Windows 7 desktop background is pixelated no matter what size/resolution source file is

Question

Hello,

I am experiencing a very annoying issue with Windows 7 after having upgraded from Vista. No matter what I do, I cannot display my desktop background under the "Personalize" menu without it looking like a badly compressed jpeg with horrible compression artifacts throughout the image. The source files I use are the exact same size as my desktop resolution and are lossless png's that look fine when opened in an image viewing program. I have tried using every lossless file format (bmp, png) but the result is the same. Oddly enough, I found a fix in a forum that states if you open the image you want to set as a background image in either IE or Firefox, then right click and select "Set as desktop background", it does so and the same image is shown without these horrible compression artifacts.

Is Microsoft putting in a fix for this, or at the very least providing an explanation of why images set as a desktop background through the "Personalize" menu are horribly compressed but are fine if you do extra steps and 'Set as Background' through an internet browser?

Answer 1

Hi Joe_bob222,

Welcome to Microsoft Answers Community Forum!

In order to troubleshoot your issue, first I would like to verify that you are able to use a saved picture on your computer and use as wallpaper at full screen with no issues. In order to perform these suggest you to change a picture’s file type/file format and verify if it helps. Though digital pictures come in a variety of file formats, most of the pictures on your computer probably use the common JPEG format. Most digital cameras save pictures in the JPEG format to maintain good visual quality without creating large files. In addition, many programs can only open pictures that are saved in the JPEG format. If you have a picture stored in another file format, such as TIFF or bitmap, you can make a copy of it in JPEG format. It's also possible to save a copy of a JPEG picture in a different format. When you save a copy of a picture in a different format, the original picture is not replaced. Please let us know if this helped!

To save a picture in a different file type

1.Click to open Windows Photo Gallery.

2.Click the picture you want to change.

3.On the toolbar, click Open, and then click Paint. Paint will open with your picture displayed.

4.Click the File menu in Paint, and then click Save As.

5.Click the Save as type list, and then click the file type you want to use to convert your picture.

6.Click Save.

Notes: If you want to protect a JPEG picture from additional loss of visual quality, you can save it as a TIFF, which, unlike a JPEG, does not lose small amounts of visual quality every time it is edited and saved. Paint does not work with all file formats. For example, you cannot open a picture in RAW format by using Paint. For file types that Paint does not support, you should use a photo editing program.

In addition, suggest you to visit the below mentioned link, where the customer had similar issue and the problem was resolved. http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vistaappearance/thread/72a12053-67ce-455b-9ea4-cb9d94faa823

Also, you can change the Desktop background by typing change desktop background in the search box in start menu.

Hope this helps resolve your issue!

Thanks & Regards,

Supreeth - Microsoft Support.

Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/answersfeedback/threads/ and let us know what you think

Answer 2

Hi Supreeth B,

Thanks for your reply, but this does not address the issue I'm having. I cannot set a lossless image file (BMP or PNG) as my background via the Personalize menu without it showing horribly obvious JPEG compression artifacts. I can, however, open the same images in IE and Firefox and set them as my desktop background using the right-click 'Save as desktop background' feature and they show as they should. I keep the files I set as my desktop in my C:/ root directory, and I think the browsers save the files to another folder so I don't know if that has something to do with this issue or not.

On a whim, I saved the image I want to use as a jpeg with no compression and I was able to set the jpeg as my desktop background through the Personalize menu and the image didn't show compression artifacts and looked the same as the image as viewed through an image viewer. It seems to me that Windows 7 is saving to some some unknown location, a copy of whatever image I select for my background through the Personalize menu and saving it as a very highly compressed jpeg. I think this issue should be looked at because it should not be this complicated to set a desktop background. I mainly use vectored graphics as my desktop background (thus why I use the PNG format) and I've never had a problem with any version of Windows like I have with Windows 7. It's a highly visible flaw if you can't set a lossless image file as your desktop background without it looking like a badly compressed jpeg file.

Answer 3

Hello all,

I am having the exact same issue as Joe_bob222.  While setting up our first Windows 7 Enterprise machine, I took the desktop background I have been using for our ageny and set it as the primary desktop background.  It appears that the image has been compressed somehow.  There are many artifacts and color banding throughout gradients.  The native and set monitor resolution is 1440x900 and the image I am using is a 1440x900 BMP.  If I open the image with Photo Viewer and view it at %100, the image looks perfect.  When I apply the same image to the desktop, poor quality.  I have repeated the process with the source image as a JPEG with the same results.  I need to make an image of this machine for agency wide distrobution, but this little hitch is holding me up.  I don't want our IT dept. looking like a bunch of hacks.  Any ideas?

Here is a sample of the side by side: http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r186/emorneau01/Untitled-2.png

[IMG]http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r186/emorneau01/Untitled-2.png[/IMG]

Left is the desktop, right is Photo Viewer.  Depending on your monitors brightness, contrast, and gamma settings, it may not be obvious at first glance, but if you change your viewing angle vertically one way or the other, it becomes clearly visible.

Answer 4

I have the same problem but opening IE or Firefox and right clicking set as desktop background works for me too thanks joe_bob222 good workaround

really weird problem though and it should be fixed

most people wouldn't notice this problem but I am picky about my image quality

and glad there is a workaround

thanks again joe bob

Answer 5

I agree that this really needs to be overlooked and fixed, it's a very irritating and pointless problem when every previous version of Windows didn't have it.

We're walking down a road were today it's JPEG artifacts, tomorrow I can't select a custom wallpaper.

(JPEG makes my blood boil. GRRRR)