25915.1000 breaks wallpaper engine

[sl4ught3rhus]

Just a PSA, don't update to this Canary build 25915.1000 if you like using Wallpaper engine.

[Tim]

After a discussion with Microsoft, they have removed the HDR wallpaper feature for now and they will overhaul the underlying system so that compatibility with wallpaper apps like Wallpaper Engine will be kept in the future.

For this reason, we have removed our hacky hotfix solution from the latest beta, since it's not needed anymore on any of the stable versions of Windows, including the stable Windows 23H2 update. Our hacky solution was also a bit problematic from a technical point of view and introduces a lot of unnecessary risks, so removing it and working with Microsoft on a good solution is a much better approach.

If you continue to have issues on the Insider edition of Windows, please switch to a stable version of Windows. We cannot supply regular updates to the rapidly changing beta versions of Windows, especially since we are now aware that Microsoft is actively overhauling the desktop experience of Windows. We'll always try to ensure that Wallpaper Engine will work on stable versions of Windows but it's not reasonable for us to provide updates for Insider editions of Windows, as they can change on a weekly basis.

Hope that makes sense but if you have any questions, I'll try to answer them.

[Arokhantos™]

They haven't pushed an update i think yet that fixes this tho on Microsoft end be nice if could keep hotfix via selectable branch active even if not beta least for until users report this is fixed.

[Tim]

If Microsoft doesn't push an update for this anytime soon, please let me know and we'll certainly do that. For now, the beta branch will be used to test the actual Wallpaper Engine 2.3 release and due to the severity of this hack, we did not want to have it as an option because we know a lot of users just start ticking random boxes in the settings. I think a password-protected Steam beta branch may be a viable solution but from what we were told, the issue should just resolve itself on the Windows Insider edition soon(ish).

[Arokhantos™]

Think they about to flight out Windows Insiders maybe this week or soon since last week saw no update.
edit: password protected branch would be cool just call it the Windows 11 insiders hotfix branch with password bandaid
but maybe this update hits tommorow will see im not launching wallpaper engine currently from steam cos that will trigger the update to remove hotfix i bet now.

[Arokhantos™]

Like mentioned still needed could least add a branch with the fix and seperate it from beta even if for few more days.

edit: looks like the fix is already there from Micrsosoft but wallpaper engine still behaves bit odd then after 1 minute starts working again.
I can tell its hotfix is not enabled cos stop memory also behaves like stable again

explorer.exe restarting this now fixes it, having to do this every cold boot is annoying.

[vvxrtues]

I just got this on windows 11 stable (22621.2361). Anyone else?

Edit: Restarting explorer.exe fixes it. Also, I enabled "Get the latest updates as soon as they're available" in Windows Update, so I don't really know if i'm on insider or not. Looking in the actual program thingy it says i am not enrolled though.

[Arokhantos™]

If you change HDR to SDR for example or refresh rate wallpaper engine breaks but if you start a game in fullscreen and close it restores again or when restarting explorer.exe so Microsoft fix is not like it used to be if devs wonder, at this point tho i would contact Microsoft again, but it should mostly not be big issue eitherway, those are rare cases where it breaks, unless you only use HDR for example in game and not on desktop.

[Valtrex]

Sadly I didn't have luck with any of suggestions, after running trough all FAQ steps,
Trying beta branch of Wallpaper Engine, switching HDR on and off, nothing works, none of wallpapers get applied ... I'm running Win11 22631.2338
Only place Wallpaper Engine working is in Windows Safe Mode

[Arokhantos™]

Originally posted by Valtrex:

Sadly I didn't have luck with any of suggestions, after running trough all FAQ steps,
Trying beta branch of Wallpaper Engine, switching HDR on and off, nothing works, none of wallpapers get applied ... I'm running Win11 22631.2338
Only place Wallpaper Engine working is in Windows Safe Mode

Microsoft did not fully fix it yet it can break upon changing from HDR to SDR to HDR now requiring restart of explorer.exe or it will work after exiting a game.
Wallpaper engine devs removed the fix bassicly so running the beta wont fix this issue

[Valtrex]

Originally posted by Arokhantos™:

Originally posted by Valtrex:

Sadly I didn't have luck with any of suggestions, after running trough all FAQ steps,
Trying beta branch of Wallpaper Engine, switching HDR on and off, nothing works, none of wallpapers get applied ... I'm running Win11 22631.2338
Only place Wallpaper Engine working is in Windows Safe Mode

Microsoft did not fully fix it yet it can break upon changing from HDR to SDR to HDR now requiring restart of explorer.exe or it will work after exiting a game.
Wallpaper engine devs removed the fix bassicly so running the beta wont fix this issue

So since none of above works, only solution is to wait until Microsoft releases fix, or fully reinstall Windows without Insider preview and then wait without updates for Microsoft fix?

[Gamerberg]

Same for me, Wallpaper Engine does not work for me anymore after having installed KB5030310 on Windows 11 stable yesterday.

[Arokhantos™]

on 23H2 build 22631.2338 it still works but breaks as soon you disable or enable HDR for example, requiring explorer.exe restart or works after exiting a game.
Microsoft has not updated beta branch for more then a week now

[Valtrex]

Originally posted by Arokhantos™:

on 23H2 build 22631.2338 it still works but breaks as soon you disable or enable HDR for example, requiring explorer.exe restart or works after exiting a game.
Microsoft has not updated beta branch for more then a week now

Sadly, no amount of switching HDR or restarting explorer changes anything in my case, no wallpapers on any of monitors, no matter HDR status,
Only place i can see WE working is in Windows Safe Mode (i assume thanks to having only some basic drivers loaded) even after cleaning GPU Drivers with DDU

[Gamerberg]

Originally posted by Gamerberg:

Same for me, Wallpaper Engine does not work for me anymore after having installed KB5030310 on Windows 11 stable yesterday.

Well, it works again although I haven´t changed anything.

[Hatsune Miku]

I created a registry entry stopping copilot and that worked, since then its been working fine.