How to Show or Hide OS Edition on Windows 11

This article explains how to show or hide the OS Edition and Build watermark on the desktop background in Windows 11.

When you install Windows, it is installed with a clean desktop with few or no icons. However, Windows has settings that you can change to display the OS Edition and Build information on your desktop background.

By design, you can view the edition and build of your Windows operating system by simply right-clicking on the Start button and selecting.”System.” Under the specification section, the edition and build are listed.

Adding the edition and build number watermark on your desktop background allows easy access without digging through the Windows Settings app.

Add or remove the Windows editor and build number on the desktop background

As described above, users can display the Windows edition and build numbers on the desktop background.

Changing the settings below will not affect any effect for devices running Windows Insider Preview copy. The desktop background of Windows Insider Preview will always display the evaluation watermark.

Here’s how to do that.

First, open the Windows Registry, and navigate to the two folder keys below.

Use the HKEY_CURRENT_USER settings to apply this change to your desktop background.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE settings will apply the change to all users on the system.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows

If you don’t see the Desktop folder key, right-click on the Control Panel key, then create the subkey (Desktop) folders.

Right-click the Desktop folder key’s right pane and select New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value. Type a new key named PaintDesktopVersion.

Double-click the new key item name (PaintDesktopVersion) and make sure the Base option is Decimal, and then update the Value data:

• To display the watermark on the desktop background, type 1.
• To hide the watermark from the desktop background, type 0.

If you apply it to all users’ desktop backgrounds, use the path below.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows

Create and update the item DisplayVersion. Ensure the Base option is Decimal, and then update the Value data:

• To display the watermark on all users’ desktop backgrounds, type 1.
• To hide the watermark from all users’ desktop backgrounds, type 0.

Save your changes and restart your computer.

That should do it!

Conclusion:

• Windows 11 provides a straightforward method to display the OS edition and build numbers on the desktop background, offering convenient access to this information without navigating through Windows Settings.
• By modifying registry settings, users can choose to either show or hide the watermark on their desktop, customizing their Windows 11 experience to their preference.
• Remember that this alteration will not impact Windows Insider Preview devices, as the evaluation watermark will persist on their desktop background.
• Following the outlined steps, users can easily make this customization, enhancing their desktop environment according to their preferences.