What you can change and where to find it

Google gives you two separate places to change what you see on your screen. The first is your Google Account background, which appears when you visit Google.com or use Google Search — that's the image behind the search box. The second is your device wallpaper, which is your phone or computer's home screen or desktop background, controlled by your device's own settings, not Google.

This guide covers changing your Google Account background on the search page itself. If you want to change your phone's home screen or your computer's desktop background, those are separate processes handled by your device's settings, not by Google.

Key Takeaways

  • You can change your Google Search background by clicking the Settings icon (gear symbol) on Google.com and selecting "Background image".
  • Google offers preset images organized by category, or you can upload your own photo from your device.
  • Your background choice syncs across devices when you are signed into the same Google Account.
  • You can remove your background image and return to Google's default white background at any time.

Changing your Google Search background on a computer

Start by going to Google.com and signing into your Google Account if you are not already. Look for the gear icon (Settings) in the bottom right corner of the page. Click it and select "Settings" from the menu that appears.

In the Settings page, look for the "Background image" option on the left side. Click it to see Google's collection of preset images organized by category — Nature, Textures, Abstract, and others. Click any image to preview it, then click "Select" to apply it. Your new background appears immediately on the Google Search page.

If you want to use your own photo instead, click "Upload an image" at the top of the background selection panel. Choose a photo from your computer. Google accepts JPG, PNG, GIF, and WebP files. Once you select a file, it uploads and becomes your new background right away.

Changing your Google Search background on a phone or tablet

Open the Google app on your Android phone or tablet, or use Safari or Chrome to visit Google.com on an iPhone or iPad. Tap your profile picture or initial in the top right corner, then tap "Settings".

Look for "Background image" in the Settings menu. You will see the same preset categories available on desktop. Tap any image to preview it, then tap "Select" to apply it. To upload your own photo, tap "Upload an image" and choose a photo from your device's photo library.

On iPhone and iPad, note that your background appears when you use the Google app or visit Google.com in your browser, but not on your device's home screen. The home screen background is controlled by your device's Settings app under Wallpaper.

Uploading and using your own photos

When you upload your own image, Google stores it in your Google Account. The image must be at least 800 pixels wide and 600 pixels tall to display properly. Larger images work fine — Google will resize them to fit the search page.

Your uploaded image syncs to all devices where you are signed into the same Google Account. If you upload a photo on your phone, it appears as an option on your computer, and vice versa. You can have multiple uploaded images and switch between them by selecting different ones from the "Background image" menu. Google does not share your uploaded background images with other people or use them for any other purpose — they are private to your account.

Removing your background or returning to the default

To go back to Google's plain white background, open Settings on Google.com or in the Google app, go to "Background image", and look for a "Remove" or "None" option at the top of the image selection panel. Click or tap it to clear your background.

If you uploaded a personal photo and want to delete it entirely from your Google Account, select it in the background image menu, look for a delete or trash icon, and confirm the deletion. This removes the image from your account storage and it will no longer appear in your background options on any device.

Troubleshooting background image problems

If your background does not appear or keeps reverting to the default, first check that you are signed into your Google Account. Your background only shows when you are logged in. If you are signed in and the background still does not appear, try clearing your browser's cache and cookies, then reload Google.com.

On mobile devices, make sure you have the latest version of the Google app installed. Open your device's app store, search for "Google", and check for an update button. If an update is available, install it and try changing your background again. If you uploaded an image and it does not display, the file may be too small or in an unsupported format — try uploading a different image that is at least 800 by 600 pixels and saved as JPG or PNG.

Changing your device wallpaper instead of your Google background

If you want to change the image on your phone's home screen or your computer's desktop, that is a different setting controlled by your device, not by Google. On Android, go to Settings, then Display or Wallpaper, and choose a new image. On iPhone, open Settings, tap Wallpaper, then tap "Customize Home Screen" or "Customize Lock Screen" and select a photo.

On Windows, right-click your desktop, select "Personalize", then "Background" and choose an image. On Mac, open System Preferences, click "Desktop & Screen Saver", and select a new background. These device-level wallpapers are completely separate from your Google Search background and do not affect each other.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing my Google background affect my phone's home screen?

No. Your Google Search background and your device's home screen wallpaper are completely separate. Changing one does not affect the other. You can change both independently if you want different images in each place.

Will my background image appear on Google Search when I am not signed in?

No. Your custom background only shows when you are signed into your Google Account. If you sign out or use an incognito or private browsing window, you will see Google's default white background instead.

Can I schedule my background to change automatically?

Google does not have a built-in scheduling feature for background images. You can only manually select which image to display. If you want your background to change regularly, you will need to select a new one each time you want to switch.

What happens to my background if I change my Google Account password?

Your background image stays the same. Changing your password does not affect your background settings. Your background remains stored in your account and will display whenever you sign in.

Can I share my background image with someone else?

Not directly through Google's background feature. If you want someone else to use the same image, you would need to send them the photo file separately, and they would upload it to their own Google Account.