Issue with black desktop backgrounds in Windows 11 fixed

Following an upgrade from Windows 10, users of Windows 11 face the issue of a black desktop background appearing at random times. Most users reported seeing a black background when changing the theme or using a new wallpaper. Some others have also reported the display background going black while opening the Start menu.

Although the cause of this issue on Windows 11 is unknown, other users have successfully tried a few fixes. You'll find some solutions listed in this article that can help you resolve this problem on your Windows 11 PC.

Before proceeding with the fixes below, perform a system restart to see if this resolves the problem.

Fix 1 – Use Task Manager to restart Windows Explorer

1. Use the Ctrl + Shift + Esc key combination to open the Task Manager.

2. Click on More Details at the bottom to see the full view of the Task Manager.

3. Select the Processes tab.

4. Here, select Windows Explorer in the list of processes currently running on your system.

Note: If you cannot see Windows Explorer in the list, open File Explorer (Windows + E) and then continue.

5. Choose Restart from the list. The desktop wallpaper will be refreshed.

6. You will now see the original background image rather than the black background image you were using as wallpaper.

Fix 2 – Change Your Desktop Background Manually

If restarting Windows Explorer didn't resolve your problem, then try changing your wallpaper manually by following these steps.

1. Open Run using the Windows and R key combination.

2. Type ms-settings:personalization to open the Personalization Settings page.

Run Ms Settings Personalization Min

3. Now, click on Background to alter the desktop wallpaper.

4. You will now be in the Background section.

5. Here, select the option Picture in the drop-down menu next to Personalize your background.

6. Below, there is a Recent images section where you will see all the recently used backgrounds/pictures. Select anyone out of them to apply a new background.

7. If you want to use a different picture as your desktop wallpaper, click on the Browse photos button next to Choose a photo.

 8. Select the picture that you are interested in and click on Choose picture.

 9. That’s it. The new wallpaper will now be displayed.

Fix 3 – Update the Graphics Driver

1. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog.

2. Type devmgmt.msc and hit Enter to open Device Manager.

3. Click on the downward arrow next to Display adapters to expand it and view the different graphics card entries.

4. Right-click on the graphics card and choose Update Driver.

5. In the Update driver wizard that opens up, click on the Search automatically for drivers option.

6. Windows starts searching for driver updates for the selected graphics card.

7. If any updates are available, it will install them and show a message saying “The best drivers are already installed”.

8. Restart your PC once the update is done and check if the issue is resolved.

Thanks for reading.

If you try the fixes mentioned in this article, you will be able to fix the issue with black wallpaper appearing randomly. Hopefully, this has helped you resolve the problem on your Windows 11 computer. Share your solution in the comments below.