Here’s how to change the wallpaper on an unactivated Windows 11 PC and skirt around its restrictions.
If you have installed Windows 11 and have not activated it yet, you cannot access the personalization settings. Microsoft limits some functionalities on unactivated Windows copies, including the ability to change wallpapers.
This can be an annoying limitation for many. Fortunately, there are a few workarounds that you can use to change wallpaper in Windows 11 without activation.
You can set any image as a desktop background using File Explorer. This is a handy to work around the limitation set by Microsoft on systems running an unactivated copy of Windows 11. Here's how to do it.
You can use the built-in Photos app to view and perform basic edits. However, a lesser-known feature of the Photos app is that it lets you set desktop background and lock screen within the app.
To set the desktop background:
Firefox has many hidden features, and one of them is the ability to set web images as your desktop background. With this, you don't need to download individual images and then use them as your wallpaper.
Instead, you can right-click on any image on the web and use the desktop background option.
To set the desktop background using Firefox:
MS Paint is a built-in painting app that you can use to create drawings, edit and enhance screenshots, etc. Interestingly, the app comes with an option to let you set images as wallpaper within the app. To set desktop wallpaper using Paint:
The Windows Registry Editor lets you modify your system registry entries to enable or disable many features of the Windows operating system.
To set an image as a desktop background using Registry Editor, you will need to create a new key and a String Value pointing to the image path. It is a bit tedious process, but you can do it, and here we show you how.
Note that incorrect modifications to the system registry can cause system malfunction. Create a restore point before proceeding with the steps below.
You can also change and set the default background using the Group Policy Editor. Useful for system administrator who wants to change the wallpaper for all the computers on their network.
Note that Group Policy Editor is only available on Windows 11 Pro, Edu, and Enterprise editions of the OS. If you are using Home, then follow our guide on how to enable Group Policy Editor in Windows Home edition.
To set the desktop background using gpedit:
Windows 11 makes it easy to tweak your personalization settings to match your style with different color schemes, taskbar alignment, etc. However, if your copy of Windows 11 is not activated, things can get a little tricky.
Alternatively, you can also use third-party customization apps for Windows 11. These apps let you change the different aspect of the OS and works irrespective of the activation status.
Tashreef is a developer and works as a technical writer at MakeUseOf. With a bachelor’s degree in Computer Applications, he has over 5 years of experience and covers Microsoft Windows and everything around it. When not looking for a missing semicolon or churning out text, you can find him trying FPS titles or looking for new animated shows and movies.
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