Force a specific Start background

ComputerNative Intune settingCPL_Personalization_StartBackground

Supported on At least Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1

25H2 · 1.0

What it does

Forces the Start screen to use one of the available backgrounds, 1 through 20, and prevents the user from changing it. If this setting is set to zero or not configured, then Start uses the default background, and users can change it. If this setting is set to a nonzero value, then Start uses the specified background, and users cannot change it. If the specified background is not supported, the default background is used.

What it writes

Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Registry key: Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Personalization

Why it needs changes for Intune

Policy references a Windows supportedOn definition.
ADMX-INTUNE-WINDOWS-SUPPORTEDON-REFERENCE

In Intune

Native Intune setting: Yes — Policy CSP

./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_ControlPanelDisplay/CPL_Personalization_StartBackgroundADMX_ControlPanelDisplay on Microsoft LearnADMX-backed: Windows ships this template, so it is set with the template's own values, without an import.Windows builds listed: 10.0.22000, 10.0.19043.1202, 10.0.19042.1202, 10.0.19041.1202.

From Microsoft's Policy CSP DDF files (DDF v2 Files, February 2026), read 18 Oct 2026.

Options

Option	Type	Registry value	Allowed values
Background IDDefault: 0	Number	`ForceStartBackground`	0 to 20

Configure and deploy

Choose a state and the option values; the output below is generated from the template for exactly that.

Enabled · Computer · template defaults

Registry file (.reg)

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Personalization]
"ForceStartBackground"=dword:00000000

PowerShell

$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'

function Set-RegistryValue {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $PropertyType,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Value
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        New-Item -Path $Path -Force | Out-Null
    }

    New-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -PropertyType $PropertyType -Value $Value -Force | Out-Null
}

function Remove-RegistryValue {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
    )

    if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path) {
        Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
}

function Clear-RegistryKeyValues {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        return
    }

    foreach ($propertyName in (Get-Item -LiteralPath $Path).Property) {
        Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
}

# Policy: Force a specific Start background
# Name: CPL_Personalization_StartBackground
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: ControlPanelDisplay.admx

Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Personalization' -Name 'ForceStartBackground' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 0

These deployment candidates come from the ADMX template; they are separate from the native CSP mapping above.

The OMA-URI is an inferred ADMX-backed Policy CSP candidate derived from the source ADMX file name and policy name.
Some Microsoft policies use built-in Policy CSP pages whose area names don't match the ADMX file name, so verify the candidate against Microsoft Learn before deployment.

ADMX profile candidate (OMA-URI)

./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_ControlPanelDisplay/CPL_Personalization_StartBackground

ADMX SyncML candidate

<SyncML xmlns="SYNCML:SYNCML1.2">
  <SyncBody>
    <Replace>
      <CmdID>1</CmdID>
      <Item>
        <Meta>
          <Format>chr</Format>
          <Type>text/plain</Type>
        </Meta>
        <Target>
          <LocURI>./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_ControlPanelDisplay/CPL_Personalization_StartBackground</LocURI>
        </Target>
        <Data>&lt;enabled/&gt;
&lt;data id="StartBackgroundSpin" value="0"/&gt;</Data>
      </Item>
    </Replace>
    <Final/>
  </SyncBody>
</SyncML>

Intune remediation scripts

Detection

$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
$reasons = [System.Collections.Generic.List[string]]::new()

function Test-RegistryValueExists {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        return $false
    }

    return $null -ne (Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)
}

function Test-RegistryValueEquals {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Kind,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Expected
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        return $false
    }

    $valueObject = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    if ($null -eq $valueObject) {
        return $false
    }

