How-To Geek
Why Do My Icons Have a Background Color in Windows XP?
If you’ve been wondering why your XP desktop icons have a background color, you’ll be glad to know you can flip a checkbox and have them go back to a normal transparent background.
Here’s the two versions side by side.
To set the transparent background on the icons, we’ll need to open System Properties in Control Panel (or right-click on My Computer and select Properties).
In this dialog, click the Advanced tab, and then the Settings button under the Performance section.
Now scroll down to the button where you’ll find a checkbox for “Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop”. Make sure you check this box if you want transparent backgrounds on the icons.
Why this option isn’t just labeled “Enable Transparent Icons On the Desktop”, I just can’t say.
Update
If the above does not work, you might want to also check these additional settings suggested by readers in the comments.
- You can’t be displaying a web page as your background. To check this, right-click on the desktop and choose Properties. Select Customize desktop on the Desktop tab, then select the Web tab on the desktop items window and deselect any web pages that are shown.
- You need to make sure that High Contrast is not selected under Accessibility \ Display Options in your Control Panel.
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Comments (273)
Programmer by day, geek by night, The Geek, also known as Lowell Heddings, spends all his free time bringing you fresh geekery on a daily basis. You can follow him on Google+ if you'd like.
- Published 05/1/07
This has been driving me nuts on several (but not all) otherwise identical systems in our company. Thanks for the tip!
I agree, nice tip – but it doesn’t (always) work. :)
In other words, the box is checked, but my desktop still has the background. I think it may have something to do with another function (which, I can’t say).
I’m running Windows XP SP2, and I’ve got no love for drop shadows here. Thanks though!
Chad that could be because you may have set to display a web page in the background, To disable the webpage
Right Click on your desktop–> Properties Select Customize desktop under Desktop tab.
Now select Web tab in the Desktop Items window, and deselect if any web pages are shown.
And you will have the transparant background
Thanks AV… My readers are great!
hey thanks for the TIP , the second one worked.
none of the suggestions worked, what next
Thanks alol sir,
It is very useful to getrid some problems
Thanking you sir,
yours sincerely,
siva rama krishna
When both of these do not work, there is a third way (or an addition to the second step). Under web (Customize desktop -> Web), de-select ‘Lock desktop icons’ which then enables users to modify icon properties. I had the same problem and solved it this way.
Hey, the second one worked its great to see the desktop. I need your help in an anoher problem, i have windows XP Media Center. I dont have sort by name option in Start -> Program Files.
Can you help me in This??
Thanks for the help, worked like a charm.
I’ve followed all of the above instructions, but still can’t get this to work! Any other suggestions?
Cheers
HOW-TO GEEK,
YOU ARE AWSOME. THANK YOU GREATLY FOR THE 2nd SUGGESTION. MY DESKTOP ICON LABELS’ BACKGROUNDS ARE NOW TRANSPARENT. I CAN’T THANK YOU ENOUGH.
I had this same problem and the only thing that worked for me was this: In Display Properties, click the Desktop tab and then Customize Desktop. Under the Web tab, make sure that none of the web page checkboxes are selected to display on your desktop. I tried many other suggestions, and this was my winner
If you still can’t get it to work, like myself, check the file type of your background image. I was always using PNGs because ‘why have any-loss when I can have lossless?’. Answer: it gives you that color behind the text and icons you hate…
Convert your background image to jpg and you will probably be fine.
I’ve been having this problem for a while! The tip from Raj Nootie:
‘Under web (Customize desktop -> Web), de-select ‘Lock desktop icons’ which then enables users to modify icon properties’
worked perfectly!
thanks for the help…..
Wow thanks a lot :).
I’m really getting frustrated, none of the above suggestions have worked for me, de-seclting web pages, lock desktop icons, checking the drop down menu box, none of them, but a few of you said that when you unlock the desktop icons it allows you to modify icon properties, how do i get to icon properties? If anyone has any other suggestions for me i would love it. I do have a brico pack installed on my system to make XP look like vista, would that have anything to do with it?
Hi all,
Thanks for the help! :)
Thanks for the help guys.
Thanks a million! I have been looking everywhere for that!
i spent WAY too much time trying to find a solution to remove this seemingly benign (but oddly irritating !!)artifact. your directions took me all of 15 seconds to finally rid my icons of its’ shadow. Thank you for the simple and useful info..
.
I did what you stated in the web site.
My icons have a background color in window and I was trying to make it transparent,
and I did what you did in the web site.
But it didn’t work.
What else can I do to make it transparent?
I tried over 5 different things to try to fix this but nothing helped. I noticed that my Windows Picture and Fax Viewer was not working also. So I tried an old trick to fix that, and it fixed the icon issue also. I went to the command prompt (start, run) and typed in “regsvr32 shimgvw.dll” without the quotes, and then changed my resolution to a smaller one and back again, and both issues were fixed.
Thank you for your help but ooops! it didn’t work again!
Is there any other solution for my problem? :(
Thank you for your help but that didn’t work well.
