Windows 10: Restore classic blue solid color Desktop background #

In Windows 2000 and XP, the default solid color Desktop background was a serene shade of blue:

Windows 2000 and XP blue solid color Desktop background

Hue: 141
Sat: 115
Lum: 105

Red: 58
Grn: 110
Blu: 165

Hex: #3A6EA5

The "Windows Classic" theme in Windows 7 used the same color, but there was a slightly darker blue default color available in the Solid Colors menu, which was still available in Windows 8.1:

Windows 7 and 8.1 blue solid color Desktop background

Hue: 142
Sat: 203
Lum: 60

Red: 10
Grn: 59
Blu: 118

Hex: #0A3B76

Inexplicably, Windows 10 not only removed these calming blue tones and replaced them with 24 largely garish colors, ~~but also failed to provide any option for customizing colors in the main Settings menu (right click Desktop > Personalize > Background: Solid Color)~~. UPDATE: The day after this post, Microsoft released Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, which includes a "Custom color" option in the main Background settings window. Click "More" to enter RGB, HSV, or hex values.

Happily, the classic Desktop Background applet is accessible via Run > control /name Microsoft.Personalization /page pageWallpaper. Not only can you select the Windows 7 darker blue, but you can also create custom colors by clicking "More...".

/windows | Oct 16, 2017

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