Where to find the background setting on your device
The background — also called wallpaper or lock screen image — is the picture or color that appears behind your desktop icons, or on your phone's home screen and lock screen. Where you find this setting depends on what device you use.
On Windows 10 or 11, right-click any empty space on your desktop and select "Personalize" from the menu. On Mac, open System Settings, click "Wallpaper" in the sidebar, then select your screen. On iPhone, open Settings, tap "Wallpaper," then "Add New Wallpaper." On Android, long-press any empty space on your home screen and tap "Wallpapers."
Once you open the background settings, you'll see options to choose from built-in images, upload your own photo, or pick a solid color. The exact steps vary slightly between devices, but the principle is the same: find the setting, pick an image or color, and confirm your choice.
Key Takeaways
- Windows and Mac users right-click the desktop to access background settings, while phone users long-press the home screen or open Settings.
- Most devices let you choose from pre-loaded images, upload a photo from your files, or select a solid color.
- Phones typically have separate settings for your lock screen background and your home screen background.
- High-resolution images (at least 1920 × 1080 pixels on desktop) look sharper than small or stretched images.
Changing your background on Windows
On Windows 10 and 11, the fastest way is to right-click an empty area of your desktop — not on an icon or taskbar — and select "Personalize." This opens the Settings app to the Personalization section. Click "Background" in the left menu.
You'll see three options: "Picture," "Solid color," or "Slideshow." If you pick "Picture," Windows shows you a gallery of built-in images. Click any one to preview it, then click "Choose photo" to set it. If you want to use your own image, click "Browse" and navigate to the file on your computer. Windows accepts JPG, PNG, BMP, and GIF files.
If you choose "Slideshow," Windows will rotate through multiple images at an interval you set. This is useful if you want variety without manually changing your background. "Solid color" simply fills your desktop with a single color — useful if you want a clean, minimal look or if you're troubleshooting a display issue.
Changing your background on Mac
On Mac, open System Settings (or System Preferences on older versions) and click "Wallpaper" in the sidebar. You'll see thumbnails of your available screens — click the one you want to change. Mac shows you categories of built-in images: Dynamic, Light, Dark, and Collections.
Click any image to preview it full-screen. If you like it, click "Set Desktop Picture" or it may set automatically. To use your own photo, click "Add" (the plus icon) at the bottom of the window, navigate to your image file, and select it. Mac accepts JPG, PNG, HEIF, and TIFF files.
You can also set different backgrounds for different spaces (virtual desktops) on Mac. Once you've set a background, it stays until you change it again — Mac doesn't require you to confirm or save.
Changing your background on iPhone
On iPhone, open Settings and tap "Wallpaper." Tap "Add New Wallpaper" to see your options: Featured (Apple's curated images), Photos (your own pictures), or Suggested Photos (images from your library). Select a category and choose an image.
iPhone lets you set different images for your lock screen and your home screen. After you pick an image, you'll see a preview. Tap "Customize" if you want to adjust the look — you can add widgets, change text color, or add a tint. When you're ready, tap "Add" and choose whether to set it as your lock screen, home screen, or both.
If you use a photo from your own library, make sure it's at least 1125 × 2436 pixels for best results. Smaller images may look blurry or stretched.
Changing your background on Android
On Android, long-press any empty space on your home screen until a menu appears at the bottom. Tap "Wallpapers" or "Set wallpaper" (the exact wording depends on your phone's manufacturer). You'll see options for Gallery (your photos), Wallpapers (built-in images), or Live Wallpapers (animated backgrounds).
Select an image, preview it, and tap "Set wallpaper" or "Apply." Most Android phones let you choose whether to set it as your home screen, lock screen, or both. Some phones also let you set a different background for each home screen page.
Like iPhone, Android works best with images at least 1080 × 1920 pixels. If you're using a photo you took, check that it's in landscape orientation (wider than it is tall) for the best fit on most screens.
Using your own photos as a background
All devices let you upload a personal photo instead of using a built-in image. The photo should be at least 1920 × 1080 pixels on desktop, or 1125 × 2436 pixels on iPhone, or 1080 × 1920 pixels on Android. Smaller images may look pixelated or stretched across your screen.
Before you set a photo as your background, check that it's saved in a standard format: JPG, PNG, or HEIF. Most phones and computers support these formats natively. If your image is in a less common format (like WebP or TIFF), you may need to convert it first using free online tools or built-in software.
On desktop, you can also use a screenshot as your background. Take a screenshot, save it to your Pictures folder, then follow the steps above to set it. This is useful if you want to recreate a look you saw online or in an app.
Troubleshooting common background problems
If your background doesn't appear after you set it, try restarting your device. On Windows, if your background reverts to black or default, check that your image file isn't corrupted by trying a different image first. On Mac, if the background won't change, make sure you have permission to access the image file — right-click the file, select "Get Info," and check the "Sharing & Permissions" section.
If your image looks stretched or distorted, it's likely the wrong aspect ratio for your screen. Desktop screens are usually 16:9 (wider), while phone screens are taller. Crop your image to match your screen's shape before setting it. Most devices have a crop tool built into the background settings — use it to adjust the image before confirming.
On phones, if you can't find your photo in the gallery, make sure it's saved to your device's main storage, not to cloud storage only. Some phones won't show cloud-only images in the wallpaper picker until they're downloaded locally.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I set a different background for each monitor on Windows?
Yes. If you have multiple monitors connected, right-click your desktop and select "Personalize," then "Background." Windows shows you each monitor separately. Click the monitor you want to change and select a different image for it. Each monitor can have its own background.
Will changing my background affect my computer's speed?
No. A static background image uses negligible system resources. Animated or slideshow backgrounds use slightly more power because your computer has to refresh the image periodically, but the difference is small on modern devices. If you're concerned about battery life on a laptop, a static image is a better choice than a slideshow.
What happens if I delete the original image file after setting it as my background?
On Windows and Mac, your background will remain even if you delete the original file — the image is cached on your system. On phones, deleting a photo from your library usually removes it from your background as well, so keep a backup if you want to preserve it.
Can I set a video as my background instead of a photo?
On Windows 11, you can set a video as a lock screen background, but not your desktop background. On Mac, you cannot set a video as a wallpaper. On Android, you can use Live Wallpapers, which are animated and sometimes video-based. iPhone does not support video backgrounds, though you can use animated wallpapers in iOS 16 and later.
How do I get back to the default background if I don't like my change?
On Windows, open Personalize, click "Background," and select one of the built-in images. On Mac, open Wallpaper settings and choose a built-in image from the Collections. On phones, go back to Wallpaper settings and pick a default image. You can change your background as many times as you want — there's no limit.