Is there any other solution I can solve my problem? :)
Thats great!!.Thanks for such a wonderful tip.
This was a lifesaver. Thanks. I can get back to work now.
Thanks AV! You saved me from having to go to an asylum for the rest of my life!
A big …Thank You!… You guys professionally answered an annoying XP question about how to make the desktop icon captions transparent. I agree.. the phrasing: “..use drop shadows..” must be Bill G’s practical joke! Thanks again.
My desktop icons still have the color behind them,
i have tried and did not work for me, any other option??? please help.
i have tried all three options but still not got the solution , by unchecking the web i got the caption color with little colored
background
Hey AV, awesome dude
after trying for sooo long it worked… thanks for ur suggession.. u r genius :)
hey kishore.. delete that web page fror the list, it wud work.
nice tip! really helped me… thanx!!!
If anyone is still having this problem, also check the Accessibility–>Display options under the Control Panel. Make sure High Contrast is unchecked.
Thanks AV.. You are the man! It worked for me.. may god bless you..
Thanks AV…saved my life!
thankz dude!!! when i follow ur first instruction its working!!!
I just went through this guide, and the tips in the comments but i still could not get the icons to be transparent. If anybody still have this problem, my solution is based on the tip from “Taboo Tongue”, but instead of using JPG (which in some sneaky way enables web content for the desktop without showing it anywhere) I converted the image to BMP to get it to work.
To “The Geek”,
Man I’ve been through so many forums looking for a solution…
This one actually worked….. I was suprised myself. I guess been thru a lot forums that really don’t give you any soution does that to you. LOL
Thank You
There is also another way that would cause such a thing. Make sure that your icons are not “locked.”
Right click on the desktop and make sure they are not locked
so the 3 didn’t work for me, but going into the properties of the display settings / desktop / customize desktop / web tab / I clicked properties on ‘my current home page’ (it was the only web page in the selection) and then I deselected ‘make this page available offline’.
that made the text background go away.
I don’t know why I had to do this extra step since deselecting desktop web pages should have done it, but it worked for me. try it if the other three options didn’t work.
good luck.
Thanks it worked for me
good blog
I tried evry solutions and none did work =(
Thanks to AV. It worked for me!
Its wonderfull for my its works
I was whacking my brains over this for a month.. I had a silly web page set under desktop –> customize –> Advanced… Thanks.. It works now..
Enabling drop shadows is fine and dandy unless you have a light colored background then it becomes difficult to read the captions.
Microsoft provides no way to change the font color so you have to turn to a third party tool.
I was fretting over this all day. This helped tremondously.
I have tried each and evrything what u ppl have said but none worked for me ….plz help !!!
Even if you don’t have a web page selected as your background, you still need to uncheck the “Lock Desktop Objects” box in order to get transparent background for your icons.
Raj Nooti is the best the third option was the one that worked for me !!!! Now my desktop looks normal again; I don’t know how it got whacked out in the first place; but Thank God for the Smart dudes like you Raj Nooti !!!!!
Thanx a lot…..The third comment was wonderful and I cud change the background of icons.
Okay, I have tried every single suggestion posted here and NONE of them have worked. I didn’t have this issue until this morning when one of our IT people logged into my PC remotely, after that was when the background color appeared and not being able to get it back to transparent is driving me CRAZY.
Thanks to Raj Nooti. Nothing worked until I read your comment!
I’m still stuck with background color. Any other suggestions?
Thank you Paul! I tried 10 different things to fix this before I read your suggestion. I was getting ridiculously frustrated about this. Thank you.
Raj Nooti’s tip worked!!! thanks so much!!
Hey AV
Great man,,,,i was dieing to solve this problem from last so many months,
I did it today,,,,you really deserve a big THANKS man
Thank you so much for this help,
I have eventually worked out how to do it!!
Raj Nooti
When both of these do not work, there is a third way (or an addition to the second step). Under web (Customize desktop -> Web), de-select ‘Lock desktop icons’ which then enables users to modify icon properties
This bit helped me so much and cracked my problem!!
Thanks alot :)
I noticed it will do that with all my images unless they are saved as .bmp
the second one helped me! thanks
Thanks a lot man, this really helped me.
I was driving nuts with that horibble look of my desktop….and can you imagine that I was using my computer like that since a few weeks. MMMM
Apreciated man….
I hv the unique solution for this ..if all attempts fails and u still face the issue
Desktop> Right click> Properties> Desktop> Customize Desktop> Web> then ull see couple of web pages just uncheck all and press OK
this will definitely help u
Thank you. That worked.
AV May 3, 2007 5:11 am
Chad that could be because you may have set to display a web page in the background, To disable the webpage
Right Click on your desktop> Properties Select Customize desktop under Desktop tab.
Now select Web tab in the Desktop Items window, and deselect if any web pages are shown.
And you will have the transparant background
Thanks a lot for the solution.
This is really works :)
THANKS
Right Click on your desktop> Properties Select Customize desktop under Desktop tab.
Now select Web tab in the Desktop Items window, and deselect if any web pages are shown.
