How to Set Up a Wallpaper Slideshow on Windows 11

Do you want to see your favorite family photos or pictures of your pets on your computer screen? Windows 11 lets you turn your desktop background into a slideshow that changes pictures automatically. You don’t have to stick with the plain default images that came with your PC.

Why create a slideshow?

A slideshow makes your computer feel more personal. It brings your favorite memories to your workspace, making your daily tasks a little more enjoyable.

What happens when you are done?

Once you finish these steps, your desktop background will cycle through the photos in your chosen folder. You can decide how fast the images change, keeping your screen looking fresh throughout the day.

To get started, create a new folder on your computer and move all the photos you want to use into that folder. You do not need special permissions for this, but ensure your files are saved in common formats like JPG or PNG.

To open your settings, press the Windows key + I on your keyboard, or click Start and then Settings.

Once the Settings window is open, follow these steps:

1. Click on Personalization in the menu on the left.
2. Select Background on the right side of the screen.

In the Background section, you will see a drop-down menu. Change it from “Picture” to Slideshow.

Next, click the Browse button. Find the folder where you saved your photos and click Choose this folder.

Your slideshow will start immediately. You can now adjust the settings to your liking:

• Change picture every: Choose how often you want the image to swap. You can set it as fast as 1 minute or as slow as 1 day.
• Choose a fit for your desktop: If your photos look stretched or blurry, use the “Fill” or “Fit” options to make them look better.

If you want to run a quick test from the command line to verify your settings path, you can use this command (Note: This requires admin privileges):

reg query "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop" /v WallPaper

If you ever need to reset or clear your current background path using a script, you can use this command (Note: This requires admin privileges):

reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop" /v WallPaper /t REG_SZ /d "" /f

Summary

Creating a wallpaper slideshow in Windows 11 is a quick way to customize your PC. Simply move your images into a folder, select “Slideshow” in the Personalization settings, and pick your folder. You can easily adjust how often the images change and how they fit on your screen to ensure your desktop always looks great.