Configure common wallpaper using GPO

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Group Policies are the easiest method administrators can use to configure computer and user settings on their networks using Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS). As long as computers are joined to your domain and your users log in with domain credentials, you can set Group Policies that will reduce help desk tickets and costs, and control all configurations. All the while keeping your user base happy and secure.

Configure common wallpaper using GPO

As you would have seen in many large enterprises, every computer in the organization will have same wallpaper. How did they configure all the computers with common wallpaper? Have they manually configured this on each and every computer? The answer is no. Then how did they configure it?

The simple answer is GPO. Yes using GPO we can easily assign a common wallpaper to each and every computers in the domain. Let’s see how to configure a common wallpaper using GPO. 

To configure a common wallpaper you must have a picture and that should be in a shared folder with read and write permission to every users.

1.       Create a folder and share it first.

  

2.       Now assign the full permission to everyone

3.       Go to Group policy manager in your domain controller. 

 

4.        Create a new group Policy by right clicking on the Group Policy Object.

 

5.       Right click on the newly created Group policy and go to edit expand User Configuration, expand Administrative Templates, expand Desktop, and then click Desktop. In the details pane, double-click Desktop Wallpaper.

6.     Now enable the policy and give the wallpaper name with the full shared path. Confirm the path by accessing via run. Then apply and ok on the wallpaper GPO screen.

 

7.     Now you need to apply the newly created policy to a specific OU or if it’s for all the users then apply under the domain. To apply the policy under the domain simply click on the policy and drag it where ever you would like to apply and drop it there, the new policy is now lined to that specific OU.

8.      On the client machine wait for the policy to get updated. The users may have to log off and login once to see the changed desktop wallpaper. If not then you can use gpupdate /force command in the cmd as well.

9.      You can verify if the policy is been applied or not by entering gpresult /r in command prompt.

Most common and important other GPOs .

1.       Disable Windows Update using Group Policy

2.       Disable File Download in Internet Explorer using Group Policy

3.       Block USB or Removable Devices using Group Policy

4.       Prevent Windows from Storing LAN Manager Hash

5.       Control Access to Command Prompt

6.       Disable Forced System Restarts

7.       Disallow Removable Media Drives, DVDs, CDs, and Floppy Drives

8.       Restrict Software Installations

9.       Disable Guest Account

10.   Set Minimum Password Length to Higher Limits

11.   Set Maximum Password Age to Lower Limits

12.   Restrict Access to Control Panel and Settings

13.   Install application using GPO

14.   Automatic drive mapping.

15.   Folder Redirection.