Article: Set XP to Load Wallpaper in Stretch Mode by Default

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By default, when you right click on a Image and select Set Image as Background, Windows XP will apply the image to your desktop as a wallpaper.  One of the annoying things, was that by default it always sets the image to be in Tile mode.  If you wanted the image Stretched you would have to go into the display settings and alter it.   Well, not anymore!  Follow this guide to set your default to be Stretch, or Center (instead of Tile)[!--[/td--]

 

Disclaimer: Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method.   Modify the registry at your own risk, Every effort has been made to ensure that registry edit instructions are correct and safe.  FixMyXP cannot be held responsible for any damage done to your system by using this guide.



Before beginning this guide, please do this


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Click  
,



 



then  




 



Type   regedit then click









Navigate to the following key:



HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPolicies



 









Under Policies we will need a key named System.  If there is no key named System, simply right click on the Policies key and select New, Key and then name it System



 









Now click on the System key, then on the right hand side right click and select New, String Value then name the string WallpaperStyle



 








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Double Click on WallpaperStyle, and if you want your default to be Stretch, give it a value of  2, if you want your default to be Center, give it a value of 1



 









Now close the registry editor and test it out on a image (right click on some image and select Set as Desktop Background.



Please Note: that by making this change, you are taking away your ability to use the other settings (For example if you wanted Stretch to be the default, You can no longer use Tile or Center.  Of course, if you decide later that you want to use Tile or Center, you can always go into your registry editor and delete the String WallpaperStyle  that you created with this guide)

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Special Note:   After some testing, I discovered that if you apply this tweak to your computer, and then go back and remove this tweak by deleting the registry key.  Everything will go back to the way it was, as it should.




However, if you try to apply this tweak again that it will not work correctly.  The way around this problem is to ensure that prior to reapplying this tweak, that your current wallpaper is currently in “Stretch” Mode.  Then if you apply this tweak, everything works properly.   For some strange reason, this only happens after this tweak has been applied and removed once, and then reapplied.
 

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