    $actual = $valueObject.$Name
    switch ($Kind) {
        'String' { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
        'ExpandString' { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
        'DWord' { return [uint32]$actual -eq [uint32]$Expected }
        'QWord' { return [uint64]$actual -eq [uint64]$Expected }
        'MultiString' {
            $actualArray = @($actual)
            $expectedArray = @($Expected)
            if ($actualArray.Count -ne $expectedArray.Count) { return $false }
            for ($index = 0; $index -lt $actualArray.Count; $index++) {
                if ([string]$actualArray[$index] -cne [string]$expectedArray[$index]) { return $false }
            }
            return $true
        }
        'Binary' {
            $actualArray = [byte[]]$actual
            $expectedArray = [byte[]]$Expected
            if ($actualArray.Length -ne $expectedArray.Length) { return $false }
            for ($index = 0; $index -lt $actualArray.Length; $index++) {
                if ($actualArray[$index] -ne $expectedArray[$index]) { return $false }
            }
            return $true
        }
        default { return [string]$actual -ceq [string]$Expected }
    }
}

# Policy: Force a specific Start background
# Name: CPL_Personalization_StartBackground
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: ControlPanelDisplay.admx

$isMatch = Test-RegistryValueEquals -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Personalization' -Name 'ForceStartBackground' -Kind 'DWord' -Expected 0
if (-not $isMatch) {
    $reasons.Add('Value mismatch: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Personalization\ForceStartBackground') | Out-Null
}

if ($reasons.Count -eq 0) {
    Write-Output 'Compliant'
    exit 0
}

$reasons | ForEach-Object { Write-Output $_ }
exit 1

Remediation

$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'

function Set-RegistryValue {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $PropertyType,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][object] $Value
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        New-Item -Path $Path -Force | Out-Null
    }

    New-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -PropertyType $PropertyType -Value $Value -Force | Out-Null
}

function Remove-RegistryValue {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Name
    )

    if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path) {
        Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
}

function Clear-RegistryKeyValues {
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string] $Path
    )

    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path)) {
        return
    }

    foreach ($propertyName in (Get-Item -LiteralPath $Path).Property) {
        Remove-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $propertyName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
}

# Policy: Force a specific Start background
# Name: CPL_Personalization_StartBackground
# Scope: Machine
# State: Enabled
# Source: ControlPanelDisplay.admx

Set-RegistryValue -Path 'Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Personalization' -Name 'ForceStartBackground' -PropertyType 'DWord' -Value 0

History 5 retained releases

22H2 · 1.015 Jul 2024
- Already present in the first release ChangeIntel keeps.

4 later releases left it unchanged.

Template

Internal name: CPL_Personalization_StartBackground
Namespace: Microsoft.Policies.ControlPanelDisplay
Template file: ControlPanelDisplay.admx
Release: Windows 11 25H2 · 1.0 · file set de4e49983ebd651f…

Definition, editor controls and support

Definition

<policy class="Machine" displayName="$(string.CPL_Personalization_StartBackground)" explainText="$(string.CPL_Personalization_StartBackground_Help)" key="Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Personalization" name="CPL_Personalization_StartBackground" presentation="$(presentation.StartBackground)" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.ControlPanelDisplay:Personalization" />
      <supportedOn ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:SUPPORTED_Windows_6_3" />
      <elements>
        <decimal id="StartBackgroundSpin" maxValue="20" storeAsText="false" valueName="ForceStartBackground" />
      </elements>
    </policy>

Editor controls

<presentation id="StartBackground" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
        <decimalTextBox defaultValue="0" refId="StartBackgroundSpin" spinStep="1">Background ID: </decimalTextBox>
      </presentation>