And you will have the transparant background
Thnx a bunch.. I never understood why the background color was showing even though I applied the “use drop shadow” option… :)
Raj Nooti
this worked for me , 10x a lot
I have tryed everything listed here and STILL have shadows the same color as my backgorund, and I would like to see no shadows and just the picture and icons, this is really irritating and I feel like breaking something now, is there ANYTHING else I can do?
Thanks a lot for the tips…. Such a great relief man!!
THank you very much, this was very useful, but it was actually AV’s solution from may 07 that worked for me… you should add that to the main part of the article. ~Thank Agian
This was my issue listed below,
Thanks
You can’t be displaying a web page as your background. To check this, right-click on the desktop and choose Properties. Select Customize desktop on the Desktop tab, then select the Web tab on the desktop items window and deselect any web pages that are shown.
thanks guys, esp. raj nooti. your third suggestion worked. thanks.
Cool tip! i never thought i have a webpage displaying on my desktop, i can’t see a thing, my AV cant detect anything too, my anti-spyware too.. i most likely think that this thing was a trojan.. thanks for the tip…
For those of you who still are having trouble with this… try this option.
START-RUN – TYPE “GPEDIT.MSC
Go to User Congifiguration-Administrative Templates-desktop-active desktop
Look to the right and find the setting that says disable active desktop..double click and choose enable…..
then go to your desktop and hit refresh.
THANKS PAUL!
Paul’s fix was the only thing that did it for me. If you have tried everything except for Paul’s fix, please try, it will likely work.
Dear Raj Nooti,
thanks for the info..that solved my problem.
Great.Thank you very much.The first step is known to me,but that was not working.The second step you provided that was absolutly perfect.Great work.Thank you.
Hey. Thanks for all the great advices. BUT I have a simpler and more complicated problem – I can’t find my ‘Web’ tab in my ‘Customize Desktop’ page!! Meaning: I don’t have one for me to click on. Why???!!!
I have to say that this problem occurred after I downloaded some virul program and after having them removed by (AVG 8.0), all the backgrould colour of the icons appeared.
Please advise in getting my Web tab back!! Thanks.
Click Start, Run and type REGEDIT
Navigate to the following keys:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Policies \ Explorer
and
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Policies \ Explorer
Delete the two values NoActiveDesktopChanges & NoActiveDesktop in the right-pane
Navigate to the following keys:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Policies \ ActiveDesktop
and
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Policies \ ActiveDesktop
Delete the value NoComponents in both the above locations.
Sorry, the above is for stormrider
If all else fails with the desktop icons background try this. Right click on My Computer/properties/ (this brings up the system properties)click on the advanced tab/ then on the performace section, click settings this takes you to performance Options select the Visual Effects tab and scroll down to the second from the botttom “use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop” this should be ticked. Hope this helps
Hey guys,
If any of the above things dint work for you….then try the procedure as explained by Mike Thompson.
It worked for me. Give it a try and see.Thanks Mike.
Good luck
Hey. I got the icon back to tranparent mode already. Thnaks for all the great advices!!
THANK YOU!!!!!
Thanks a LOT. the second one worked perfectly.
THANK YOU!! as alot of other people said, the second one worked!
Thanks AV. The web setting Changes working fine for me.
Thanks, really got annoying after awhile, finally used the third option of “Lock desktop items” unchecked….then press OK!! :)
Thanks again
Thanks to Mike Thompson 14 September 2008. The gpedit.msc bit did it for me. Also all credit to The Geek and others, I followed all the steps up to Mike’s suggestion. I guess Christoffer might also be on the ball with his BMP suggestion, because following Mike’s advice only allow BMP as background image.
Thanks all!
“Chad that could be because you may have set to display a web page in the background, To disable the webpage
Right Click on your desktop> Properties Select Customize desktop under Desktop tab.
Now select Web tab in the Desktop Items window, and deselect if any web pages are shown.
And you will have the transparant background”
HEY THIS ONE SURE WORKED FOR ME I TRIED EVERYTHING ELSE THANKS….
It took long but finally i was able to have my dektop icons without any background . Thanks to above solution
I have tried the original suggestions, there are no web pages checked, the icons aren’t locked and I have tried both of Mike Thompson’s suggestions. That should cover every suggestion that has been made thus far. Are there any other ideas?
I have a dual monitor display, if that matters.
Thanx Raj Nooti… it’s worked
thanks bro its work
thanx so much! iv been trying this for weeks (by myself ), when i have read this it workd thanx
I dont understand why do i not have a ‘Web’ Tab on the ‘customize desktop’ bit?
why in the first place they have this ver BAD description in Windows software?
and this is just a sample. In spanish version , several descriptions are very long, and without horizontal scroll, you have no clue on what are the remaining words of the “description”. aaaarrggh
“usability 101″ remember that?
I have a suggestion to all those readers whose 1st solution don’t work.
After changing(make tik) the option (right click my computer->properties->Advance tab->performance setting->use drop shadows for icon levels on the desktop)if it do not work then after changing you restart or (logon and logoff) your computer.After that the shadow will surely disappear.
the update under (Why Do My Icons Have a Background Color in Windows XP?)worked for me!!!!thanks a million how to geek!!!!
