What you can change on your computer's home screen
Your computer's home screen — called the desktop on Windows or the desktop on Mac — is the background image and layout you see when you start up or minimize all your open windows. You can change the background picture, rearrange icons, add shortcuts, and adjust how your screen looks without affecting any programs or files. The steps differ between Windows and Mac, and the exact menu names depend on which version you have.
Most changes take less than a minute and require no special software or restart. If you share a computer with other people, each user account can have its own home screen look, so changes you make won't affect anyone else's view.
Key Takeaways
- On Windows 10 or 11, right-click the desktop background and select "Personalize" to change the wallpaper, colors, and lock screen image.
- On Mac, go to System Settings, then Wallpaper, and choose from built-in images or upload your own photo.
- You can add desktop shortcuts by dragging files or programs to your desktop, or by right-clicking and creating a shortcut.
- Changing your home screen appearance does not affect your files, programs, or system settings — only what you see.
- If you forget how to undo a change, you can always reset to the default background or rearrange icons back to their original positions.
Changing the background on Windows 10 and 11
Right-click anywhere on your desktop background where there are no icons. A menu will pop up. Select "Personalize" at the bottom of that menu. This opens the Settings window to the Personalization section.
On the left side of the Personalization window, click "Background." You will see three options: "Picture," "Solid color," or "Slideshow." If you choose "Picture," Windows shows you a gallery of built-in images. Click any image to preview it, then click it again to set it as your background. If you want to use your own photo, click "Browse" and navigate to the folder where your image is saved, then select it.
If you choose "Solid color," you get a list of colors to pick from. If you choose "Slideshow," Windows will rotate through a folder of images at an interval you set. Once you have made your choice, close the Settings window — your change takes effect when ready.
Changing the background on Mac
Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen, then select "System Settings" (on newer Macs) or "System Preferences" (on older ones). In the search bar at the top, type "Wallpaper" and click the result that appears.
You will see a grid of built-in wallpapers organized by category — Dynamic, Light, Dark, and Collections. Click any image to preview it on your desktop. If you like it, it becomes your background automatically. To use your own photo, click "Add" (or the plus sign) at the bottom, navigate to your photo file, and select it. You can also drag a photo directly into the wallpaper window.
On Mac, you can set different wallpapers for your desktop and your lock screen. In the same Wallpaper window, look for tabs or options that let you choose which one you are changing.
Adding shortcuts and rearranging icons on your desktop
To add a shortcut to a program or file on your desktop, find it in File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac), right-click it, and select "Create shortcut" (Windows) or "Make Alias" (Mac). The shortcut appears on your desktop and opens the original file or program when you double-click it.
Alternatively, you can drag a file or program directly onto your desktop. On Windows, this usually creates a shortcut automatically. On Mac, hold down Command and Option while dragging to create an alias; dragging without those keys may move the file itself rather than create a shortcut.
To rearrange icons, straightforward click and drag them to a new spot on your desktop. On Windows, right-click the desktop and select "View" to choose whether icons snap to a grid or arrange freely. On Mac, right-click the desktop and select "Sort by" to organize icons by name, date, size, or kind.
Adjusting accent colors and theme on Windows
In the Personalization settings (right-click desktop, select "Personalize"), click "Colors" on the left side. Here you can choose between Light, Dark, or Auto mode. You can also pick an accent color that Windows uses for buttons, links, and highlights throughout your system.
Scroll down to see more options: you can choose whether to explore your accent color to the taskbar and title bars, and whether to show transparency effects. These changes affect how menus and windows look across your entire computer, not just the desktop background.
Changing the lock screen image on Windows and Mac
On Windows, the lock screen is what you see before you type your password. To change it, go to Settings, click "Personalization," then click "Lock screen" on the left. Select "Picture" or "Slideshow," then choose an image the same way you would for your desktop background.
On Mac, the lock screen is the same as your wallpaper — changing one changes the other. Some Mac users also set a screensaver, which is different: go to System Settings, click "Screen Saver," and choose an animation or image that plays when your computer is idle for a set time.
Resetting to the default home screen
If you want to go back to the original background that came with your computer, the process is straightforward. On Windows, go to Personalization > Background, scroll to the top of the picture gallery, and select the default Windows image (usually a blue or green landscape). On Mac, go to System Settings > Wallpaper and select one of the built-in Dynamic or Light images.
If you have rearranged desktop icons and want to restore their original positions, right-click the desktop on Windows and select "View" > "Auto arrange icons." On Mac, right-click the desktop and select "Sort by" > "Name" to organize them alphabetically in the default layout.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a photo from the internet as my desktop background?
Yes. Right-click the image on a website, select "Save image as," choose where to save it, then follow the steps above to set it as your background. Make sure you have permission to use the image — many photos online are copyrighted.
Will changing my home screen affect my files or programs?
No. Changing the background, rearranging icons, or adjusting colors only changes what you see on the desktop. Your files, programs, and system settings remain exactly the same.
What if I accidentally deleted a desktop icon?
If you deleted a shortcut, you can recreate it by finding the original file or program and making a new shortcut. If you deleted the original file, check your Recycle Bin (Windows) or Trash (Mac) to restore it.
Can different user accounts have different home screens?
Yes. Each user account on your computer has its own desktop background and icon layout. Changes you make only affect your account, not anyone else's.
How do I make my desktop background change automatically?
On Windows, choose "Slideshow" instead of "Picture" in the Background settings, then select a folder of images and set how often you want them to change. On Mac, some built-in wallpapers labeled "Dynamic" change throughout the day automatically.