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As you probably know, Windows 10 brought along many changes to themes from Windows 7. There is much controlled in the Settings app now rather than in Control Panel as it was before, however there are features that I am missing. For example, as shown in the images below, I am now missing the theme folder and image list configuration options that I once had in Windows 7. The two different results (Windows 7 and Windows 10) from clicking the "Desktop Background" link in the main themes control panel page are entirely different as one links to the Settings app with next to no options, and one shows the nice, powerful-enough, control panel version with the image selection.

Theme Image List and Folder Configuration (Windows 7) Theme Folder Configuration (Windows 10) This is specifically what I'm looking for in Windows 10 that Windows 7 had, but Windows 10 does not.

How can I restore the old, Windows 7 Theme Images Manager in any edition (Home, Pro, Enterprise and Education) of Windows 10? Or is there an alternative that will get me the list of images where I can enable or disable each image individually?

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  • You can't. You can still select multiple photos though by hitting "Browse". Windows 7 displayed a inline filtered list this was permanently removed from Windows 10. The Control Panel version of Desktop Background no longer exists in Windows 10.
    – Ramhound
    Feb 25, 2016 at 5:37
  • I see. Is there a workaround for this? Like an alternative I suggested? As I just attempted that and am unable to select individual pictures at all. I can only select folders as that is all that is allowed in Settings.
    – Josh
    Feb 25, 2016 at 5:40
  • The applet that controlled this behavior no longer exists in Windows 10.
    – Ramhound
    Feb 25, 2016 at 5:43
  • Navigate to `Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Personalization\Desktop Background` you will see it does nothing on Windows 10
    – Ramhound
    Feb 25, 2016 at 5:48
  • Okay, I know it is removed, but is there a workaround or alternative? Can I recover the cpl file from my Windows 7 machine I just took that screenshot from?
    – Josh
    Feb 25, 2016 at 6:22

2 Answers 2

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You can add them back using the reg files here: How to Add Classic Desktop Background and Colors Applets to Windows 10 Control Panel? : http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/add-classic-page-wallpaper-colorization-control-panel/

Or simply create desktop shortcuts to the old Control Panel items using canonical names. Old version of desk.cpl not required.

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  • There. Now it's the accepted answer. :) It's pretty much what I ended up doing on my own, but the registry edits are interesting and also it's got more detail.
    – Josh
    Feb 26, 2016 at 23:55
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Although you are unable to directly access the control panel page by typing in it's address, you can use run (windows+r) to navigate to the lost pages in personalization.

Desktop Background Link:

C:\Windows\System32\control.exe /name Microsoft.Personalization /page pageWallpaper

Color Link:

C:\Windows\System32\control.exe /name Microsoft.Personalization /page pageColorization

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