I found this fix that edits the registry. If you are nervous about running that Registry program, then you can just go into the registry and delete those values. The only one’s that I had were “…\Control Panel\Desktop”
Hope this helps!
-Eric
Direct link:
http://boardsus.playstation.com/playstation/board/message?board.id=offtopic&thread.id=1273289&view=by_date_ascending&page=2
I finally got it fixed…
Click “Start”, “Settings”, and then click “Control Panel”. Open the “Display” applet.
Click on “Desktop”, “Customise Display…” and “Web”.
In the box under “Web pages”, select all the checkboxes and click “Delete”.
#2Next, launch Notepad (Start>All Programs>Accessories), and copy/paste all the blue REGEDIT below to it
be sure the REGEDIT4 is included.
Save in: Desktop
File Name: fixme.reg
Save as Type: All files
Click: Save
REGEDIT4
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Desktop\General]
“WallpaperFileTime”=-
“WallpaperLocalFileTime”=-
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Poli
cies\System]
“NoDispAppearancePage”=-
“Wallpaper”=-
“WallpaperStyle”=-
“NoDispBackgroundPage”=-
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Poli
cies\Explorer]
“NoActiveDesktopChanges”=-
“ForceActiveDesktopOn”=-
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop]
“Wallpaper”=-
“WallpaperStyle”=-
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Colors]
“Background”=”0 78 152″
**** de-select ‘Lock desktop icons’ which then enables users to modify icon properties. I had the same problem and solved it this way. **** this option solved my problem. thanks a lot!!!
Thanks AV!! Your method worked a treat! I now have a desktop that looks smooth again! Am wondering though how it came to have a web file all of a sudden…
Cheers!
Another thing I just recently found was an image I did for my self, I had it saved as a .png image and for a few days I been going nuts trying to figure it out, I tried everything I could think of and I found, by saving it as a .gif or a .jpg will allow it to have the icons with the transparent background. I am not sure if it was caused by the layers in the image or if it was a matter of just being a .png file, not sure but if you have a .png file as a background, try saving it as a different file type and give that a try.
Very useful discussion. After trying many things (not tampering with the registry though) what worked for me is unchecking the option Lock Web Items on Desktop that can be found right-clicking on Desktop -> Arrange Icons By -> Lock Web Items on Desktop. Thanks everyone!
Ok wtf. First none of the examples worked, then eventually I just made the visual effects “Let Windows choose what’s best for my computer” in the performance options and that was the ONLY thing that worked yesterday. Now once again today out of nowhere the all changed BACK to having the same backgronud color as whatever the desktop background color is set to.
WTF. I’m about to throw my computer out the window this is pissing me off so much. Everywhere I look online gives the same damn advice that doesn’t work. So now what?
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
i done what you said but no luck!
it didn’t work for my computer it still has a background anything else i can do?
please help!!!
The idea of TABOO TONGUE in converting the background to jpg and after this following the stepsof the How to Geek was fantastic. Everything works properly now. Thank you both of you
Yes, you`re the best AV you`re tip was perfect!!! I had this proble many times but no one could answer it! You`re a GOD!!!
Thanks AV. It worked.
this is the way that worked for me:
“Under web (Customize desktop -> Web), un-select āLock desktop iconsā which then enables users to modify icon properties”
i figured this one out on my own, and so did “Raj Nooti”
Haii Their is an another idea
right click on desktop > properties > Desktop> Customize Desktop > web > delete all other options except ” My Current Home Page” then click ok then Apply
Hai its not a fake its true……………………………..
Enjoy
It worked! Note: The first time I unchecked the box “Use drop shadows for icons on the desktop”, nothing happened. But I tried it again. I checked the box and then unchecked it and THEN it worked. I can’t tell you how happy I am to get rid of the background on all my desktop icons’ captions. Thank you so much.
Thank you so much it was a great tip!!!!!!!!!!
asdfasdfasdf
Great !
You made my day :) i been searching across the web for solution, finally spotted here the best result.
Thanks :)
This is how it worked for me:
āUnder web (Customize desktop -> Web), un-select āLock desktop iconsā which then enables users to modify icon propertiesā
Thank you Mike Thompson!!!
Nothing else worked… there is no “Web” tab under desktop properties –> customize desktop on my computer, only “General” so reading the same suggestions over and over again was getting incredibly frustrating…
The tip that worked for me:
For those of you who still are having trouble with thisā¦ try this option.
START-RUN ā TYPE āGPEDIT.MSC
Go to User Congifiguration-Administrative Templates-desktop-active desktop
Look to the right and find the setting that says disable active desktop..double click and choose enableā¦..
then go to your desktop and hit refresh
Thanks for your advice on Why Do My Icons Have a Background Color in Windows XP? I accidentally changed my desktop to a web page and with your help i fixed it thanks again
I don’t have a “web” tab under customize desktop :(
Yes, I’m using XP, but am on a work computer and don’t have admin rights.
