Microsoft confirms it broke Stretched Wallpaper on Windows 7, will fix it for paying customers

We reported earlier that Windows 7 users were complaining of their wallpaper being replaced by black screens when they install the important KB4534310 and KB4534314 updates for Windows 7

The issue affected a range of PCs, including enterprise devices where users are not able to change their wallpaper.

Now Microsoft has confirmed the bug, saying:

After installing KB4534310, your desktop wallpaper might display as black when set to Stretch.

Microsoft promised a fix is on the way, but only “for organizations who have purchased Windows 7 Extended Security Updates (ESU).”

The workaround is to set your custom image to an option other than Stretch, such as Fill, Fit, Tile, or Center or to choose a custom wallpaper that matches the resolution of your desktop.

For everyone else on Windows 7 who is not on an extended support contract, it appears Stretch Mode has been broken forever.

Not having bugs fixes is, of course, to be expected for an unsupported operating system, but for a new bug created by Microsoft itself, it does rather smack of Microsoft sabotaging their own users.

What do our readers think of this situation? Let us know below.

Via WindowsLatest.