just difficult to click on folder of photos for slideshow in the time frame indicated, it is IMPOSSIBLE. Seems like this prob has been going on for a few weeks now, and still no fix? is this an indication of how quick Microsoft technology works. Very disappointing.
Mangino, Michell 5 Reputation points

2026-02-19T15:24:39.2233333+00:00

The same thing is happening to my computer. It shows the option to select slideshow. When selected, it immediately goes back to color. There is no opportunity to choose anything from the slideshow features as it returns to color option as soon as the click of the mouse is done.
Martin W 0 Reputation points

2026-04-06T21:29:54.44+00:00

You are the best! Thank you.

Answer 1

Eric Clemons 25

I managed to fix this by opening the classic wallpaper editor and changing slideshow to an existing folder.

Windows Key + R and then:
shell:::{ED834ED6-4B5A-4bfe-8F11-A626DCB6A921} -Microsoft.Personalization\pageWallpaper

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This comment has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The comment was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.
Isaac4thewin 0 Reputation points

2026-03-18T17:33:30.9666667+00:00

Legend!!! had been looking for this everywhere, works perfectly. Cheers
Christian White 10 Reputation points

2026-03-18T22:25:52.6066667+00:00

Thanks ! That solved my issue. It opened an older-looking Windows UI and after I clicked on Personalization in the address bar, I was able to navigate to Screen Saver and access the controls that handily set up my screen saver.
Margaret Weir 0 Reputation points

2026-04-05T16:56:50.8366667+00:00

This worked for me once, and after rebooting, back to the same old problem.
kris o'hare 0 Reputation points

2026-09-20T20:04:58.6933333+00:00

you are the absolute best

Answer 2

Margaret Weir 0

This problem just popped up for me less than a week ago. Before that, my slideshow was running without a hitch. No change in the folder or its location. It's impossible to click on the slideshow button, as it is only there for a nano second. I tried the shell approach, but as soon as I reboot, it reverts back to no slideshow. But, at least Windows Key + R and then:

shell:::{ED834ED6-4B5A-4bfe-8F11-A626DCB6A921} -Microsoft.Personalization\pageWallpaper, is a workaround.

Dawn Pridmore 0 Reputation points

2026-07-17T16:12:48.0333333+00:00

This works but won't allow me to set the time for how long/short to change pictures also won't allow me to shuffle

Answer 3

Christian White 10

Choosing a single picture worked--but only for selecting a single pic.

As at least two others on this thread have described: It's impossible--NOT almost impossible--to click the Slideshow in the timeframe given--there's not even a quarter-heartbeat between

1-selecting single pic, and
2-seeing the ghost of the browse button flash into being, and
3-seeing that barely-materialized button flick back out of existence, inaccessible to get me Slideshow.

And yes, the desired folder exists.

Maybe this one's too hard for the minds at Microsoft.

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Answer 4

Phillip Lewis 40

Thank you for your suggestion Paulo. When I click on slideshow, the amount of time before it reverts back to picture is so fast it’s almost impossible to click on the browse button in time.

Denis Repp 81 Reputation points

2025-12-27T07:10:05.8466667+00:00

Same problem. I had the photos saved in a folder on my Desktop, but Windows (NOT ME) changed that to OneDrive, and it will not let me change it back. As above, I see the option for Slideshow that has always been there, but MS has changed things so that I cannot select it; I click on it, and it immediately bounces back to Picture. I can choose one photo, but the slideshow is no longer working. Nice work, MS.
dale belman 0 Reputation points

2026-02-22T21:57:43.4766667+00:00

I am having this problem and cannot get to the browse button quickly enough, is there a usable solution?