Customizing wallpapers and lock screens on company devices can significantly enhance your brand presence and ensure a consistent visual experience across your organization. For enterprises with Windows Enterprise licenses, this customization is straightforward using Intune’s Settings Catalog or local Group Policy Objects (GPOs). However, companies using Microsoft 365 Business Premium licenses face some limitations as these customizations aren’t directly available. Thankfully, there’s an effective workaround: deploying wallpapers using Win32 packages with Intune.
This guide will walk you through the process of deploying custom wallpapers on Windows 10 and 11 devices using Intune and a prepared Win32 package.
Why Use a Win32 Package?
Using a Win32 package to set wallpapers offers several advantages:
- No Web Server Required: You can include your image files directly within the package, eliminating the need for external hosting.
- Flexibility: Easily update or change wallpapers by modifying the package.
- Control: Ensure that the wallpapers cannot be changed by end-users once deployed.
Prerequisites
- Windows 10/11 Enterprise License: While this method can work on devices without Enterprise licenses, advanced customization through Intune’s Settings Catalog requires Enterprise.
- Admin Access: To deploy apps via Intune, you need administrative privileges within your Microsoft Intune portal.
Step-by-Step Guide
1. Prepare Your Wallpaper Package
I’ve created a PowerShell script to automate wallpaper deployment. You can find the script in my GitHub repository. Here’s how to customize it:
- Include Your Images: Add your desired image files (JPG or PNG) to the package. Ensure they are named appropriately and placed in the “Wallpaper” folder.
- Modify the Script: Open
Install.ps1and update line 5 with the correct name of your wallpaper image. Follow the structure shown in the example folder images: - Image-1: Folder structure
- Image-2: Data Folder
- Image-3: Install script
- Image-4: Uninstall script
Image-3: Install script
2. Convert the Package to a Win32 App
To deploy via Intune, you need to convert your package into an Intunewin file using the Microsoft Win32 Content Prep Tool. Follow these steps:
- Download the Tool: Obtain the latest Microsoft Win32 Content Prep Tool.
- Run the Tool: Open
IntuneWinAppUtil.exe. - Provide Paths:
- Source Folder: Point to your package folder.
- Setup File: Specify install
.ps1. - Output Folder: Choose where the
.intunewinfile will be saved.
3. Upload the Win32 App to Intune
Now, upload the generated .intunewin file to Intune:
- Navigate in Intune: Go to
Intune > Apps > Windows apps > +Add. - Configure Basic Information: Enter the app name, description, and publisher. These are mandatory fields.
- Program Settings:
- Installation Command: %SystemRoot%sysnativeWindowsPowerShellv1.0powershell.exe -executionpolicy bypass -command .install.ps1
- Uninstallation Command: %SystemRoot%sysnativeWindowsPowerShellv1.0powershell.exe -executionpolicy bypass -command .uninstall.ps1
- Set the installation behavior to “System”.
4. Define Requirements and Detection Rules
- Requirements: Ensure all target devices are compatible.
- Detection Rules: Upload the script install.ps1 to verify if the wallpaper is correctly applied.
5. Assign the App
- Skip dependencies and supersedence configurations.
- Assign the app to the desired groups in your organization.
Further Steps Follow the Images below
| Action | Command |
|---|---|
| Install Command | %SystemRoot%sysnativeWindowsPowerShellv1.0powershell.exe -executionpolicy bypass -command .install.ps1
|
| Uninstall Command | %SystemRoot%sysnativeWindowsPowerShellv1.0powershell.exe -executionpolicy bypass -command .uninstall.ps1 |
Successfully Implemented!!!
Is there a way to package a similar application that would run on a macOS device and set the wallpaper as well without the need for a repository for the picture files? Using a .pkg file so that I could run a script with the file packaged in the app to distribute?
This is better compared to using intune policies. I personally think Microsoft ruined a nice and easy feature by making a enterprise license a must to to control wallpapers via Intune.
They made such a simple thing into an unnecessarily complex one involving licensing into it.