Teddi seems to have the same problem (no “web” tab) but I did what you said (run gpedit.msc, etc) and it didn’t work.
Ou thank you all! But the one that worked for me was De-selecting that Lock the icons. Now those annoying backgrounds are gone! :) thankyou!
Thanks for help. I was really piised off before :))))
thanks a lot buddy……. !!!!!!!!
Thanks a lot friend it worked well….
Thank you very much…..
thanks it works…
Second option…
HELP ME! MY ICONS STILL HAVE THE BACKGROUND COLOR!!
thanks a million!!!
the 2nd solution did work for my problem. good job!
I tried everything I could (bearing in mind that some settings didn’t seem to exist on my computer, and others were restricted to admin). Still no success.
Then I saw Erik’s comment about remote access. I remembered that an IT person had fixed a problem by taking remote control of my machine recently, and that the transparency problem stemmed from this point. It turns out that if someone takes remote control using LANdesk (don’t know about other apps), the desktop settings change. Provided the remote controller closes their session correctly, your own settings are restored (including transparency). But my IT fix required a reboot, which meant that the remote control session was not closed properly.
In the end all that was needed was for IT to take remote control again, and then close their session properly without even doing anything. And joy of joys, my desktop icon labels are transparent once more. So simple, yet so difficult to find the cause. Hope this helps somebody and thanks to Erik for putting me onto the right track.
Thank you. It works good.
2nd tip in the comments did worked for me
Eric,
Your solution work the best for me. Thank you so much..
Well, I meant thanx Eric Thompson as far as my fix. I did not have the web tab under “customize desktop” and did what Mike said and now my icons are fine. Thank you.
This does nothing, absolutly nothing !!!
But, I got one more question:
HOW TO TURN ICON BACKGROUND COLOR ON ?
I cananot see a thing …
LeAnne W – your trick work thank you!! I was going insane!
AHHHHHHHHHHHHH i couldnt figure out how to fix it but i found this page thank you so much
thanx buddy…this forum realy helped me !!!
this is what worked for me:
control panel | system (properties) | Advanced | Performance “settings” | adjust for best appearance.
then hit apply
that worked for me. thank god…lol
I accidently pasted a url to the desktop and it messed up all my icons. The web page info in the Update section above solved my problem.
Thanks for the help!!
thanks! this really helped :D
very very thanku thanku………………………………….
Thank you AV… that’s been annoying me for three months.
Excellent! Thanks so much. Couldn’t figure out why it happened but realized that I copied a picture from email and made it part of the active desktop. So even when I tried the first steps, it wouldn’t fixed it. The second suggestion of going into Customize Desktop and clicking on the Web tab allowed me to find it and delete it. Everything back to normal now and I am happy again. Thanks again.
Hey guys, I’v tried every thin but nufin happend. I did all wa u guys said but i still got da same prob. Some1 help me plx =x…
GPEDIT.MSC solution works
it is final fix for this as i have tried almost thing from the top in this list before
Great, Awesome, excelent, thank you very much….. now it got resolved for my desktop, every think looks fine….
God! This worked out. It was just annoying me. Thanks.
Hii All
On web tab also make sure that Lock Ions is unchecked.
This also causes background color to be visible.
** CORRECTION**
Its Lock Desktop Items checkbox
wohooooooooo
you’re the best!!
this tip is realy really helpful for me
OMG thak you so much, those colored icon label were really driving me crazy
i think you can get nobel prize for this tip
huahahhahahahaha <3 you the geek
thank you so much……..
I tried all of this and nothing worked. The problem was that sometimes you have to check a box hit apply then uncheck then apply so that …..I dunno it just worked
thanx Raj Nooti ^_^
Finally, it has been done…………Thank you very much
Thank you!! its been driving me nuts
its a great site….thank you..
i tried up to the 3d step at last it works i unchecked the Lock desktop icon on web tab…thanks….
finally!!!!!!!!!!thank u.
It was the “deselect any web pages shown” (or delete them) that did it for me. Thanks for this comprehensive description. I went to three other websites and tried what they suggested, but to no avail.
solution
click right click on desktop=properties=desktop tab=customise desktop=web tab=uncheck all web item=apply………..
Thanks a lot AV, it worked for me :)
Thanks a lot it the update portion helped me
Raj Nooti
When both of these do not work, there is a third way (or an addition to the second step). Under web (Customize desktop -> Web), de-select āLock desktop iconsā which then enables users to modify icon properties. I had the same problem and solved it this way.
yes it works! credit to u
Hey Guys i’ve read all the comments but any of them did not worked for me, i am system admin and i used GPO in server then all clients pc had desktop background color i am still in pain to get rid of this problem,if anyone anyone help me out
thanks
THank you so much raj nooti!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YES!!! it worked!
Hey Thanks….even the IT guy in my office couldnt help me with this…so i had to get in touch with google and this page on the top of results.
cool the second one worked !!!!!!!!!!!! thanks guys
Also make sure that the wallpaper you are using is not in PNG format. I just went through about an hours worth of troubleshooting to figure this one out.
