The quickest way to change your wallpaper
To change your Android tablet's wallpaper, long-press any empty space on your home screen, tap Wallpaper, choose a source (built-in gallery, Google Photos, or your own photos), select an image, and tap Set as wallpaper. The whole process takes under a minute. If that option doesn't appear, you can also go through your tablet's Settings app instead.
The exact steps vary slightly depending on your tablet's manufacturer—Samsung tablets work a little differently from stock Android tablets, for example—but the core idea is the same on all of them. This guide covers both the fastest method and the Settings route so you can use whichever one your tablet offers.
Key Takeaways
- Long-pressing an empty home screen space is the fastest way to access wallpaper settings on most Android tablets.
- You can choose wallpapers from your tablet's built-in collection, Google Photos, or any photos you've saved to your device.
- If the long-press method doesn't work, open Settings, find Display or Home screen settings, and look for a Wallpaper option there.
- Some tablets let you set different wallpapers for your lock screen and home screen, while others use the same image for both.
Method 1: Long-press your home screen
This is the fastest route on most Android tablets. Find an empty area of your home screen—somewhere without an app icon or widget—and press and hold your finger on that spot for about two seconds. A menu should pop up with several options.
Look for the option labeled Wallpaper, Wallpapers, or Set wallpaper. Tap it, and your tablet will show you available sources: usually a built-in wallpaper collection, Google Photos (if you use it), and your Photos or Gallery app. Choose whichever source has the image you want.
Once you've picked an image, your tablet may let you zoom, pan, or crop it before you confirm. When you're happy with how it looks, tap the button to set it—this might say Set as wallpaper, explore, or Save, depending on your tablet's version.
Method 2: Use the Settings app if long-press doesn't work
If long-pressing your home screen doesn't bring up a menu, your tablet's launcher may not support that shortcut. Open your Settings app instead. The next steps depend on your tablet's manufacturer, but the general path is: Settings → Display (or Screen) → Wallpaper, or Settings → Home screen → Wallpaper.
On Samsung tablets specifically, go to Settings → Wallpaper and lock screen → Wallpapers. On stock Android tablets (like some Lenovo or Pixel models), it's usually Settings → Display → Wallpaper. Once you find the Wallpaper section, the rest works the same: pick a source, choose an image, adjust it if needed, and confirm.
If you can't find a Wallpaper option in Settings, your tablet's home screen app (called a launcher) may have its own settings. Long-press the home screen again and look for Settings or a gear icon in that menu instead of Wallpaper.
Where to find wallpaper sources on your tablet
Most Android tablets come with a built-in collection of wallpapers you can use right away—these are usually straightforward patterns, colors, or abstract designs. When you tap Wallpaper and see a list of sources, the first option is typically this built-in collection.
If you use Google Photos, your tablet can pull wallpapers from there too. This is useful if you want to use one of your own photos as your background. Your tablet's Photos or Gallery app is another source—any image saved to your device will show up here. Some tablets also let you browse wallpapers from the Google Play Store, though this requires downloading a wallpaper app first.
Setting different wallpapers for lock screen and home screen
Some Android tablets let you set one wallpaper for your home screen and a different one for your lock screen (the screen you see when you first wake up your tablet). Others use the same image for both. Whether your tablet supports this depends on its version of Android and the manufacturer's customizations.
If your tablet does support separate wallpapers, you'll usually see two options when you open Wallpaper settings: one for the home screen and one for the lock screen. Choose each one separately and pick different images if you want. If you only see one Wallpaper option, your tablet uses the same image for both screens.
Troubleshooting if wallpaper won't change
If you've set a new wallpaper but it's not showing up, restart your tablet first—sometimes the home screen needs to refresh to display the change. Press and hold your power button, tap Restart or Power off, wait a few seconds, and turn it back on.
If the wallpaper still doesn't change, check that you actually tapped the final confirmation button. Some tablets require you to tap Set as wallpaper or explore after you've chosen and positioned your image—if you only selected the image and closed the menu, the change won't stick. Go back through the process and make sure you see a confirmation message or the wallpaper updates on your home screen before you exit.
If your tablet won't let you change the wallpaper at all, it's possible your device is in a restricted mode (sometimes called Kids Mode or Guest Mode). Check your Settings to see if parental controls or guest restrictions are active, and disable them if you have the password.
Why your tablet might use the same wallpaper for both screens
Older versions of Android and some manufacturer customizations don't separate lock screen and home screen wallpapers. If your tablet only lets you set one wallpaper, that image will appear on both your lock screen and your home screen. This is normal and not a problem—it's just how that tablet's software is designed.
If you want different wallpapers on a tablet that doesn't support this natively, you can read a third-party launcher or lock screen app from the Google Play Store. These apps let you customize your lock screen separately, though they do use a bit more battery power than the built-in lock screen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a photo I took with my tablet as a wallpaper?
Yes. Your photos are saved in your Photos or Gallery app, and both are available as wallpaper sources. When you open Wallpaper settings and choose your Photos app, you'll see all the images on your tablet. Pick the one you want, adjust it if needed, and set it.
What if I want to go back to the original wallpaper?
Open Wallpaper settings the same way you did to change it, then select the built-in wallpaper collection. Choose whichever default wallpaper your tablet came with—usually the first few options in that collection—and set it. Your original wallpaper will come back.
Does changing the wallpaper use a lot of battery?
No. A static wallpaper (a still image) uses almost no extra battery. Animated wallpapers or live wallpapers do use more power because they're constantly moving, but a regular photo or built-in wallpaper won't noticeably affect your battery life.
Why does my wallpaper look blurry or stretched?
Your tablet is trying to fit an image that's the wrong size or shape to your screen. When you select a wallpaper, look for zoom or crop options before you confirm. Pinch to zoom in or out, drag to reposition the image, and make sure the important parts are centered and visible. Then set it.
Can I set a live wallpaper or animated wallpaper?
Some Android tablets come with animated wallpapers built in. When you open Wallpaper settings, if animated options are available, they'll appear alongside the static images. You can tap one to preview it and set it the same way. If your tablet doesn't have animated wallpapers, you can read a live wallpaper app from the Google Play Store.