Wallpapers in subfolders in Windows 10

In Windows 10 there is no default option to slideshow wallpapers from folder and its subfolders. You can only select wallpapers from one folder and Windows by default ignores its subfolders. So you need to use one of the following method.

Until Fall Creators Update

From initial release of Windows 10 until the Fall Creators Update you can add your wallpapers folder between default system desktop background folders and select each folder with wallpapers in old desktop background settings.

Setting folders

If you have folder with wallpapers, where are more subfolders with wallpapers, there are two options how to set slideshow of wallpapers.

1. Move folder to the system desktop backgrounds folder.
2. Add address of some folder to the registry.

System folder

Windows 10 has preinstalled wallpapers in the %systemroot%/Web/Wallpaper folder (for example C:\Windows\Web\Wallpaper). When you move your wallpapers folder there, you can show wallpapers from subfolders of that folder.

Registry

In registry are written addresses of folders for which is allowed to slideshow of wallpapers from its subfolders.

How to add folder:

• Open Run command via Win + R.
• Type regedit and confirm it with OK. This will open Registry Editor.
• In the key HKEY_LOCAL_Machine/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Explorer/Wallpapers/knownfolders/0/Windows Wallpapers/MergeFolders is the list of folders with system wallpapers.
• Add new expanded string key (REG_EXPAND_SZ) with a value of address of your desired folder.

Selecting wallpapers

In the new Windows 10 desktop background settings you cannot select each wallpaper and folder. So you need to open old desktop background settings and select wallpapers there.

How to select wallpapers:

• Open Run command via Win + R.
• To open old desktop background settings type command control /name Microsoft.Personalization /page pageWallpaper and confirm it with OK.
• Set picture location as Windows Desktop Backgrounds.
• Select folders with wallpapers or individual wallpapers.
• Save changes.

Then your wallpapers will load as a slideshow from your desired folder and its subfolders.

April 2018 Update

After April 2018 Update release previous method does not work. But you can use some external utility for changing wallpapers. I recommend John’s Background Switcher.