In Windows you can change desktop wallpaper, screen saver, themes and other appearance settings by right-click on Desktop and select "Properties".
When you enter Windows XP desktop properties, it looks as following:
And Windows Vista desktop properties looks as following:
Sometimes you might want to disable all or a few options in Desktop Properties to restrict users or you might want to enable those options in case they are disabled by your system administrator or a virus infection.
Following tutorial will help you in enabling or disabling all or a particular option in Desktop Properties:
NOTE: This tutorial will work for almost all Windows versions.
Open regedit and goto:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ Explorer
If "Explorer" key is not present, then create it. Now in right-side pane, create a new DWORD value NoThemesTab and set its value to 1 to disable it.
Open regedit and goto:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ System
If "System" key is not present, then create it. Now in right-side pane, create a new DWORD value NoDispBackgroundPage and set its value to 1 to disable it.
Open regedit and goto:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ System
If "System" key is not present, then create it. Now in right-side pane, create a new DWORD value NoDispScrSavPage and set its value to 1 to disable it.
D. Disable both Themes and Appearance Tabs in Desktop Properties:
Open regedit and goto:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ System
If "System" key is not present, then create it. Now in right-side pane, create a new DWORD value NoDispAppearancePage and set its value to 1 to disable it.
Open regedit and goto:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ System
If "System" key is not present, then create it. Now in right-side pane, create a new DWORD value NoDispSettingsPage and set its value to 1 to disable it.
NOTE: When you'll disable all above mentioned tabs in Desktop Properties. You'll get a similar Desktop Properties window as shown in following screenshots:
Windows XP Desktop Properties Window with all Restrictions Enabled:
Windows Vista Desktop Properties Window with all Restrictions Enabled:
BONUS TIP: In case you want to enable a restricted tab in Desktop Properties, just delete the required DWORD value as mentioned above or change its value to 0 instead of 1.
Complete list of AskVG articlesThis article was posted in Troubleshooting, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP.
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Niranjala
My OS is Windows Vista Home Premium 32. My Problem is to enale the Display Setting Control Panel which has got disbaled after a virus. Now the virus is cleared by I cannot get the Display control to operate to cha nge my Desktop appearance etc. In your article you say "open regedit and go to. BUT how do I open regedit? Pleasae take me thoguh the process and I can then try all your in structions. I am naive about technical stuff but please help.
VG
^^ Type regedit in Run or startmenu search box and press Enter. It'll open Registry editor.
Niranjala
Thank you for your help. I managed to get my Display Settings enabled through following all the steps. And I was so happy that I wanted to download a really nice screensaver, and googled to fin d one, the first one on the list I clicked and...you guessed it, lo and behold I managed to click on the same virus Antivirus XP 2008. However, I quickly clicked Trend Micro and got rid of it. This is the most nasty virus I have ever had, but then I have never had a virus before in my computer. Thanks a lot again, and I will certainly contact your website if I need further help. Now I am going to click on the link to make my Vista faster.
Niranjala - sending this from Sri Lanka. Where are you?
Niranjala
Please reply by email. Thanks
Ron
I knew i could find it here, because if it is windows, you knows!!!
thanks Vishal for such a wonderful site.
Now to find a way to keep my sister from coming over in the first place>
Ron
Dear Vishal,
Could you direct me to the place i need to go in order to prevent right clicking an image file and setting it is the desktop wallpaper?
I have looked but the registry is so vast and words are not always how i would think they are.
VG
^^ here you go:
http://www.askvg.com/how-to-prevent-users-from-changing-desktop-wallpaper-in-windows/
arun
ppl..can somebody highlight on how to change wallpaper on vista through registry only.
Any idea(s) highly appreciable.
VG
^^ Open regedit and goto:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
In right-side pane, change value of "WallPaper" to the image path.
alzain
hi i was wondering why i can only activate the classic theme in windows xp and not the windows xp style theme.i select it and click apply buy it still remains on the classic theme.please help me.
reply on my email:alzain16@gmail.com
thank you