DaveChappy

Q: unable to change wallpaper el capitan

I am unable to change the background on my desktop. It does not matter if it is my own photo or the standard pics that come with the computer. I can drag anything into the small viewing window but the background never changes. I have no problems changing the screensaver...

Posted on Sep 9, 2016 4:33 AM

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Q: unable to change wallpaper el capitan

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  • by léonie,

    léonie léonie Sep 9, 2016 8:28 AM in response to DaveChappy
    Level 10 (105,690 points)
    iLife
    Sep 9, 2016 8:28 AM in response to DaveChappy

    I can drag anything into the small viewing window but the background never changes. I have no problems changing the screensaver...

    Have you tried to add a folder to the list of photo libraries in the sidebar of System Preferences > Desktop & Screensaver > Desktop?

    Select a photo from your Pictures folder or click the "+" button to add another folder.

    Does that change the Desktop picture?

  • by tygb ,Apple recommended

    tygb tygb Sep 9, 2016 8:32 AM in response to DaveChappy
    Level 2 (185 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 9, 2016 8:32 AM in response to DaveChappy

    Hello !

                Please follow suggested article : OS X El Capitan: Give your desktop a custom look

  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Sep 10, 2016 2:51 PM in response to DaveChappy
    Level 9 (69,991 points)
    iTunes
    Sep 10, 2016 2:51 PM in response to DaveChappy

    Might be a corrupt .plist.

     

    Do a backup, preferably 2 backups on 2 separate drives.

     

    Go to Finder and select your user/home folder. With that Finder window as the front window, either select Finder/View/Show View options or go command - J.  When the View options opens, check ’Show Library Folder’. That should make your user library folder visible in your user/home folder.  Select Library. Then go to Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist and com.apple.desktop.plist.  Move the .plists to your desktop.

    Re-launch Finder by restarting the computer and test. If it works okay, delete the plists from the desktop.

    If the same, return the .plists to where you got it  from, overwriting the newer one.

     

    Thanks to leonie for some information contained in this.