Windows 10: Using A Folder On An External Hard Drive For Lock Screen Slideshow

Hello,

So in Settings -> Personalization -> Lock Screen:
I want to set a Slideshow for images inside a folder that's on an external hard disk drive that's connected to the computer through a USB cable 24/7. When I select that folder, I get this message in red font:
The Wallpaper Images folder isn't supported because of its location. Please choose another folder.
I remember I was able to do that for Windows 8.1.

What happen?

What's the workaround for this annoyance please, thanks!

:)

 

I can't set a slideshow in the Lock Screen and one of the Microsoft suggestions to use gpedit msc didn't work

If the lock screen is showing as a blank screen check that the WAIT in the SCREEN SAVER settings (even if you don't use screen saver) is greater than the time out setting that you have set for POWER OFF in the LOCK SCREEN setting.

The steps I took to apparently work round the bug are (and not all of these steps may be required and it may be necessary to reboot between the changes):

SETTING > PERONSLISATION > LOCK SCREEN

..BACKGROUND - select picture and then choose a picture from the folder to be used for the slideshow

..BACKGROUND - select slideshow and then choose the folder to be used for the slideshow

..SCREEN SAVER SETTINGS - select WINDOWS LIVE PHOTO GALLERY and in setting select the folder to be used for the slideshow

Set the WAIT minutes to be greater than the power off timeout you have set for the lock screen

Apply changes

SETTING > PERONSLISATION > LOCK SCREEN > SCREEN SAVER and select NONE

Don't change the WAIT number, this should still be the number you set which is highe than the lock screen power timeout you have set

SETTING > PERONSLISATION > LOCK SCREEN

..BACKGROUND - select picture and then choose a picture from the folder to be used for the slideshow

..BACKGROUND - select slideshow and then choose the folder to be used for the slideshow

Best of luck!

 

Can't change windows 10 lock screen image

If the lock screen is showing as a blank screen check that the WAIT in the SCREEN SAVER settings (even if you don't use screen saver) is greater than the time out setting that you have set for POWER OFF in the LOCK SCREEN setting.

The steps I took to apparently work round the bug are (and not all of these steps may be required and it may be necessary to reboot between the changes):

SETTING > PERONSLISATION > LOCK SCREEN

..BACKGROUND - select picture and then choose a picture from the folder to be used for the slideshow

..BACKGROUND - select slideshow and then choose the folder to be used for the slideshow

..SCREEN SAVER SETTINGS - select WINDOWS LIVE PHOTO GALLERY and in setting select the folder to be used for the slideshow

Set the WAIT minutes to be greater than the power off timeout you have set for the lock screen

Apply changes

SETTING > PERONSLISATION > LOCK SCREEN > SCREEN SAVER and select NONE

Don't change the WAIT number, this should still be the number you set which is highe than the lock screen power timeout you have set

SETTING > PERONSLISATION > LOCK SCREEN

..BACKGROUND - select picture and then choose a picture from the folder to be used for the slideshow

..BACKGROUND - select slideshow and then choose the folder to be used for the slideshow

Best of luck!

 

Can you provide us with picture of that message, because I just tried to select folder on USB external drive and there were no problems.

There are some information on MS forums about possible problems. Looks like folder have to be indexed. Try to enable indexing on your drive.

This is from MS forums:

 

The folder's name is: "High-Definition Monitor (16x9 Aspect Ratio)"

 

I have put some additional information in the previous post. try to enable indexing of target folder.

 

Hmh.. Okay thanks for that link. I checked it out. As a matter of fact, the computer is in the middle of the process of indexing that hard disk drive. I guess I wouldn't have encountered this problem if I didn't mess with the System Volume Information folder there, because when I did, this hard drive got thrown out of the indexer. Too bad that folder is completely useless on that hard drive (because this folder is mainly used for System Restore), I just was hoping to beautify and organize the folders in there; I don't like clutter.

But yes, I tried searching for an image name in that folder and cannot see the search result... yet. Since it hasn't been indexed... yet. So gotta give this some time. When it's done, I'll reply back on here.

Thanks

 

According to the Indexing Options window, Indexing is now complete.

I tried to add the folder and I still get the same issue. I restarted the computer and tried it again, same issue.

What should I do?

 

What external disk do you have? Any special software on it? Does it shows normally in disk management?

Also if you make one test: simplify the name of folder - name it test or something, also rename any path to it into simple letter and number style.
Just for test to see, if drive is recognized.

I have to manually select folder properties then under advance: allow files to be indexed have to be checked.

 

1) External disk drive is: Western Digital My Passport 070A USB Device
2) I made a simple test, created a folder in the root directory of the hard disk: X:/New Folder/ and put 60 images there to try it out. I was hoping this would work.. but darn, it didn't work
3) The option from your picture is already selected by default apparently. I saw other folders' Properties; the same applies to them all too.

I tried looking around on the internet and I noticed that some people have this issue with when they wanna put pictures from a network connection or something. It's really similar to that.

Thanks

 

Some check points to make from this blog...

Some users claim, that deselecting folder (changing back to picture), restart computer and re selecting folder for slideshow solved this problem.

Interesting is, that I couldn't get error "The Wallpaper Images folder isn't supported because of its location. Please choose another folder
but only "more then one picture..."

Will look further.

 

Did you try Winaero lock screen customizer?

It is made for Windows 8 and 8.1, but supposedly works on 10 too.

 

Hi,
So I turn on the computer today and add that folder as a Slideshow again without doing any of the above first. Apparently this time I was able to add that folder with no red message under it.

I did all the methods that apply from that link.

I tried WinArea thing, yet wasn't able to find the option for the Slideshow. That zip file had 2 different exe formats. The first 64x format in the folder is the one that worked, the second 64x format did not work.

Anyways, I locked the screen and waited, and I see my slideshow finally! I think it got fixed initially when I didn't see that red message. So thanks for the help

 

Great pepanee! Glad it works now. *Smile

Sometimes it takes a little patience and multiple actions (should work in the first place).