The fastest way to change your background

Right-click on any empty space on your desktop — not on a file or folder, but on the blank area itself. A menu will appear. Click Personalize. Windows will open the Settings app directly to the background page. From there, click Browse to pick a photo from your computer, or choose one of the built-in Windows images from the dropdown menu at the top.

If you want to use a photo that is not on your computer yet, you can save it first. Open your web browser, find the image you want, right-click it, and select Save image as. Choose a folder you will remember — your Pictures folder is the easiest — and then follow the steps above to browse to it.

The change takes effect when ready. Windows remembers your choice and uses that image every time you start your computer or lock your screen.

Key Takeaways

  • Right-click the desktop and select Personalize to open the background settings in one step.
  • You can use any photo stored on your computer, or pick from the built-in Windows images without downloading anything.
  • If you want to use an image from the internet, save it to your computer first, then browse to it in the Personalize menu.
  • Windows applies the background to both your desktop and your lock screen by default, though you can change them separately if you prefer.

Using built-in Windows backgrounds without browsing

Windows 10 comes with several background images already installed. To use one of these, right-click the desktop, select Personalize, and look at the top of the window where it says Background. Click the dropdown menu that currently shows Picture and you will see other options: Solid color, Slideshow, or Windows Spotlight.

If you choose Slideshow, Windows will rotate through a folder of images automatically. You can pick which folder it uses by clicking Browse and selecting a folder full of photos. The slideshow changes the image every 30 minutes by default, but you can adjust that timing in the same menu.

Windows Spotlight pulls new images from Microsoft automatically and changes them regularly. This option requires an internet connection and a Microsoft account, but you do not have to do anything — Windows handles the updates on its own.

Changing the lock screen background separately

By default, Windows uses the same image for both your desktop and your lock screen. If you want them to be different, you can change the lock screen separately. Right-click the desktop, select Personalize, and look at the left sidebar. Click Lock screen.

At the top, you will see a dropdown that says Background. Click it and choose Picture. Then click Browse to select a different image. This image will appear only when you lock your computer or when Windows shows the login screen — your desktop background stays unchanged.

You can also set the lock screen to a solid color or to Windows Spotlight if you prefer. The lock screen and desktop settings are completely independent, so you can mix and match however you like.

Adjusting how the image fits on your screen

After you choose a background image, you may notice it looks stretched, squeezed, or too small. Windows offers several ways to fit the image to your screen. In the Personalize menu, look for the Choose a fit dropdown below the image preview.

The options are: Fill (stretches the image to cover the whole screen, which may crop the edges), Fit (shrinks the image to fit without cropping, which may leave colored bars on the sides), Stretch (stretches the image to fill the screen, which may distort it), Tile (repeats the image in a grid pattern), and Center (places the image in the middle without resizing). Most people use Fill for photos and Fit for images they want to see completely.

Troubleshooting a background that will not change

If you select a new background but it does not appear, the image file may be corrupted or in a format Windows does not recognize. Windows 10 works best with JPG, PNG, and BMP files. If you are trying to use a different format, try converting it first using an online converter or an image editor like Paint.

Another common issue is that a third-party program has locked the background. Some antivirus software, parental control programs, or corporate security tools prevent users from changing the desktop. If you work on a company computer, your IT department may have restricted this setting. On a personal computer, check your antivirus settings or temporarily disable any security software to see if that is the cause.

If the background still will not change, restart your computer. Windows sometimes needs a restart to explore personalization changes, especially if you have just installed an update.

Using photos from your phone or cloud storage

If your photos are stored in OneDrive, Google Drive, or another cloud service, you do not need to read them first. Open the cloud service in your web browser, find the photo you want, right-click it, and select Save image as. Choose a folder on your computer, then use the Personalize menu to browse to that folder and select the image.

If you want to use a photo from your phone, connect the phone to your computer with a USB cable. On Windows, open File Explorer and look for your phone under This PC. Navigate to the folder where your photos are stored, right-click the photo you want, and select Copy. Then paste it into your Pictures folder or another folder on your computer, and set it as your background using the Personalize menu.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a video as my Windows 10 background?

No. Windows 10 only supports still images as backgrounds. However, you can set a slideshow that changes images every few seconds, which creates a similar effect. Some third-party programs claim to add video backgrounds, but they are not officially supported and may slow down your computer.

Why does my background change by itself?

If you set the background to Slideshow or Windows Spotlight, it will change automatically. Check the Personalize menu and look at the Background dropdown. If it says Slideshow, click it and change it to Picture to use a single image instead.

What size photo works best for a background?

Windows works with any size, but photos that match your screen resolution look sharpest. Most modern monitors are 1920 by 1080 pixels or larger. If your photo is smaller, Windows will stretch it, which may make it look blurry. If it is larger, Windows will shrink it, which is fine.

Can I set different backgrounds for different user accounts?

Yes. Each user account on your computer has its own background setting. When you log in as a different user and change the background, it only affects that account. Other users will still see their own chosen backgrounds when they log in.