The fastest way to change your Mac background
Open System Settings, click Wallpaper in the left sidebar, then select a new image from the gallery or upload your own. The change takes effect when ready across all your displays. If you want different backgrounds on multiple monitors, you can set them separately in the same menu.
The whole process takes less than a minute. You do not need to restart your Mac or install anything—just pick an image and you are done.
Key Takeaways
- System Settings > Wallpaper is the only place you need to go; there is no alternative menu or hidden setting.
- You can use Apple's built-in image library, a photo from your Mac, or any image file saved on your computer.
- If you have multiple monitors, each one can have its own background, and you set them all in the same Wallpaper menu.
- Your background choice syncs across devices if you use iCloud, so changing it on your Mac may change it on your iPhone and iPad too.
Opening System Settings and finding Wallpaper
Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen, then select System Settings. On the left sidebar, scroll down until you see Wallpaper and click it. You will see your current background displayed at the top, with a gallery of options below.
If you are using an older Mac with macOS Monterey or earlier, the menu is called System Preferences instead of System Settings, but the Wallpaper option is in the same place. The steps are identical.
Choosing from Apple's built-in image library
The Wallpaper menu shows several categories: Dynamic, Light, Dark, and Collections. Click any category to see the images inside. Hover over an image to preview it on your screen, then click it to set it as your background.
Dynamic backgrounds change throughout the day—for example, Big Sur shows different lighting at sunrise, midday, and sunset. Light and Dark backgrounds stay the same but are designed to work well with your Mac's appearance setting. Collections include nature scenes, abstract designs, and Apple-branded images. Pick whichever appeals to you; you can change it again anytime.
Using your own photos as a background
To use a photo from your Mac, click the plus button (+) at the bottom of the Wallpaper window. A file browser opens. Navigate to the folder where your photo is stored—usually Pictures—select the image, and click Open. Your photo becomes the new background when ready.
You can also drag a photo directly from Finder into the Wallpaper window. If you have multiple photos you like, you can add them all and then click one to make it active. Your Mac remembers all of them, so switching between your favorites takes one click.
Setting different backgrounds on multiple monitors
If you have two or more displays connected to your Mac, the Wallpaper menu shows a thumbnail for each one. Click the thumbnail of the display you want to change, then pick a new background. Repeat for each display. Each monitor can have a completely different image, or you can use the same one on all of them.
When you disconnect a monitor, your Mac remembers the background you chose for it. If you reconnect it later, that same background reappears on that display.
Understanding iCloud sync and background changes
If you are signed into iCloud on your Mac, your background choice may sync to your iPhone and iPad. This means changing your background on your Mac could change it on your other Apple devices too. If you want to keep different backgrounds on different devices, you can turn off syncing in System Settings > General > AirDrop & Handoff, though this affects other settings as well.
If you do not want your background to sync at all, the simplest approach is to set different images on each device and let them stay that way. iCloud only syncs the background you choose; it does not force all devices to match.
Troubleshooting when your background will not change
If you click a new background and nothing happens, try closing System Settings completely and opening it again. Sometimes the menu needs to refresh. If you are using a photo from an external drive, make sure that drive is still connected—if you eject it, your Mac may revert to a default background.
If a photo you uploaded is very large (over 100 MB), your Mac may take a few seconds to process it. Wait a moment and check again. If the background still does not change after a minute, try restarting your Mac. This solves the problem in nearly all cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a video as my Mac background?
No. macOS only supports still images as backgrounds. You can use Dynamic wallpapers, which change throughout the day, but you cannot use a video file. If you want moving imagery, some third-party apps offer screensavers, which play when your Mac is idle but do not replace the background.
What image formats does Mac accept for backgrounds?
Mac accepts JPEG, PNG, HEIF, and TIFF files. Most photos from your camera or phone are already in one of these formats. If you have an image in a different format (like BMP or GIF), you can convert it using Preview or a free online converter before setting it as your background.
Will changing my background slow down my Mac?
No. Your background image has no effect on your Mac's speed or performance. Even very large or high-resolution images do not cause slowdowns. The only thing that matters is that your Mac can read the file format.
Can I schedule my background to change automatically?
Yes, but only with Apple's Dynamic wallpapers, which change on their own throughout the day. If you want to rotate through multiple custom photos on a schedule, you will need a third-party app from the Mac App Store. System Settings does not have a built-in scheduling feature for user-uploaded images.
What happens to my background if I update macOS?
Your background choice is preserved during a macOS update. If you are using a photo you uploaded, it stays. If you are using an Apple wallpaper and that wallpaper is removed in a new version of macOS (rare), your Mac switches to a default background, but you can pick a new one when ready.