That was hepfull, thanks alot
special thanks to Teddi :)
Thanks dear…
2nd tip worked well….thanks a lot…
I have found that you could do all the suggestions in the original post, but none will work if under the Properties->Desktop->Customize Desktop->Web Tab you have the Lock Desktop Items box checked. That fixed my problem.
Thank you…….. I tried a lot for this. Finally got…………………………….
thanks so much visit my sitE!!
Hello,
This is not working in my case i hav tried all the ways bt nthing is wrkin wat shud i do……
Thanks Alex you safe me from two days continuous headache. Your solution is perfect as you said.
Right click on desktop, choose properties> desktop tap> click on customise desktop> click on Web tab then unchecked lock desktop items.
Acha
thanks a lot dude
Thanks, it works
OMFG quit repeating the same fucking solution over again OMG i can fucking read what the said for fuck sake NOTHING FUCKING WORKS UR WINDOWS IS BROKE HOWTOGEEK IS DUMB PERIOD UR SCREWED TRY TWEAKUI OR TUNE UP UTILITIES I SEEN MORE people trying to be experts saying UN check ur web shit DUDE THERE NO FUCKING WEB SHIT PERIOD NEW WINDWOS INSTALL>…. god i hate people
People Just said THEY tried Both Solutions Can you not fucking read OMG………. Delete this fucking POST its gay YOUR SOLUTION DOES NOT FUCKING WORK Neither WEB OR SYSTEM PERFORMANCE SHIT GOD READ WHAT PEOPLE SAY BEFORE POSTING UR DUMB ASS ANSWERS
thanks so much.. Ive spent the last hr trying to figure this out i was trying every thing .. EXCEPT.. un ticking the use high contrast button in accessibility menu.. thanks a lot
thanks, this article was my first and end search.
Thanks buddy,somehow in my desktop the web page was ticked.It’s good to see it normal.
Nothing personal “Geek” but your answer did nothing for me…HOWEVER, it got me started, as you were very honest saying to also read comments.
After reading so many replies, I never knew how frustrating this was for so many people, but tried some things that did nothing, but then read different answers from a couple of people, and found a few things that I thought made sence…
What most of the people don’t understand is it takes some time, and may not be the only way……I love one of the answers that just cursed and cursed “we” have no idea, and this forum sucks, but the genious has nothing to say what is the real solution…by the way “tweakui”, and whatever else you said does not work on many systems…….you have a foul mouth, but like most people who have nothing whatsoever, and give no suggestions are the real idiots.
I have been in the hardware/ software business for let’s just round off 20 years. ….I’ll finish my babble by saying it’s very possible the manufacturer, and their OEM software (which is really close to MS OS) just does not do exactly what someone would think is the only answer…….I am very impressed with the people whom share their fixes…because one doesn’t work for you, their may be a couple of more things from different people that put together might give a clue, and this applies to anything….Yes my cursor friend, you have no clue on knowing how to put things together, and your jackass saying everyone is stupid, then mention you hate people….get off your high horse…I know your kind……..everyone but you is stupid, but strangely, you offer nothing applicable, and by the stupid programs you mention, but don’t mention where in tweak to fix this issue that’s because, even though I love the program…the answer to this issue is not there,and if you knew that, you didn’t seem to share your lack of knowledge answer.
I respect anyone who puts their thoughts, or what helped or didn’t help them………They may have no computer background, but are willing to share their experiences…I’m sorry to have babbled, nor am I trying to start a flaming thing, and will leave it alone after this…JOOEEEEEEE!! , you have no clue, and were completely wrong with whatever it was you were trying to accomplish.
I just ran into this site for this particular issue, and thought it was cool the ideas that were thrown out there
THANKS AV……YOUR GREAT
thanks lot.
it worked
i will tell you how solve this problem it happens with me either……
1-click right on desktop
2-choose desktop
3-choose customize desktop
4-choose web
5-here there is a check box “lock desktop items” uncheck (untick) this box then press ok
6-tell me if it worked thank you…….
nice tip……. thank u……..
thank’s for useful answer .resolve my problem
this forums are very helpful.
Great tip!!! On every page I was just finding that explanation with the checked box for the drop shadows for the icons, but no one mentioned the web page as my background. I didn’t have a clue that I had that. Now my desktop is nice and not annoying anymore!!! THANKS!
thanks. the second one is working fine……….
Yep, thanx the second answer worked for me!!! (some professional I’m – *sigh*)
just deselect the lock destop item and its work.
Its Really works. Thnx a lot
Thx a lot AV
thanx it worked…
Went through all the above steps :(
Advice towards the end worked for me :)
right click
‘my computer’
‘properties’
‘advanced’
‘performance’
‘properties’
‘let windows chose what’s best for my computer’
‘apply’
‘ok’
‘restart’
Good Luck!
it works
thanx
nice
tnx . work on “update” . that works
the scound tip worked thank you very much!
Thank for the tip it was driving me crazy trying figure out a solution. You are the best.
