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Desktop wallpaper keeps changing back (Mac Studio, Ventura, June 2023)

I use four desktops plus one on a second display. My desktop wallpaper keeps changing—sometimes resetting the workspace in Adobe Audition to its default setting along the way—upon waking the computer from sleep. Sometimes the wallpaper changes to Apple's default, while other times all desktops change to the same image. I do use iCloud Photos, but I have the "Download Originals to this Mac" option selected so the images I select as wallpaper are all stored on my local drive.


I don't know if this is a chip problem or an OS problem, but I don't have this problem on my MacBook Pro, which has an Intel chip and is still running Monterey.


Is there a way to solve this problem, or is it a known bug awaiting a solution?


Thanks,

Kevin

Mac Studio (2022)

Posted on Jun 17, 2023 9:07 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Apr 17, 2024 2:11 PM

I have the same problem. I changed my desktop background, and it keeps reverting the last background I had. This is pretty basic stuff. It's embarrassing that a $2,700 computer has this kind of problem. I really hope Apple gets it in gear.

13 replies

Jun 18, 2023 4:17 PM in response to Creoirtronk

I have the same issue with the wallpaper changing on me.


My wallpaper defaults to the first one provided by Apple (Dynamic Wallpaper-Ventura Graphic), when the one I want to use is simply another Apple wallpaper that has been downloaded to my computer (Light & Dark Wallpapers-Hello Pink).


iMac Pro

macOS Ventura 13.4 (current at the time)


Rebooting in Safe Mode displayed the correct "Hello Pink" wallpaper, but as soon as I restarted the computer, it defaulted to the wrong "Ventura Graphic" wallpaper.

Jun 18, 2023 8:42 PM in response to leroydouglas

Of course it is up to date. It's a brand-new computer. And this is the first time I've encountered the problem. (And yes, I checked the previous threads. In my experience with Macs, "restart in safe mode" doesn't do anything.)


For the moment, things seem to be holding steady. Booting into safe mode didn't tell me anything, so rather than waste time that way, I booted into Recovery Mode and reinstalled Ventura.

Feb 19, 2024 8:39 AM in response to Creoirtronk

In case this helps someone else - I had this issue, for a long time, on a 2019 Mac Pro 7,1 running latest Ventura... 2 screens, one via a USBC to HDMI adaptor, and one via HDMI straight out the GFX card. After every restart the wallpapers reverted to default. I have just swapped the two screens around and re-configured the prefs (eg left became right and vice versa) and the issue has gone away. I can restart, shutdown, etc, and it now always comes back to my chosen wallpapers.

Jun 17, 2023 10:48 AM in response to Creoirtronk

Creoirtronk wrote:

I use four desktops plus one on a second display. My desktop wallpaper keeps changing—sometimes resetting the workspace in Adobe Audition to its default setting along the way—upon waking the computer from sleep. Sometimes the wallpaper changes to Apple's default, while other times all desktops change to the same image. I do use iCloud Photos, but I have the "Download Originals to this Mac" option selected so the images I select as wallpaper are all stored on my local drive.

I don't know if this is a chip problem or an OS problem, but I don't have this problem on my MacBook Pro, which has an Intel chip and is still running Monterey.

Is there a way to solve this problem, or is it a known bug awaiting a solution?

Thanks,
Kevin



I thought this issue was resolved...



Can you verify your software is up to date…

The current stable release of Ventura including bug fixes, security updates is macOS Ventura 13.4



Keep your Mac up to date - Apple Support

Keep your Mac up to date - Apple Support



Desktop wallpaper keeps changing back (Mac Studio, Ventura, June 2023)

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