The fastest way to change your Mac background

Open System Settings, click Wallpaper in the sidebar, select a category on the left, then click the image you want. Your background changes when ready. The whole process takes about 30 seconds.

If you want to use your own photo instead of Apple's built-in images, click the plus sign at the bottom of the Wallpaper panel, navigate to the photo on your Mac, and click Set. You can also drag a photo directly into the Wallpaper panel from Finder.

On older Macs running macOS Monterey or earlier, the path is slightly different: go to System Preferences instead of System Settings, then click Desktop & Screen Saver. The steps after that are the same.

Key Takeaways

  • System Settings > Wallpaper is the main route on any recent Mac, and you can preview images before setting them.
  • Your own photos work just as well as Apple's images — drag them into the Wallpaper panel or use the plus sign to browse.
  • Different spaces and displays can have different backgrounds if you want them to, through the same Wallpaper panel.
  • If your background keeps reverting, check whether you have multiple user accounts on the Mac, since each account has its own background setting.

Using Apple's built-in wallpaper collections

Apple includes several wallpaper categories: Dynamic (changes throughout the day), Light, Dark, and Collections organized by theme. Open System Settings, click Wallpaper in the sidebar, and you will see all available categories listed on the left. Click any category to see the images inside it.

Dynamic wallpapers are the most visually interesting — they shift color and lighting based on the time of day. If you choose a Dynamic wallpaper, your Mac will automatically switch between light and dark versions at sunrise and sunset. You can also manually set a Dynamic wallpaper to stay in light or dark mode by clicking the dropdown next to it.

The Collections category includes themed sets like nature, cities, and abstract designs. These do not change throughout the day but often have multiple images within the same theme.

Adding your own photos as a background

To use a photo from your Mac, open System Settings and click Wallpaper. At the bottom of the panel, click the plus sign. A Finder window opens — navigate to the folder where your photo is stored and click it once to select it. Then click Set as Wallpaper at the bottom right.

You can also drag a photo directly from Finder into the Wallpaper panel without using the plus sign. Click and hold the photo in Finder, drag it over the Wallpaper window, and release. The photo will appear in your custom section at the top of the Wallpaper list.

Your Mac stores custom wallpapers in a separate section so you can return to them later. If you delete the original photo from your Mac, the wallpaper will remain set, but you will not be able to see it in the Wallpaper panel anymore.

Setting different backgrounds for multiple spaces or displays

If you use multiple spaces (virtual desktops), you can assign a different wallpaper to each one. Open System Settings, click Wallpaper, and look for the option that says "Show on all spaces" or similar language depending on your macOS version. Uncheck this box, then switch to a different space and set a different wallpaper there.

For multiple physical displays connected to your Mac, each display can have its own background. In the Wallpaper panel, you will see thumbnails of your connected displays at the top. Click the display you want to change, then select a new wallpaper for it.

This feature is useful if you have an external monitor at your desk and want a work-focused image there while keeping a personal photo on your laptop screen.

Troubleshooting when your background will not change or keeps reverting

If your background changes but then reverts to the previous one, check whether you have multiple user accounts on your Mac. Each account has its own background setting, and switching between accounts will show different wallpapers. Make sure you are changing the background while logged into the account you want to affect.

If you set a custom photo as your background and it disappears, the photo may have been moved or deleted from your Mac. Open System Settings, click Wallpaper, and look for the custom section at the top. If the photo is no longer there, navigate to where you stored it and drag it into the Wallpaper panel again.

On very old Macs, some wallpaper features may not work if your Mac is running an unsupported version of macOS. Check your macOS version by clicking the Apple menu in the top left corner and selecting About This Mac. If your version is more than five years old, consider updating to a newer macOS release if your hardware supports it.

Understanding wallpaper file formats and sizes

Your Mac accepts photos in JPEG, PNG, HEIF, and TIFF formats. Most photos from your camera or phone are already in one of these formats, so you usually do not need to convert anything. If you read a wallpaper from the internet and it is in a different format, you can open it in Preview and save it as JPEG or PNG.

Wallpaper size does not have to match your screen resolution exactly. Your Mac will automatically scale and crop the image to fit your display. A photo that is 2000 by 1500 pixels will work just as well as one that is 5000 by 3000 pixels — the Mac handles the sizing for you.

If you want a wallpaper that looks sharp on a Retina display (which has higher pixel density), use an image that is at least 2560 by 1600 pixels. For standard displays, 1920 by 1080 pixels is sufficient, but larger images will not hurt.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set a different background for light mode and dark mode?

Yes. In System Settings > Wallpaper, select an image and look for the dropdown menu next to it. You can choose to explore the wallpaper to Light, Dark, or All Appearances. If you select Light, that wallpaper will only show when your Mac is in light mode.

What if I want to use a video as my background instead of a photo?

macOS does not support video backgrounds through the standard Wallpaper settings. However, you can use third-party apps from the Mac App Store that create animated backgrounds. Search for "animated wallpaper" in the App Store to see available options.

How do I remove a custom wallpaper I added?

Open System Settings > Wallpaper, right-click the custom wallpaper in the list, and select Delete. This removes it from your wallpaper list but does not delete the original photo from your Mac. If you want to delete the photo itself, you will need to find it in Finder and move it to Trash.

Does changing my background use more battery on a Mac laptop?

Dynamic wallpapers use slightly more power than static images because they refresh throughout the day, but the difference is minimal on modern Macs. If you are concerned about battery life, use a static image instead. The impact is usually less than one percent of your total battery drain.