Thank for the tip it was driving me crazy trying figure out a solution. You are the best.
Thanks man it works. I was really looking for this and this is the site where I found this solution. Thanks again
I somehow had a web page displayed as my background so the section under “update” worked for me. Very helpful. Thank you.
Thanks alot dear…..
Its not working
I have tried almost everything. On one of the comments at the top of this page says to right click on your desktop, go to properties, select the desktop tap, go down to customize desktop. After that click the web tab. make sure that all the links under it are UNCHECKED. Then press ok. If this does not work, delete the link that is check. That worked for me.
This was originally posted by AV. Thanks AV!!
AV
“you may have set to display a web page in the background, To disable the webpage
Right Click on your desktopā> Properties Select Customize desktop under Desktop tab.
Now select Web tab in the Desktop Items window, and deselect if any web pages are shown.
And you will have the transparant background”
orrr because that didnt work for me u can just It is an easy one, you go to display properties, desktop tab, customize desktop button, web tab and uncheck lock desktop items box. This will get rid of the block around the icon text.
Really Thanks
Right Click on your desktopā> Properties Select Customize desktop under Desktop tab.
Now select Web tab in the Desktop Items window, and deselect if any web pages are shown.
And you will have the transparant backgroundā
This works Perfectly
If you still canāt get it to work, like myself, check the file type of your background image. I was always using PNGs because āwhy have any-loss when I can have lossless?ā. Answer: it gives you that color behind the text and icons you hateā¦
Convert your background image to jpg and you will probably be fine.
Thanks it worked for me. I’ve just converted image to jpg format and booom .. it worked !!!
Thanks duke….its work for me :)
thank you :)
thanks a lot :D
thankzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Thanks for the helpful tips! The second worked perfectly!
thanks a lot
it had helped me very much to solve the problem after adjusting resolution and using advanced feature i am able to have transparent background.
control panel | system (properties) | Advanced | Performance āsettingsā | adjust for best appearance.
Worked perfectly. Thanks folks.
THANK YOU! I’ve had to look up and use your advice twice! Both times it’s worked like a charm. I’m going to bookmark this page for the next time I need to solve this exact same incredibly annoying problem. Apparently, remembering how to fix this is too difficult for my brain to remember… hahaha. Thanks again!
Thank you very much. I had spent so many hours looking for solution.
OMG THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! The first “update” fix worked for me about the web pages, along with the original fix. It was driving me crazy! I kept having to alter the colour of the icons so they matched the background but I now don’t have to! Thanks again :D
THIS TIP SUCKSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS………..
Try selecting another Windows Theme and it wil work( for example: Windows Classic Theme)
Why do people keep writing the same “solution” over and over?
I have read every single comment on this page, and none of them have fixed my problem. It is very frustrating as I am an ICT Technician at a school, yet this particular problem has baffled me.
I have tried checking the ‘drop shadows for icons’ box in performance options. It didn’t work.
I have tried unchecking the ‘lock desktop items’ box in the display properties customize desktop dialogue. It didn’t work.
I have tried going into gpedit.msc and enabling the ‘Disable Active Desktop’ GPO. It didn’t work.
I have tried editing the registry as the person above mentioned. It didn’t work.
I have tried converting my images to .bmp. It didn’t work.
I am about at my wits end because people keep repeating the same things over and over even when people are saying ‘IT DOES NOT WORK’. I don’t blame JOOEEEEEEE!! above for getting frustrated, because PEOPLE KEEP SUGGESTING THE SAME THINGS OVER AND OVER AGAIN EVEN THOUGH THEY DO NOT WORK!!!!!!!
Sorry for yelling, but this should be such a simple thing, and it doesn’t even affect the performance or operation of my PC. But it’s just an annoying problem that won’t go away and nobody seems to be able to provide an answer that helps me.
So unless anyone’s got anything new I can try, please can everyone stop posting the same suggestions!
Super COOL!!
hey this tip didnt work on my desktop
Thank you very much for this – it didn’t work but it put me in the right direction so that I could fix it.
I tried everything and was ready to pull my hair out. You said that we needed to make sure that High Contrast is not selected under Control Panel -> Accessibility -> Display Options.
My wasn’t, however, I selected High Contrast to enable it, then Apply, then unchecked it, then Apply and then went into the Settings and under High Contrast Appearance Theme: I chose Windows Standard from the drop down menu. Then Selected Ok and then Apply.
FINALLY – it’s back to normal.
hi it does not work please help now
Thanks Terry. Finally your Tip worked.
Hi tapan it will work pls read the Steps Carefully
it wll must work
Thanx for the valuable Tips i got it ! YAHOO!
THANKS NICE ADVICE
The second tips work! Thank you so much.
Thanks Friend,
It really works
Sir, THismay be not work in my computer..
Also, on the Web tab, you must UNcheck Lock desktop items for the change to take affect. Locking them for some reason forces the background color to show.
