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How to: Change Your Default Wallpaper Directory in Windows

lifehacker.com — I always thought it was ridiculous and dangerous that Windows puts wallpapers mixed in with essential system files in the Windows folder. Is there a way or program to point the Display Properties -> Desktop tab to another folder? It would be nice if it then allowed me to organize it with sub-folders. Sincerely, Organized Papers

Who dugg this? Made popular Nov 24, 2008

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49 Comments

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  • inactive, on 11/24/2008, -9/+67Why the hell is this on the front page?
  • marc54, on 11/24/2008, -5/+28Buried! I can't believe the crap that makes the front page.
  • onehitwonder, on 11/24/2008, -2/+24Lesson 2 - How to change your computers name from "My Computer".
  • Topher06, on 11/24/2008, -21/+33Windows hasn't mixed wallpapers with system files since like Windows 98 days or even ealier. At least XP they default to your pictures folder or some other dedicted folder, it definitely does in Windows Vista. Stop spreading FUD.
  • inactive, on 11/24/2008, -4/+14i thought windows just opens up the directory where you last picked a wallpaper when you go to change it. maybe im wrong, maybe i just dont give a *****.
  • solarweasel, on 11/24/2008, -7/+17if you do not know this already you are hereby excommunicated from digg.
  • sigmaman2, on 11/25/2008, -1/+9Changing your Windows Wallpaper directory?

    This is what makes front page nowadays?

    *sigh*, Wake me when "Neat Yahoo Toolbar tricks" comes and goes.
  • plainOldFool, on 11/24/2008, -5/+13Doesn't apply to XP either. I'm pretty sure it didn't apply in 98sp2. In fact, I don't ever recall having my wallpapers in my system32 or windows directory.
  • solid12345, on 11/25/2008, -1/+8Next Lesson: This is a mouse...
  • elliott9, on 11/24/2008, -1/+6yes you are wrong. But since you don't give a ***** it is ok, I will not hate you for it.
  • V3NOM, on 11/25/2008, -0/+4Lesson 3 - How to open Notepad
  • Kombatant, on 11/25/2008, -1/+4Next stop - How to show a context sensitive menu by simply right clicking!
  • inactive, on 11/25/2008, -0/+3402 wankers have dugg this already.
  • thefinger, on 11/25/2008, -1/+4If you have jpgs or bmps in your Windows folder, they tend to get listed in the desktop backgrounds panel. But not just there. Two others are My Pictures and Windows-Web-Wallpaper.

    Some of you people don't know ***** about windows. Don't point fingers at Lifehacker.
  • coldkill3r, on 11/25/2008, -0/+3Who cares?
  • dreamofrevenge, on 11/25/2008, -0/+3Wow, thanks.
  • infiniphunk, on 11/24/2008, -2/+5It's been so long for me, I really don't remember anymore. I honestly don't remember wallpapers going in the /Windows folder though
  • HonoredMule, on 11/25/2008, -0/+3Funny...it's *exactly* where mine are too.

    Better bury me also.
  • MScrip, on 11/25/2008, -1/+4I don't need a special directory. I just open an image in an image program, and right-click and pick "set as desktop background."
  • sonofabeast, on 11/25/2008, -1/+4I would try this neat tip but I'm busy making a a new umbrella out of paperclips. I'm hacking the ***** out of my life.
  • thefinger, on 11/25/2008, -0/+2Yeah I can tell you don't remember. You used the wrong slash.
  • inactive, on 11/24/2008, -9/+11Buried. This article has no mention of the Commodore 64.
  • HonoredMule, on 11/25/2008, -1/+3Windows 2000 did it, and Server 2003 still does it.

    In Server 2003 the Browse... button at least starts at My Pictures, but the default selection is still stored in the Windows directory, and that's where the initial selection pane points, meaning you still have to open a generic File Open dialog to get anywhere useful despite there supposedly being a more convenient and task-optimized direct listing already in the pane.

    ...and in case that wasn't bad enough, opening a file with the dialog will add that one file to the direct listing--just enough to still be useless.
  • MScrip, on 11/25/2008, -0/+1http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?vi ...
  • netneutrality, on 11/24/2008, -2/+3? Well that's *exactly* where mine are on Windows 2003 R2.... I've never seen an XP system where it wasn't the case, and it most certainly was always the case in 9x and 3.x.
  • inactive, on 11/25/2008, -0/+1no no wait. I just checked. XP SP2 I went to Properties > Desktop and the Background list of images and the browse menu both started me at my pictures folder. Check for whoever doesnt believe me, the only thing I can think this article is even remotely useful for is for people who use MS wallpaper
  • inactive, on 11/25/2008, -0/+1Well, something has to fill the void left by the 2008 Elections
  • gelatina1996, on 11/26/2008, -0/+1Good for the lazy ones. And one-fingered people...

    "Next stop - How to show a context sensitive menu by simply right clicking!"
    Stop being such an idiot. Changing wallpapers directory is complicated. You shouldn't compare that to this.
  • cddict1, on 11/25/2008, -0/+1simple thanks :)
  • thefinger, on 11/25/2008, -1/+2If you say so, you little pimply headed *****. Dugg down, as requested.
  • SecurityBlog, on 02/16/2009, -0/+0http://www.premsp.com
  • AparoidX, on 11/25/2008, -1/+1Sort of like your mother when she's making sandwiches.
  • trollick, on 11/24/2008, -6/+5Computers are fun and useful
  • AparoidX, on 11/25/2008, -3/+2Meh, it's useful enough to me, even though I don't normally change my wallpaper. (Heck, I barely ever see it)
  • computershack, on 11/25/2008, -4/+2Dugg down for author being a stupid ***** who can't figure out something you've been able to do FOR THE LAST ***** 13 YEARS.
  • ptFoe, on 11/25/2008, -2/+1XP sux,

    The changing of the WP dialog box in Ubuntu is so much prettier and offers more options.
  • IvesMozart, on 11/25/2008, -4/+1How would this change my life to better?
  • ClevelandBrown, on 11/24/2008, -8/+5Tips for Tards.
  • inactive, on 11/24/2008, -7/+2Next up: Having text files in %windir% leads to bufferz overflowin your stackz.

    Seriously. Stfu. Buried.
  • inactive, on 11/24/2008, -8/+3Anyone that needs this knid of information shouldn't have a friggin' computer to begin with. OMFG
  • mhanley, on 11/24/2008, -16/+10Buried, lame. Does not apply to Vista.
  • StripeyMagee, on 11/25/2008, -7/+2Windows wallpaper? WTF, windows is so 20th century.
    Dugg down like a bitch!
  • NJank, on 11/24/2008, -8/+2Ahh, lifehacker. Next, they'll tell us how to be 1337 h4X0rz
    http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com/comic.php?d=20030 ...
  • oboshoe, on 11/24/2008, -15/+7Wallpaper is serous bidness
  • subigo, on 11/24/2008, -14/+62008 is the new 2001.
  • fascistpig, on 11/24/2008, -15/+8On the front page with 100 diggs and 2 comments. Did things change again?
  • JasonCox, on 11/24/2008, -15/+5Windows XP? Really?
  • zakatov, on 11/24/2008, -15/+3People have way too much time on their hands...
  • BigglesPiP, on 11/24/2008, -15/+3Install Debian, security problem solved.

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