[Windows 10 Tip] Remove Recently Used Images from Desktop Background History in Settings

In Windows 10 operating system, Microsoft has removed the classic personalization window to change Desktop background image. Now when you right-click on Desktop and select Personalize option to change Desktop wallpaper, it opens Personalization -> Background page in new Settings app.

The background personalization page in Settings app remembers last 5 images used as desktop background previously and shows them above the Browse button. It helps in applying those wallpapers again in future quickly and easily.

Custom_Wallpapers_Desktop_Background_History_Windows_10_Settings.png

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Sometimes you may want to remove those recently used images from desktop background history. To clear those background history images, you’ll need to select and apply new wallpapers again 5 times and it’ll replace previous 5 images with the new images in background history.

By default, there is no option provided to clear desktop background history and remove those recently used images from Settings personalization page.

Don’t worry! You can take help of a small Registry tweak to delete all 5 images from desktop background history and restore the default wallpaper images which came preinstalled with Windows 10.

If you also want to remove recently used images from Desktop background history in Settings app, following steps will help you:

1. Press WIN+R keys together to launch RUN dialog box. Now type regedit in RUN box and press Enter. It’ll open Registry Editor.

2. Now go to following key:

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

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3. In right-side pane, you’ll see following 5 strings:

  • BackgroundHistoryPath0
  • BackgroundHistoryPath1
  • BackgroundHistoryPath2
  • BackgroundHistoryPath3
  • BackgroundHistoryPath4

Each string’s value data field contains full image path of the recently used images which are shown in background history section of Settings app.

Clear_Desktop_Background_History_Windows_10_Settings.png

4. To remove any particular image from background history, delete the associated string from Registry.

To clear all 5 images from background history, delete all 5 above mentioned strings.

5. Now close Settings app and open it again to see the changes. Or switch to another section and then click on “Background” section again in Settings -> Personalization page and you’ll notice that all recently used images have been deleted from the history section and default wallpapers have been restored.

Default_Wallpapers_Desktop_Background_History_Windows_10_Settings.png

If you check the above mentioned strings in Registry, all 5 strings will be re-created and will contain full paths of default Windows wallpapers in their value data field.

Default_Wallpapers_Background_History_Windows_10_Registry.png

PS: If you are not familiar with Registry editing and want a ready-made Registry script to do the task automatically, download following ZIP file, extract it and run the extracted REG file. It’ll ask for confirmation, accept it. This script will remove all recently used images from desktop background history and restore default Windows wallpapers in Settings -> Personalization -> Background page:

If you are using Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1, you can try the method given in following tutorial to clear the image location history of Desktop background list in Personalization window:

How to Clear Location History of Desktop Background List in Windows Vista and Later

Thanks to our reader “MagikGimp” for reminding us about the trick…

Also Check:

[Windows 10 Tip] How to Remove Old Images from Lock Screen Background History in Settings

Published in: Windows 10

About the author: Vishal Gupta (also known as VG) has been awarded with Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional) award. He holds Masters degree in Computer Applications (MCA). He has written several tech articles for popular newspapers and magazines and has also appeared in tech shows on various TV channels.

Comments

NOTE: Older comments have been removed to reduce database overhead.

  1. This is the best explanation I’ve read to fix this problem.
    Easy to follow & it worked.
    Thank you.

  2. Mine does not say wallpaper or anything to that effect when it opens. All it shows under Registry Editor is computer with five items listed. Nothing else.

  3. Really helpful, worked like a charm after trying for like half an hour with other solutions. Had to sign in to thank you!

  4. Thank you very much, this article was really helpful, I hope you will post more useful tips

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