Background Personalization keeps auto switching from Slideshow to Picture

Question

I logged into my computer and my background was set up and working with the slideshow option. After leaving my laptop on to go make lunch I came back and it had reverted to the Picture format of desktop background. Now it just goes back automatically to Picture when I click on the Slideshow. I've searched and edited the registry and deleted all the desktop virtual backgrounds from the current user windows dropdown files and rebooted but this didn't fix anything.

Why did it suddenly stop working?

Answer 1

Thanks for sharing the details! Windows Explorer’s wallpaper COM cache could be corrupted.

Try a Explorer COM cache reset

Step 1 - Kill Explorer cleanly

• Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc
• Find Windows Explorer
• Right-click → End task

Step 2 - Purge the hidden wallpaper cache (this is the key)

In Task Manager → File → Run new task

Type: cmd

Check Run as administrator

Run these commands exactly:

taskkill /f /im explorer.exe

del /f /q "%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Themes\CachedFiles\*"

del /f /q "%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Themes\TranscodedWallpaper"

del /f /q "%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Themes\Slideshow.ini"

del /f /q "%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\wallpapers.db"

del /f /q "%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\iconcache*"

These files are not rebuilt correctly unless Explorer is fully stopped, that’s why most guides fail.

Step 3 - Restart Explorer

Still in the same admin CMD:

start explorer.exe

Wait until desktop fully reloads.

Step 4 - Recreate slideshow WITHOUT opening Settings first

• Right-click desktop
• Choose Personalize
• Set Background → Slideshow
• Choose a new local folder
• Change interval → 10 minutes

Do not lock or sleep the system for 5 minutes.

See if this helps. If you need further assistance just let me know.

Best regards,

Kimberly