Windows 11/10 allows you to change the desktop icons and themes in several ways. That means any other user that accesses your desktop can easily alter the desktop icons and themes. However, Windows allows you to restrict access to the Desktop icon and Theme settings using the Local Group Policy Editor or Registry Editor. You can use any method to stop users from changing your desktop icons and theme.
In this gearupwindows article, you will learn how to stop other users from configuring your desktop icons and theme in Windows 11 or 10.
How to Prevent Others from Changing your Desktop Icons using Local Group Policy Editor?
To stop others from altering your desktop icons through Local Group Policy Editor (Gpedit.msc), use these steps:-
Step 1. Open Local Group Policy Editor (Gpedit.msc) on your computer.
Step 2. Browse or navigate to the following path in the left sidebar of the Local Group Policy Editor window:-
User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Control Panel > Personalization
Step 3. Double-click on the Prevent changing desktop icons settings on the right-hand side.
Step 4. Select Enabled.
Step 5. Click Apply.
Step 6. Click OK.
Step 7. Reboot your computer.
Once you complete the above steps, when you try to access the Desktop icon settings, you’ll see the option is grayed out. That means no one can tweak them.
To revert the changes, repeat the above steps, and in step 4, select either Disabled or Not Configured option.
How to Stop Others from Changing your Desktop Icons using Registry Editor?
If you don’t have access to Local Group Policy Editor on your PC or you prefer to tweak the Registry for various settings, use these steps to prevent changing the Desktop icons:-
Step 1. Open Registry Editor.
Step 2. Browse or navigate to the following Registry key in the left side pane:-
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows
Step 3. Right-click on the Windows key and select New > Key.
Step 4. Set the name to Personalization.
Step 5. Right-click on Personalization key and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
Step 6. Name the newly created REG_DWORD to NoDesktopIcons.
Step 7. Double-click on the NoDesktopIcons REG_DWORD and set its “Value data” to the following:-
- 0: Allow Desktop Icons Change.
- 1: Disallow Desktop Icons Change.
Step 8. Click OK.
Step 9. Reboot your computer or notebook to apply the changes.
How to Prevent Others from Changing your Desktop Theme using Local Group Policy Editor?
To stop others from altering your Desktop theme through Local Group Policy Editor (Gpedit.msc), use these steps:-
Step 1. Open Local Group Policy Editor (Gpedit.msc) on your computer or notebook.
Step 2. Browse or navigate to the following path in the left sidebar of the Local Group Policy Editor window:-
User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Control Panel > Personalization
Step 3. Double-click the Prevent changing theme policy on the right side pane.
Step 4. Select Enabled.
Step 5. Click Apply.
Step 6. Click OK.
Step 7. Restart your computer or notebook to apply the changes.
Once you complete the above steps, when you navigate to Settings > Personalization > Themes, you will notice to change the theme option is grayed out.
In case you decide to re-enable the Desktop Theme settings, repeat the above steps, and in step 4, select either Disabled or Not Configured option.
How to Stop Others from Changing your Desktop Theme through Registry Editor?
To stop others from altering your Desktop theme using Registry Editor, use these steps:-
Step 1. Open Registry Editor.
Step 2. Browse or navigate to the following Registry key in the left side pane:-
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows
Step 3. Right-click on the Windows key and select New > Key.
Step 4. Set the name to Personalization.
Step 5. Right-click on Personalization key and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
Step 6. Name the newly created REG_DWORD to NoThemes.
Step 7. Double-click on the NoThemes REG_DWORD and set its “Value data” to the following:-
- 0: Allow changing theme.
- 1: Prevent changing theme.
Step 8. Click OK.
Step 9. Reboot your computer or notebook to apply the changes.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Windows 11 and 10 offers users the ability to customize their desktop icons and themes, but this customization can be a problem if other users have access to your desktop. Fortunately, Windows provides two methods for restricting access to the desktop icon and theme settings: the Local Group Policy Editor and the Registry Editor. By following the steps outlined in this article, users can prevent other users from changing desktop icons and themes using either of these editors. Whether using the Local Group Policy Editor or the Registry Editor, users can easily disallow changes to the desktop icons and themes and later re-enable them if needed. Overall, this article offers a useful guide for Windows users looking to secure their desktop icons and themes from unauthorized access.
