Deploy Desktop Background Wallpaper using Group Policy (GPO) - Windows Server 2022 / 2019

[@piusclement6108]

Amazing work sir. I have been trying to deploy desktop wallpaper to my client's PC for days but nothing worked out until, I watched your video.

[@TiagoMartins-x8i]

Do you have a way to apply an image to each user in each department?

[@NetITGeeks]

I don't think there is a GPO for it but you can do this using a PowerShell script. You can write a PS script where at logon, it runs and changes the background. But you will have create customized individual scripts for each user. By storing the script in the home drive for each user, you can personalize it. I have covered logon scripts here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oGLLfoOQm95sl68si=EVd13TbuQ0CrhvX2

[@ShinojMavalli-i8n]

Hi, When a user is connected to domain network and log's in to his/she laptop, he/she receives wallpaper from the server and everything is fine but if the same user is disconnected from the domain network after logging into the laptop he/she gets black wallpaper screen, AD Server - Windows 2019 Standard Affected Users - Windows 10 Pro(latest build) and Windows 11. Observations : 1) Cached wallpaper file is still available in below location of user appdata in windows 10 and 11 system even if the user is not connected to domain network(verified after logging in), %AppData%\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Themes\TranscodedWallpaper 2) But windows 7 users gets wallpaper in their laptop even if they are disconnected from the domain network (Tested) My Questions : 1) Why windows 10 or 11 doesn't use the same wallpaper which was previous received from Domain Controller which is still available in users appdata if the laptop is disconnected from domain network.

[@NetITGeeks]

This is a really good question. What supposed to happen here is that Windows client should use the last known GPO pushed wallpaper from the local cache even when the user is not logged in as long as the user is user the domain account to login (not the local account). Also, when you say "user is disconnected from the domain network" did you mean the when the user is not connected to the VPN? In the industry, we do not disconnect and reconnect clients from the domain. But if the client is working remotely, prior to login into the Windows machine, the VPN maybe unavailable because that has to be authenticated when they connect to VPN after they logged into Windows. I assume your client machine is getting a black screen prior to logging into Windows not disconnected from the domain? Just because a device cannot be seen by the domain controller because the device is not connected to the VPN doesn't mean that the device is "disconnected" from DC but rather "cannot be reached by DC". In otherwards, they should get the GPO pushed wallpaper from the cache prior to login in. Have you tried logging into the client device with your admin account and then force pushing GPOs and then asking the client to login? Sometimes, the GPOs has to be pushed via admin account (gpupdate /force)/

[@ShinojMavalli-i8n]

GPO Wallpaper local cache is not working if out of network. After connecting to VPN and running 'gpupdate /force', the wallpaper will appear. Question: Is there any possibility to get the GPO cached wallpaper when out of network?

[@NetITGeeks]

Good question. By default, the GPO based wallpapers and logon screen images should be cached on the local client machine. The devices should keep it in the cache and only get updated once the device is connected to the network or VPN/SRA. Unless you changed/updated a GPO, that is the default behavior.

[@JohnnDooe]

I followed the process but got the black background, can anyone help me to get rid of this please?

[@Akira29H]

How you apply different wallpaper on 2 different Workstation not by user?

[@raymondroshan]

Can you please explain how to set ppt on desktop as wallpaper using GPO?

[@NetITGeeks]

Sorry, what do you mean by "set ppt on desktop as wallpaper"? Thanks.

[@Room167IHG]

is it possible to add Windows Theme File (. theme) instead of one single single picture? if possible, how?

[@NetITGeeks]

Yes, this can be done using a GPO. There are two ways to do it. Using a GPO under User Configuration\Policies\Admin Templates\Personalization there is a GPO I think is called specific theme or something? Not sure because I have not looked into this yet (hint: maybe a new tutorial coming). The other option is to use a GPO attached PowerShell script that forces a theme file.