How to set desktop wallpaper through Group policy

If you want to set the desktop wallpaper to all users or specific users and also you don’t want/allow user to change desktop wallpaper then group policy is the best way to apply desktop wallpaper.

We are using server 2019 as a domain controller to apply desktop wallpaper on Windows 10 devices.

Open Server Manager Console, click on Tools then click on Group Policy Management.

Right click on Group Policy Object and click on New from drop down list.

Type group policy name in New GPO box as per your convenient and click OK.

Right click on group policy object which you just created and click Edit.

Navigate to Users Configuration> Policy> Administrative Template Policy Definitions> Desktop> Desktop then right click on Desktop Wallpaper and click on Edit.

Select Enable, provide wallpaper shared path under Wallpaper Name box then select Fill option from Wallpaper Style drop down list and click on OK.

Note: Share folder must have read permission for everyone where you keeps wallpaper .jpeg file.

Close the Group Policy Management Editor.

Now right click on user’s OU where you want to apply this wallpaper policy and click on Link an existing GPO…

For example: We have created Finance user’s OU to apply this policy, you can create OU for users as per location or organization department wise.

 

Select appropriate group policy object which you have created for wallpaper policy and click OK.

For example: we have selected Set Desktop Wallpaper group policy object which we have created for set wallpaper.

Now Set Desktop Wallpaper policy is linked to Finance OU. Targeted users must be present on this OU to apply this policy successfully.

Now logoff or restart the client operating system. You will see the desktop wallpaper has been changed as per group policy after login with targeted user.

Note: user cannot change this wallpaper once group policy get applied.

You can also verify the group policy through running RSOP in-build utility on client devices.