The quickest way to change your desktop background

On Windows, right-click any empty space on your desktop, select Personalize, then click Background. Choose Picture, Solid color, or Slideshow, then pick what you want. On Mac, open System Settings, go to Wallpaper, select a category on the left, and click the image you want.

Both operating systems come with built-in images you can use immediately. You can also use your own photos from your computer, or download new images from the internet. The process takes under a minute on either system.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows users right-click the desktop and select Personalize, then Background, to reach the background settings in seconds.
  • Mac users open System Settings, navigate to Wallpaper, and click any image in the built-in collections to apply it.
  • Both systems let you use your own photos by browsing to them in the background settings menu.
  • You can set different backgrounds for each monitor if you use multiple displays on Windows.
  • Slideshow mode cycles through multiple images automatically on both Windows and Mac.

Changing your background on Windows 10 and Windows 11

Right-click any blank area of your desktop — avoid clicking on icons or the taskbar. A menu appears with several options. Select Personalize at the bottom of that menu.

The Settings window opens. On the left side, you will see Background listed under the Personalization section. Click it. A dropdown menu at the top shows three choices: Picture, Solid color, and Slideshow. Picture is the default.

If you choose Picture, Windows shows you thumbnails of built-in images. Click any one to apply it immediately. To use your own photo, click Browse, navigate to the folder where your photo is stored, select it, and click Choose picture.

If you choose Solid color, you get a list of single colors to pick from. If you choose Slideshow, Windows cycles through multiple images at an interval you set — you can pick how often it changes (every 1 minute, 10 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, or when you log in).

Changing your background on Mac

Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and select System Settings. In the sidebar on the left, find and click Wallpaper. (If you do not see it, scroll down in the sidebar.)

The Wallpaper window shows categories on the left: Collections, Recent, and Folders. Under Collections, you will see options like Dynamic, Light, Dark, and others. Click any category to see available images. Click an image once to preview it, then click again to apply it.

To use your own photo, click the Folders tab at the bottom, then click Add Folder. Navigate to the folder containing your photos and click Open. Your photos now appear in the Wallpaper window. Click the one you want to use.

Using your own photos as a background

Both Windows and Mac let you pick any image file stored on your computer. The image should be in a common format: JPG, PNG, BMP, or GIF work on both systems.

On Windows, click Browse in the Background settings, then navigate to the folder where your photo is saved. Select the photo and click Choose picture. On Mac, add the folder containing your photos through the Folders tab in Wallpaper settings, then select the image you want.

If your image is smaller than your screen resolution, it may appear stretched or tiled. Larger images work better. If you download an image from the internet, save it to your Pictures folder first, then follow the steps above to set it as your background.

Setting up a slideshow background

A slideshow cycles through multiple images automatically. On Windows, select Slideshow from the Background dropdown. Click Browse to choose a folder containing your photos. Then set how often you want the image to change: every 1 minute, 10 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, or when you log in. Check the box for Shuffle if you want the images to appear in random order.

On Mac, select an image in the Wallpaper settings, then look for the Change picture option. Set how often you want it to change — every 30 seconds, 1 minute, 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, or when you wake your Mac. The images will cycle through in the order they appear in the folder.

Troubleshooting common background problems

If your background does not change after you select a new one, try closing the Settings window completely and waiting a few seconds. Sometimes the desktop needs a moment to refresh. If that does not work, restart your computer.

If you cannot find the Personalize option on Windows, make sure you right-clicked on an empty area of the desktop, not on a folder, file, or icon. If the image you chose appears stretched or distorted, the image resolution may not match your screen. Try a different image, or look for a Choose a fit option in the Background settings to adjust how the image displays.

On Mac, if the Wallpaper option does not appear in System Settings, check that you are running a recent version of macOS. You can check this by clicking the Apple menu and selecting About This Mac.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use different backgrounds on multiple monitors?

On Windows 11, yes. In the Background settings, you can select which monitor gets which image if you have more than one display connected. On Windows 10 and Mac, the same background appears on all monitors.

What image file types work as backgrounds?

JPG, PNG, BMP, and GIF files work on both Windows and Mac. Most images you download from the internet are JPG or PNG format. Avoid very large file sizes (over 10 MB) as they can slow down your computer.

Where do I find the built-in images on Windows?

When you open Background settings and select Picture, Windows shows thumbnails of built-in images at the top. These are stored in your system folders, but you do not need to find them manually — they appear in the settings menu automatically.

Can I set a video as my background?

Windows 11 supports video backgrounds through the Microsoft Store, but this requires downloading a separate app. Mac does not support video backgrounds natively. Stick with still images for the simplest setup.

How do I remove a background and go back to the default?

On Windows, open Background settings and select one of the default images that came with your system. On Mac, go to Wallpaper settings and choose one of the built-in collections like Light or Dark. Both systems will revert to a standard background.