Setting Up Dynamic Wallpaper and Lock Screen Images Using Intune Win32 App

How to Configure Dynamic Wallpaper and Lock Screen Images Using Intune Win32 App

Managing wallpapers and lock screen backgrounds for Windows devices has often been a tedious task for IT administrators, especially when frequent updates are required for events like holidays, campaigns, or organizational announcements. Thankfully, you can simplify this process using Microsoft Intune and a custom Win32 app.

This guide outlines how to automate wallpaper and lock screen updates dynamically, saving time and effort for admins.

Overview

In many organizations, IT administrators face constant requests to update wallpapers or lock screen backgrounds for various purposes. While these changes might seem minor, they can become burdensome, especially when updates are frequent or required for specific business units.

Using a Win32 app deployed through Intune, you can create a simple yet dynamic solution to manage wallpapers and lock screen images effectively. This method leverages a PowerShell script to handle updates automatically, ensuring seamless deployment across devices.

Prerequisites

Before starting, make sure you have the following:

1. Access to upload apps to Intune: You need the appropriate permissions to upload and configure apps in the Intune Admin Center.
2. IntuneWinAppUtil: This tool converts the Install.ps1 script into an .intunewin package for deployment.
3. A static URL for image hosting: Store your wallpaper or lock screen images on a publicly accessible platform like Azure Blob Storage, AWS S3, or a public GitHub repository. Ensure that marketing or other relevant teams can update the files as needed.

How Does the Dynamic Wallpaper App Work?

The solution involves deploying a PowerShell script through a Win32 app. Here’s how it functions:

1. The script checks the static URL for updated images using the image’s Etag (a unique identifier for each image version).
2. If the image has changed, the script downloads it to the local machine, updates the registry, and applies it as the wallpaper or lock screen image.
3. Logs and downloaded images are stored in %programdata%\DynamicURL.
4. A detection script ensures that images are updated automatically whenever changes occur.

Steps to Set Up Dynamic Wallpaper with Intune

Step 1: Prepare the PowerShell Script

The Install.ps1 script manages the wallpaper and lock screen deployment. It includes parameters for both the desktop wallpaper and lock screen image URLs.

• Example script call for wallpaper:

  Install.ps1 -DesktopImageUrl "https://example.com/wallpaper.png"
  

• Example script call for lock screen:

  Install.ps1 -LockScreenImageUrl "https://example.com/lockscreen.png"
  

• Combined call for both:

  Install.ps1 -DesktopImageUrl "https://example.com/wallpaper.png" -LockScreenImageUrl "https://example.com/lockscreen.png"
  

The script handles the following tasks:

• Validates the provided image URL.
• Downloads the image to %programdata%\DynamicWallpaper\Images.
• Updates registry keys to store the image hash and URL.
• Applies the image as the desktop wallpaper or lock screen background.

Step 2: Package the Script as a Win32 App

1. Download the IntuneWinAppUtil.exe tool.
2. Convert the Install.ps1 file into a .intunewin package:
   • Run the following command in a terminal:

     IntuneWinAppUtil.exe -c <folder-path> -s Install.ps1 -o <output-folder>
     

     Replace <folder-path> with the location of your script and <output-folder> with the desired output location.

3. This will generate the Install.intunewin file, which is ready for deployment.

Step 3: Create the Win32 App in Intune

1. Log in to the Intune Admin Center at https://endpoint.microsoft.com.
2. Navigate to Apps → All Apps → + Add → Win32 app.
3. Select the Install.intunewin file and upload it.
4. Fill in the app details:
   • Name: Enter a name like “Dynamic Wallpaper App.”
   • Description: Add a brief description of what the app does.
   • Publisher: Enter your organization or app developer’s name.

Step 4: Configure Installation and Detection Settings

1. Install Command: Use the following command to execute the script:

   powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\Install.ps1 -DesktopImageUrl "<wallpaper-URL>" -LockScreenImageUrl "<lockscreen-URL>"
   

2. Uninstall Command (optional): Create a script to reset the wallpaper or lock screen to defaults if required.
3. Detection Rules:
   • Use a PowerShell script to detect if the wallpaper or lock screen has been applied. For example:

     $RegistryPath = "HKLM:\Software\DynamicWallpaper"
     if (Test-Path $RegistryPath) { Write-Output "Detected" }
     else { Exit 1 }
     

Step 5: Assign the App to Devices

1. In the Assignments section, choose the groups of devices or users to deploy the app to.
2. Configure additional settings as needed and click Next to complete the process.

Step 6: Verify Deployment

1. Check deployment status in Apps → Monitor → App Install Status.
2. Verify on end-user devices:
   • The wallpaper and lock screen should be updated automatically.
   • Logs are stored in %programdata%\DynamicURL\Logs.

Limitations

• Reboot Required: A device reboot may be necessary for the wallpaper to take effect.
• SKU Restrictions: The settings require Enterprise versions of Windows.
• Single Function Per App: If you need to add more functionality later, you’ll need to create a new app.

Summary

Using the Intune Win32 app method, you can dynamically update desktop wallpapers and lock screen backgrounds with ease. This setup empowers IT administrators to automate a once-tedious process, ensuring seamless updates with minimal manual intervention. Additionally, by granting relevant teams access to update the hosted image files, you can further streamline the workflow.