Wish I could be of more help, but sounds like an OS install may be your next best option at this point. Keep searching and learning! Good luck!
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Primary desktop background won't change
- Thread starter mongorama
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
Any luck here? Have you tried something?Not sure if this is Lion specific or not, but the desktop background on my primary display has changed to solid gray and I can't change it. I can bring up the preference panel for it, and click on different backgrounds, but nothing changes. I can even change the background on my secondary display... Any thoughts?
[doublepost=1551446093][/doublepost]
If you have the installation DVD you may need to re-install the OS and check if it helped.Any luck here? Have you tried something?
Any luck here? Have you tried something?
[doublepost=1551446093][/doublepost]
If you have the installation DVD you may need to re-install the OS and check if it helped.
It was an MDM profile that was installed on the computer that was the issue.
For those of you using a more recent version of MacOS, the plist file is no longer called "com.apple.desktop.plist". It's called "com.apple.dock.plist". Deleting that file and restarting fixed my issues with this problem.
Last edited:
Not sure if this works for the totally gray screen issue, but for the general issue of not being able to change the primary desktop background, because the Settings dialog is stuck on changing the secondary background... The fix is to disconnect the secondary display, THEN do the normal procedure of changing the desktop background, giving MacOS no choice other than to offer you the primary display choices.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.