Supported platforms and category

Microsoft.Policies.ControlPanelDisplay:category:Personalization
<category displayName="$(string.Personalization)" name="Personalization" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:ControlPanel" />
    </category>
Microsoft.Policies.Products:product:MicrosoftWindows
sha256:4b3cb6917b5e5b7cd142c0157f10882786b3e9ee67c29fd7b8f4c6cb2eec5fe7
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:ControlPanel
<category displayName="$(string.ControlPanel)" explainText="$(string.ControlPanel_Help)" name="ControlPanel" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:definition:SUPPORTED_Windows_6_3
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_Windows_6_3)" name="SUPPORTED_Windows_6_3" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
          <or>
              <range minVersionIndex="10" ref="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows" />
          </or>
      </definition>
Microsoft.Policies.ControlPanelDisplay:category:Personalization
<category displayName="$(string.Personalization)" name="Personalization" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
      <parentCategory ref="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:ControlPanel" />
    </category>
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.ControlPanelDisplay:Personalization">Personalization</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.Products:product:MicrosoftWindows
<product displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows)" name="MicrosoftWindows" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows2000)" name="MicrosoftWindows2000" versionIndex="1">
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows2000_RTM)" name="MicrosoftWindows2000_RTM" versionIndex="0" />
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows2000_SP1)" name="MicrosoftWindows2000_SP1" versionIndex="1" />
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows2000_SP2)" name="MicrosoftWindows2000_SP2" versionIndex="2" />
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows2000_SP3)" name="MicrosoftWindows2000_SP3" versionIndex="3" />
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows2000_SP4)" name="MicrosoftWindows2000_SP4" versionIndex="4" />
        </majorVersion>
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsXP)" name="MicrosoftWindowsXP" versionIndex="2">
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsXP_RTM)" name="MicrosoftWindowsXP_RTM" versionIndex="0" />
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsXP_SP1)" name="MicrosoftWindowsXP_SP1" versionIndex="1" />
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsXP_SP2)" name="MicrosoftWindowsXP_SP2" versionIndex="2" />
        </majorVersion>
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsServer2003)" name="MicrosoftWindowsServer2003" versionIndex="3">
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsServer2003_RTM)" name="MicrosoftWindowsServer2003_RTM" versionIndex="0" />
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsServer2003_SP1)" name="MicrosoftWindowsServer2003_SP1" versionIndex="1" />
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsServer2003_R2)" name="MicrosoftWindowsServer2003_R2" versionIndex="2" />
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsServer2003_SP2)" name="MicrosoftWindowsServer2003_SP2" versionIndex="3" />
        </majorVersion>
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsVista)" name="MicrosoftWindowsVista" versionIndex="4">
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsVista_RTM)" name="MicrosoftWindowsVista_RTM" versionIndex="0" />
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsVista_SP1)" name="MicrosoftWindowsVista_SP1" versionIndex="1" />
        </majorVersion>
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.WindowsServer2008)" name="WindowsServer2008" versionIndex="5">
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.WindowsServer2008_RTM)" name="WindowsServer2008_RTM" versionIndex="0" />
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.WindowsServer2008_R2)" name="WindowsServer2008_R2" versionIndex="1" />
        </majorVersion>
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows7)" name="MicrosoftWindows7" versionIndex="6">
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows7_RTM)" name="MicrosoftWindows7_RTM" versionIndex="0" />
        </majorVersion>
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsServer8)" name="MicrosoftWindowsServer8" versionIndex="7">
           <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsServer8_RTM)" name="MicrosoftWindowsServer8_RTM" versionIndex="0" />
        </majorVersion>
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows8)" name="MicrosoftWindows8" versionIndex="8">
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows8_RTM)" name="MicrosoftWindows8_RTM" versionIndex="0" />
        </majorVersion>
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows_RT)" name="MicrosoftWindows_RT" versionIndex="9">
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows_RT_RTM)" name="MicrosoftWindows_RT_RTM" versionIndex="0" />
        </majorVersion>
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsServer_6_3)" name="MicrosoftWindowsServer_6_3" versionIndex="10">
           <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsServer_6_3_RTM)" name="MicrosoftWindowsServer_6_3_RTM" versionIndex="0" />
        </majorVersion>
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows_6_3)" name="MicrosoftWindows_6_3" versionIndex="11">
          <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows_6_3_RTM)" name="MicrosoftWindows_6_3_RTM" versionIndex="0" />
        </majorVersion>
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows_6_3_RT)" name="MicrosoftWindows_6_3_RT" versionIndex="12">