Such a very useful tip, thank you
av u r the best geek
I GET SOLUTION BY USER SUGGESTION
THANK YOU
ya it worked by given solution from admin
Second tip worked. This was driving me nuts, so thanks a lot AV!! most appreciated in Orlando
thanks a lot ..
second trick work for me :)
thanks a lot.
the Update 1st option works for me.
This sucked it didn’t do anything
Thanks for the tip.
the “desktop properies” ‘s tip is gonna work.
I tried it didint solve the problem by this soloution.next what to do anybody help me plz
Thanks a lot dear… Thank u so much…
Thank u again…
control panel | system (properties) | Advanced | Performance āsettingsā | adjust for best appearance.
I workedon this for almost an hour. Changed my registry, checked and unchecked boxes. And this is the only one that worked for me.
Came here to work it out. What worked for me was deselecting “lock items to desktop” in the customize desktop tab.
I’ll be a bit more specific if none of the steps in the article work. Display properties>Customize Desktop…? Click the WEB tab > Uncheck LOCK DESKTOP ITEMS.
Thanx dear , its working
Good article ….. It’s work for me.
Thanks :)
Thank u so much, finally i make it thru : click right -> properties -> desktop ->customize desktop ->web ->unmark all, ok. Tq again
Very bizarre.
I tried every single thing in the original list and the additional comments and several things posted by other people. I never messed with the registry though.
Finally I read a post by Carol who indicated she retried the āUse drop shadows for icons on the desktopā which worked for her. I went back and oddly enough when I re-enabled the āUse drop shadows for icons on the desktopā it corrected the problem. So unlike others I guess, I ended up with that enabled and my icon names transparent.
Not sure but I think it is some weird combination sometimes of the different settings mentioned and you might have to try some more than once because perhaps the order matters – some people may have had one or another of those settings already so it worked for them the first time. and for others like me I had to try them al and then one of them a second time before it corrected it.
thx to everyone!
thanks dear. ‘deselect any web pages that are shown.’ option is working.
if u r still facing the same problem … dnt worry i have a simple solution which helps u ….
just “right click on your desktop”
2.click on “arrange by icons ”
3. in “arrange by icons ” go to “show desktop icon” nd select this option ….
m sure u will get ur solution …. say thanx if my trick helps u..
>>Sanjoga Subudhi”
>>I have a suggestion to all those readers whose 1st solution donāt work.
>>After changing(make tik) the option (right click my computer->properties->Advance tab->performance setting->use drop shadows for icon levels on the desktop)if it do not work then after changing you restart or (logon and logoff) your computer.After that the shadow will surely disappear.
thanks man ur idea really worked thnx a million Sanjoga Subudhi.
In my case it didn’t work because the image I used was with the extension .GIF
I converted the gif image into jpg.
Problem solved, for me. Maybe some of you have the same problem…
The 1st method didn’t work for me but the second one did though!!
Thanks alot!!! (:
Thank You.
It help me so much.
Taboo Tongue
YOUR A GENIUS
thank u very very very much lots of thank u this solution
very gratefully too u
Thank, it works !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, Great…..
thanks lot ……..
- Right click on the desktop and hover on āArrange Icons Byā.
- From the appeared sub-menu, select āLock Web Items on Desktopā.
- If it is checked, āuncheckā it.
I’ve struggled for a week and came across this website! Wow, it worked. Thanks a lot! If all the first instructions fail, go to the last one!
Microsoft Windows XP users
Open the Control Panel.
Open the Display icon.
Click the Desktop tab.
Click the Customize Desktop button.
Click the Web tab in the Desktop Items window.
If you wish to enable the Active Desktop, check My Current Home Page. Add your current home page into your desktop or click New to add another web page and/or other Active Desktop features. To update the content, click the Synchronize button.
If you wish to disable Active Desktop, make sure all checkboxes in this window are un-checked.
Microsoft Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows 2000 users:
Open the Control Panel.
Open the Display icon.
Click the Web tab in the Display Properties window.
If you wish to enable the Active Desktop, check the checkbox for “Show Web content on my Active Desktop” and select the home page you wish to use as the active desktop.
If you wish to disable Active Desktop, make sure that “Show Web content on my Active Desktop” is unchecked.
Ok, none of this is working for me. at all. I also have this ugly “X” type icon stuck on my desktop that when i move to the recycle bin slides under it like it’s on some other level than all the other icons. Every time I go to disable Active desktop and uncheck the site from where that ugly X came from (it was a picture off of my email I was trying to download) the link is still there, and checked, no matter how many times I uncheck it, delete it, or try to synchronize it with just “My Current Homepage” instead. Someone please help me as I do not want ugly icons with black backrounds and i don’t want them to stay this way because of some stupid picture. Damn computers just suck sometimes.
In addition, make sure “Lock web items on desktop” is unchecked under Desktop -> Right Click -> Arrange Icons By
hey i do it, it doesnt take much time. u should just right click on desktop and go to properties and then click on desktop panel,then go to customize desctop, in web panel u should uncheck “lock desktop items” and then u have transparent icons in ur desktop.
Oh my goodness thank you! That was very helpful!
My user had the web page set. That is what was causing his box. All fixed Thanks!