Where Does Windows Store the Current Wallpaper?
Where Windows keeps the current wallpaper file and slideshow cache in the Themes folder.
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Windows renders the active wallpaper to %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Themes\TranscodedWallpaper, with slideshow frames cached in CachedFiles beside it. The registry points at these rendered copies rather than your originals, which is why deleting the source photo leaves the desktop unchanged.
Theme packs (.themepack/.deskthemepack) unpack into the same Themes tree when applied. Roaming profiles sync the folder across domain machines, so a wallpaper that follows you to every office PC is working as designed, not haunted.
Where Windows stores this, by platform
%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Themes\TranscodedWallpaper
Paste %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Themes into Explorer. TranscodedWallpaper is the current image (extensionless JPEG). CachedFiles holds slideshow frames. Originals live wherever you imported them from.
Frequently asked questions
How do I save the current wallpaper as an image?
Copy TranscodedWallpaper out and add a .jpg extension: it is a plain JPEG with a system name. Slideshow images live in CachedFiles beside it. The originals stay wherever they were imported from; this folder holds the rendered copies Windows actually displays.
What is img0.jpg in the Web folder?
That file is the lock screen default (img0.jpg) used before any user signs in. Changing your personal wallpaper never touches it. Replace it (admin rights required) only if you manage shared machines and want a custom pre login backdrop.
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