Change Folder Background in Windows XP

Tips

Ever wanted to change background of image of some folders when you viewed them in your file browser? There is a simple hack available to do this.

CAUTION:
Easy life takes no responsibility if this method doesn’t work as expected or causes any damage to your computer or data so try at your own risk.

First Step:

  • Open Explorer window and go to folder you want to customize.
  • Click on Tools > Folder Options
  • In the View tab under Advanced Settings check the radio button that says Show hidden files and folders.
    Folder options dialog box in windows xp
    Folder options dialog box in windows xp
  • Click Apply and then Ok.

Second Step:

  1. Now in the folder, right click and select Properties.
  2. Properties dialog box would appear. Click on Customize tab there under customize menu click on Change icon button and select an icon for your folder. Press Ok.

Third Step:

  1. Previous process should have created a “desktop.ini” file in your folder.
  2. Sometimes this file remain invisible so if you can’t see it don’t worry it is there.
  3. Open this file with Notepad if the file is invisible go to folder and manually type desktop.ini in the filename field to open it.
  4. Add these lines of code in your “desktop. ini” file

    [ExtShellFolderViews]
    {BE098140-A513-11D0-A3A4-00C04FD706EC}={BE098140-A513-11D0-A3A4-00C04FD706EC}
    [{BE098140-A513-11D0-A3A4-00C04FD706EC}]
    IconArea_Image=C:WindowsGreenstone.bmp
  5. In this code line IconArea_image tells your explorer window to display a background image. In this example we are using Greentone.bmp you can change it with your image and provide the path to that image.
  6. Savedesktop.ini” file.
  7. Refresh the folder.

Now u can see your favorite image in your desktop background.

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33 thoughts on “Change Folder Background in Windows XP

  1. actually the “desktop.ini” file is not creating in the folder so plzz tell what should i do for it???

  2. So much of thanks to you…
    I was trying very much from so many years.. and atlast Got it…
    Yahooooooooooo………..
    Thank u once again…

    If anyone not getting the desktop.ini file
    Enable it by typing in command prompt like this..

    attrib desktop.ini -s -h -r

    This will surely enable your desktop.ini file..****ENJOY GUYS****

    Thanks Admin for your great work…

  3. Ok, it works, but is there any way, that I could, for example make a new folder, in the customized one, and give that one a background? or to more?

  4. A tool with a pretty good name LOVELY FOLDERS (website? ohh… please Google it!) will take care about your folder’s background.
    It is almost the easiest way to change folder background in 7, Vista and XP.

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