macOS 27.0.1 Wallpaper in System Settings is not remembering wallpaper location

macOS 27.0.1: Wallpaper folder not remembered after login

On my 2021 M1 iMac, macOS 27.0.1 isn't remembering the local wallpaper folder added through System Settings → Wallpaper. Every time I log in, I have to add the folder again.

This may be a problem with saved wallpaper preferences, folder access, or macOS restoring settings at login. The goal is to identify the cause without making unnecessary changes to the system.

Troubleshooting steps

1. Check where the wallpaper folder is stored

If the folder is on an external drive, network volume, or iCloud Drive, try a test copy in a permanent local location, such as:

~/Pictures/Wallpapers

If the folder is already on the iMac's internal drive, leave it there for now.

2. Re-add the folder and test persistence

1. Open System Settings → Wallpaper.
2. Under Your Photos, click Add Photo → Choose Folder.
3. Select the wallpaper folder and click Open.
4. Select an image from that folder as your wallpaper.
5. Restart the iMac, log back in, and check whether the folder remains listed.

Apple's instructions for adding a custom wallpaper folder are here:

Apple Support: Customize the wallpaper on your Mac

3. Restart the wallpaper service

1. Open Applications → Utilities → Activity Monitor.
2. Search for WallpaperAgent.
3. If it appears, select it and use the stop button to quit the process.
4. Reopen Wallpaper settings and check whether the folder is still listed.

macOS may automatically restart the service. This is a troubleshooting suggestion, not an Apple-documented fix for this specific problem.

4. Check whether the problem is limited to your account

Create a temporary test user and repeat the wallpaper-folder setup.

1. Open System Settings → Users & Groups.
2. Click Add User and create a standard account.
3. Log in to the new account and add the same local wallpaper folder.
4. Log out, log back in, and check whether the folder persists.

Apple's instructions are here:

Apple Support: Add a user or group on Mac

• Works in the test account: The issue may be specific to preferences or permissions in your main account.
• Fails in both accounts: A system-wide macOS issue becomes more likely.

5. Try Safe Mode if the problem persists

On an Apple silicon Mac:

1. Shut down the iMac.
2. Press and hold the power button until the startup options appear.
3. Select your startup disk.
4. Hold Shift, then click Continue in Safe Mode.
5. Log in and check whether the wallpaper folder persists after restarting normally.

Apple explains the procedure here:

Apple Support: Start up your Mac in safe mode

Safe Mode can help identify issues involving software loaded during startup, although it won't necessarily resolve a damaged wallpaper preference.

6. Avoid deleting wallpaper preference files for now

A configuration file sometimes referenced in wallpaper troubleshooting is:

~/Library/Application Support/com.apple.wallpaper/Store/Index.plist

Don't delete or manually edit this file without a backup and a clearer diagnosis. I haven't confirmed that changing it fixes this issue on macOS 27.0.1.

Is this a known macOS 27.0.1 bug?

I haven't confirmed an official Apple acknowledgment of this exact issue. Apple's documentation explains how to configure wallpaper folders, but doesn't establish that repeatedly losing a folder is expected behaviour.

For reference, see Apple Support: Wallpaper settings on Mac.

If the problem persists in both your main account and a test account, consider contacting Apple Support and reporting the repeated loss of the wallpaper-folder setting after login.

Boot into Safe Mode according to How to use safe mode on your Mac and reboot normally and test to see if the Safe Boot helped..

Note:  if you have a wireless keyboard with rechargeable batteries connect it with its charging cable before booting into Safe Mode.  This makes it act as a wired keyboard as will assure a successful boot into Safe Mode.