"Load a specific theme" policy doesn't apply the accent color correctly in Windows 10

Question

Hi,
I had already created an identical post but they told me to create a new one.
I have a problem with "Load specific theme" policy in Windows 10 20H2 and 21H1 Enteprise.
I created a .theme file and inserted the path into the policy but, after the first login of an user, the theme is applied but accent color is not correctly in some areas, for example in background of the windows security page (the CTRL+ALT+CANC page, with Lock, Taskmanager, Reboot buttons), it remains the default blue color.
Theme is correctly applied as expected (in the Settings page it appears as applied and the selected accent color is correct), indeed other elements (for example start logo, settings page backgrounds) have the correct accent color.
If with the user I manually open the Settings page, select an other color and again my accent color with the mouse or manually set the theme with double click, the custom accent color is instead applied correctly.
I noticed that If I open only the .theme file with a double click, the color continues not to be applied, I can only get it to work if I first select the theme in the Settings page and then I open again my .theme file.
The interesting thing is that, even if I set the policy to prevent the modification of the theme (but I leave the display of the themes menu in Settings page), if I still double click on the name of the theme, the color is applied correctly (so even if the selection of the theme is theoretically disabled by policy!).
Once the color is successfully applied via the Themes page of Settings, the problem no longer occurs with that specific user profile, even after deleting the local profile folder to have the policy reapplied...i think it's a strange cache problem.
To reproduce the bug I must therefore completely eliminate the user and create a new one with a different SID.
Obviously I have already tried with other clean images of Windows, the problem can always be reproduced in the same way by creating a simple new theme file that only changes the accent color with any color other than the default blue.
"Prevent changing color scheme" and "Prevent changing color and apparence" are disabled for testing, but the problem is the same with these policies enabled.
Thanks in advance for any replies

Answer 1

Hello @Fabrizio-G ,

Thanks for your query.

1.Did this issue only happen for Windows 10?
2.The "Load a specific theme" GPO takes effect during the first time the user logs in. If the profile is already there, their theme preference isn't changed.
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/ff5bf6cb-88d3-491f-bce0-396336aae558/windows-10-quotload-specific-themequot-gpo-not-loading-theme?forum=win10itprosetup
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/a8768f02-8fb9-4f03-8b44-28067b4034e1/setting-theme-for-all-users-windows-10?forum=win10itprosetup
3.Is it related to "Picture" and "Slideshow" function?
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/464dec9d-e700-4dee-9096-161f677d66d2/gpo-in-windows-10-to-load-a-specific-theme-or-vbpowershell-script-to-run-accomplish-same?forum=win10itprogeneral%EF%BB%BF%EF%BB%BF%EF%BB%BF
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/8d56a22d-e8ce-40e9-a3af-b6cc1bbd4b08/quotslideshowquot-function-not-asserting-when-calling-theme-from-gpo?forum=win10itprosetup

Best regards,
Leila

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Answer 2

Hi @Leila Kong ,
in Windows 7 the problem does not seem to occur, in Windows 10 I tested 20H2 and 21H1 releases.
The problem occurs with new user profiles (with local folder not yet created) and it's related to the color of elements of Windows (for example the background color of the previous screenshot).
Step to recreate the issue:

1. Create a .theme file that simply change "accent color" from default blue (for example it's red in my test)
2. Insert the path in "Load a specific theme" policy
3. Restart the pc or force the policy with gpupdate
4. Create a new user profile with lusrmgr.msc
5. At the first logon of this new profile, the theme is applyed correctly as specificed in the policy but some elements still in default blue color (for example background of CTRL+ALT+CANC security screen)
6. If, for testing, you open with this user the Settings > Themes page and select again the theme, all colors are instantly changed to the correct ones.
   After a theme is applyed with "Settings" the policy works correctly, even if this profile folder is deleted to force a "new login" behavior.
   To reproduce the issue you need to completely delete the account profile and create a new one with different SID.
   Thanks,
   Best regards

Answer 3

Hello @Fabrizio-G ,

Thanks for your information.

Please try to use the local group policy to configure theme on your newly updated Win10 (21h1), and save the theme picture locally.
Enable policy of "Prevent changing theme" and "Load a specific theme":

Windows 10: How to prevent changing theme for all users using gpo editor. : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-fW4N9GeOM

Answer 4

It doesn't work with a fully updated Windows 10 21H1, there is always the problem with applying the "accent color". With the proposed steps you are unable to reproduce the problem?
The problem occurs regardless of the policy that prevents the theme from being changed.

Answer 5

I have WIN11. I tried to get the accent color without using a theme, but it doesn't work eventhough I selected to show on title bars. I noticed the accent color works on a preset theme but I don't like the choices; therefore, I customized a one so that I could get the accent color on the File Explorer title bar. All seems fine until I reboot, then the File Explorer title bar color reverts to grey. I have resorted to selecting SLEEP instead of SHUTDOWN or RESTART when not using the laptop on order to retain my custom settings.