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Desktop background stuck in solid blue

My desktop background will not change from solid blue, even when I choose a different one. Its as if my macbook thinks I actually have a photo there, but its not. Has anyone dealt with this before?User uploaded file

MacBook Pro, OS X El Capitan (10.11.2), 2011

Posted on Jan 6, 2016 10:43 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jan 6, 2016 3:10 PM

1. If the desktop picture always reverts to a plain blue background, one of your login items may be causing the problem. The "TeamViewer" application can have this effect. Otherwise, rule out all other third-party login items as possible causes.

2. If you have a MacBook Pro with automatic graphics switching, disable it temporarily in the Energy Saver preference pane, set the Desktop picture, then restart the computer and re-enable graphics switching.

3. If none of the above applies to you, proceed as follows.

Back up all data.

Triple-click anywhere in the line below on this page to select it:

~/Library/Application Support/Dock/desktoppicture.db

Right-click or control-click the highlighted line and select

Services Reveal in Finder (or just Reveal)

from the contextual menu.* A folder should open with an item selected. Move the selected item to the Trash. Log out or restart the computer and empty the Trash.

*If you don't see the contextual menu item, copy the selected text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C. In the Finder, select

Go Go to Folder...

from the menu bar and paste into the box that opens by pressing command-V. You may not see what you pasted because a line break is included. Press return.

4 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jan 6, 2016 3:10 PM in response to cessisays

1. If the desktop picture always reverts to a plain blue background, one of your login items may be causing the problem. The "TeamViewer" application can have this effect. Otherwise, rule out all other third-party login items as possible causes.

2. If you have a MacBook Pro with automatic graphics switching, disable it temporarily in the Energy Saver preference pane, set the Desktop picture, then restart the computer and re-enable graphics switching.

3. If none of the above applies to you, proceed as follows.

Back up all data.

Triple-click anywhere in the line below on this page to select it:

~/Library/Application Support/Dock/desktoppicture.db

Right-click or control-click the highlighted line and select

Services Reveal in Finder (or just Reveal)

from the contextual menu.* A folder should open with an item selected. Move the selected item to the Trash. Log out or restart the computer and empty the Trash.

*If you don't see the contextual menu item, copy the selected text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C. In the Finder, select

Go Go to Folder...

from the menu bar and paste into the box that opens by pressing command-V. You may not see what you pasted because a line break is included. Press return.

Desktop background stuck in solid blue

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