In this guide, I will show you how to change the background wallpaper in Windows 11 (tested on version 24H2) without activating the operating system. This workaround allows you to bypass the locked personalization settings using a simple command.
If you navigate to Personalize > Background on a Windows installation that hasn't been activated, you will notice that all options are greyed out. Windows restricts these aesthetic changes until a valid license key is purchased and applied.
Instead of activating Windows, we can use a specific shell command to open the legacy desktop background interface, which does not enforce the same restrictions as the modern Settings app.
Right-click on the Start menu icon and select Run. Alternatively, you can press the Windows Key + R on your keyboard.
In the Run field, paste the following text string to launch the old wallpaper selection screen:
explorer.exe shell:::{ED834ED6-4B5A-4bfe-8F11-A626DCB6A921} -Microsoft.Personalization\pageWallpaperThe old Control Panel interface will appear. From here, you can browse for images or select a solid color (e.g., black). Once you have made your selection, click Save changes. Your background will update immediately without requiring activation.