            <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows_6_3_RT_RTM)" name="MicrosoftWindows_6_3_RT_RTM" versionIndex="0" />
        </majorVersion>
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsServer_10_0)" name="MicrosoftWindowsServer_10_0" versionIndex="13">
            <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindowsServer_10_0_RTM)" name="MicrosoftWindowsServer_10_0_RTM" versionIndex="0" />
          </majorVersion>
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows_10_0)" name="MicrosoftWindows_10_0" versionIndex="14">
            <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows_10_0_RTM)" name="MicrosoftWindows_10_0_RTM" versionIndex="0" />
        </majorVersion>
        <majorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows_10_0_RT)" name="MicrosoftWindows_10_0_RT" versionIndex="15">
            <minorVersion displayName="$(string.MicrosoftWindows_10_0_RT_RTM)" name="MicrosoftWindows_10_0_RT_RTM" versionIndex="0" />
        </majorVersion>
      </product>
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows">Windows operating system</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows2000">Windows 2000 operating systems</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows2000_RTM">Windows 2000</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows2000_SP1">Windows 2000 Service Pack 1</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows2000_SP2">Windows 2000 Service Pack 2</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows2000_SP3">Windows 2000 Service Pack 3</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows2000_SP4">Windows 2000 Service Pack 4</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows7">Windows 7 operating systems</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows7_RTM">Windows 7</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows8">Windows 8 operating systems</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows8_RTM">Windows 8</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer2003">Windows Server 2003 operating systems</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer2003_R2">Windows Server 2003 R2</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer2003_RTM">Windows Server 2003</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer2003_SP1">Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer2003_SP2">Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer8">Windows Server 2012 operating systems</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer8_RTM">Windows Server 2012</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer_10_0">Windows Server 2016 operating systems</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer_10_0_RTM">Windows Server 2016</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer_6_3">Windows Server 2012 R2 operating systems</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsServer_6_3_RTM">Windows Server 2012 R2</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsVista">Windows Vista operating systems</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsVista_RTM">Windows Vista</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsVista_SP1">Windows Vista Service Pack 1</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsXP">Windows XP operating systems</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsXP_RTM">Windows XP</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsXP_SP1">Windows XP Service Pack 1</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindowsXP_SP2">Windows XP Service Pack 2</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows_10_0">Windows 10 operating systems</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows_10_0_RT">Windows 10 RT operating systems</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows_10_0_RTM">Windows 10</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows_10_0_RT_RTM">Windows 10 RT</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows_6_3">Windows 8.1 operating systems</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows_6_3_RT">Windows RT 8.1 operating systems</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows_6_3_RTM">Windows 8.1</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows_6_3_RT_RTM">Windows RT 8.1</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows_RT">Windows RT operating systems</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows_RT_RTM">Windows RT</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:WindowsServer2008">Windows Server 2008 operating systems</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:WindowsServer2008_R2">Windows Server 2008 R2</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Products:WindowsServer2008_RTM">Windows Server 2008</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:category:ControlPanel
<category displayName="$(string.ControlPanel)" explainText="$(string.ControlPanel_Help)" name="ControlPanel" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions" />
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:ControlPanel">Control Panel</string><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:ControlPanel_Help">Contains settings to allow configuration of Control Panel, including the items that it does or does not display.</string></strings>
Microsoft.Policies.Windows:definition:SUPPORTED_Windows_6_3
<definition displayName="$(string.SUPPORTED_Windows_6_3)" name="SUPPORTED_Windows_6_3" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/GroupPolicy/2006/07/PolicyDefinitions">
          <or>
              <range minVersionIndex="10" ref="Microsoft.Policies.Products:MicrosoftWindows" />
          </or>
      </definition>
<strings><string id="Microsoft.Policies.Windows:SUPPORTED_Windows_6_3">At least Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1</string></strings>