Cannot change background

Mihael Tomić 0 Reputation points
2026-09-02T14:34:46.28+00:00

Created couple of images for the background. And then, all of a sudden, which ever background I choose, keeps changing back by itself after 5 minutes to one of the new created images and that image will stay now forever as it seems.... unbeliveable. And asked ai, googled, did all the steps, but for windwos 11 I cannot solve it

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Desktop, Start, and personalization | Themes
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  1. DaveM121 928.6K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-09-02T15:08:30.0433333+00:00

    Open File Explorer.

    Paste this into the address bar and press Enter.

    %AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Themes

    Delete the contents of the resulting Themes folder, including the TranscodedWallpaper file(s) and the CachedFiles folder.

    Restart (not shut down) your PC and then try setting your preferred desktop background wallpaper.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-09-02T14:35:02.0833333+00:00

    Try these checks in Windows 11, in this order:

    1. In Settings > Personalization > Background, check Personalize your background.
      • If it is set to Windows Spotlight, change it to Picture and select the image wanted.
      • If using multiple monitors with one wide image, set the fit option to Span.
    2. In Settings > Personalization > Themes, if an active theme is applied, switch to the default Windows theme.
      • Then go back to Background and set the preferred image again.
    3. In Settings > Apps > Installed apps, check whether Bing Wallpaper is installed.
      • If it is installed, uninstall it, because it can keep changing the desktop background.
    4. If the background keeps reverting after restart or sign-in, turn off background/theme sync:
      • Go to Settings > Accounts > Windows backup.
      • Turn off Remember my preferences for personalization.
      • This prevents a synced theme from overwriting the local background.
    5. If the problem started after creating new images and Windows keeps forcing one of them, the theme/background cache may be corrupted.
      • A common fix mentioned in Microsoft Q&A is clearing the cached theme files and then setting the background again.
      • After that, reapply the desired background from Settings > Personalization > Background.
    6. If the background changes every few minutes, also confirm that slideshow is not selected unless that is intended.
      • In Settings > Personalization > Background, choose Picture instead of Slideshow.

    If the issue is specifically that Windows changes it after about 5 minutes, the most likely causes in the available guidance are:

    • Windows Spotlight enabled
    • an active theme reapplying a background
    • Bing Wallpaper installed
    • personalization sync restoring an older or different background

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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