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I would like to use my metro start screen background as my desktop background like Ed Bott did here: Change the desktop background to match the Start screen. However, I would like to just 'find' the metro background on my computer and not have to worry about all that photoshop stuff. Also, his way I'd have to re-PrtScn the metro background everytime I changed its color or decoration.

~thepanda-x on DeviantArt figured out how to edit the hex values in shsxs.dll and change the metro background image for Developer Preview. But then ~351837 commented saying:

~351837 Mar 6, 2012
On ConsumerPreview images are not in shsxs.dll but in imageres.dll 
and hex address for green background is on 0x89E80

I don't know how to filter through dlls and all that. It's also very possible there is not 'image' and Windows creates one to fit your screen using the color and style you choose. So I'm not even sure it's possible, but if anyone would like to give it a try that would be great.

My goal is to have it say "Desktop" in the top corner like Ed Bott did and help unify the whole Windows 8 experience.

Note: I do not want to change the metro background in anyway. I want to pick a style (say, gray with the bubbles) and then copy that metro background picture for use on the desktop.

Update, 3-17-2012: I used Resource Hacker to open a copy of imagers.dll and I found metro backgrounds in the PNG folder. They have every style of decoration and in several sizes. Unfortunately, they are only in the default teal. Also, they are sore of squashed together so that all that solid color in the middle where the tiles go is removed. Right now I happen to be using teal but if I continue down the imageres.dll road I will still have to do a lot of image editing to gat it to fit the screen and this trick won't work if I ever change colors. So, I'm still looking for answers.

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  • the consumer preview has pickable colours - so you arn't stuck with green
    – Journeyman Geek
    Mar 17, 2012 at 0:40
  • @JourneymanGeek I know: several predefined colors and watermarks (for lack of a better term). I want to pick a style (say, gray with the bubbles) and then copy that metro background picture for use on the desktop. Mar 17, 2012 at 1:53

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