Windows 10: Can't open my of personalization desktop background options within Settings

I basically want to change my desktops' backgrounds, but my settings window freezes when I select "background" within the personalization section. I can close the setting windows with no problem and so far no other settings are giving me trouble. I've restarted multiple times and deleted my local temp files that I was allowed to but the problem keeps happening. I'm running Windows 11.

:)

 

Cannot access 'Background' or 'Personalization' Windows settings

ISSUES

1. Accessing 'Personalization' from Windows settings screen
   I open Settings and click Personalization from the available options. I can open all the other options, but for this one, nothing happens. Once I click on it, the window 'freezes' and I can't do anything but close it. I can continue with other work away from the Window. Sometimes, after a period of time, when I hover over the Settings window, the cursor is shown as the 'I'm busy loading something circle'. I've left it for hours and nothing else happens.
2. Opening Background from the Themes and related settings page menu
   The Themes and related settings page takes a few seconds to open. I can click on any of the options and amend them except the Background option. It just 'freezes' as above and the only option I have is to close the window.
3. Window freezes when opening Background settings from Search box
   When I click Background settings from the search options, the Settings window opens (blue with a white gear cog icon) and then nothing else happens - it's 'frozen' as above.
4. Cannot open Personalize by right-clicking the desktop
   When I right-click the desktop and choose Personalize, the Settings window opens (blue with a white gear cog icon) and then nothing else happens - it's 'frozen' as above.

RELATED INFO
It might be relevant that I've recently had and resolved an issue with Windows where my keyboard was not being recognised in the search bar, the calculator and other Windows Modern Apps. I resolved it by closing down Cortana in the Task Manager and running C:\Windows\system32\ctfmon.exe. I've rebooted several times since. Sometimes when I reboot the issue comes back and I have to do the fixes again.

WHAT I'VE TRIED
Rebooting
Full Sophos scan (nothing found)
Running the following (nothing found)

• sfc /scannow
• DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Scanhealth
• DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

Hoping someone can help!

 

regarding background personalize settings

Hi Singh,

The Some setting are managed by your organization message usually appears if there is any changes happened on the Registry Editor or Group policy Editor. We suggest editing the Group Policy by following the steps below:

• Open Group Policy by typing it in the search box.
• Look for Administrative Templates and click on it.
• Select Control Panel.
• Click on Prevent changing desktop background and it will open an new window.
• Select Disable on the choices and click Apply.

Once the changes were made, try to customize your background again.

Update us with the outcome so we can provide further assistance.

 

Win11: On switching Desktop, the personalization of the background resets to default

Dear Christian Kuknat,

Welcome to the Microsoft Community



Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Community Support. I understand how frustrating it can be when your desktop personalization settings reset unexpectedly. Let’s work through this issue together to find a solution.

Troubleshooting Steps:

1. Check Desktop Settings: Verify that each virtual desktop is configured to use the same personalization settings:
   
   • Open Settings and go to System > Multitasking.
     
   • Ensure that the option "On all desktops" under "Show windows that are open" is selected, as this can sometimes affect how settings are applied across multiple desktops.
     
2. Update Windows: Ensure your Windows 11 is up to date. Updates often include bug fixes that can resolve issues like this:
   
   • Go to Settings > Windows Update and click Check for updates.
     
   • Install any available updates and restart your computer.
     
3. Check for Software Conflicts: Sometimes, third-party software can interfere with personalization settings. Try performing a clean boot to see if this resolves the issue:
   
   • Press Windows + R, type msconfig, and press Enter.
     
   • In the System Configuration window, go to the Services tab, check Hide all Microsoft services, and click Disable all.
     
   • Go to the Startup tab and click Open Task Manager.
     
   • Disable all startup items and restart your computer.
     
4. Reset Personalization Settings: Resetting the personalization settings might help:
   
   • Open Settings > Personalization.
     
   • Change the background to a different option (e.g., Picture), then switch back to Slide Show.
     

We hope these steps help resolve your issue. If you have any further questions or need additional support, please don't hesitate to ask.



Best Regards,

Martin | Microsoft Community Support Specialist