The quickest way to change your home screen picture
On most phones and computers, you can change your home screen picture—called the wallpaper—in under a minute. The exact steps depend on whether you use an iPhone, Android phone, Windows computer, or Mac. Each device has a settings menu where you can pick a new image from your device's photo library, use a built-in design, or upload a picture you've downloaded.
You do not need any special software or permission. The picture you choose stays on your device and does not affect how your device works. You can change it back anytime.
Key Takeaways
- iPhone users open Settings, tap Display & Brightness, then Wallpaper to choose from built-in designs or photos in your library.
- Android users typically open Settings, find Display or Home Screen, and select Wallpaper to pick a new image.
- Windows computer users right-click the desktop, choose Personalize, then Background to upload or select a picture.
- Mac users open System Settings, click Wallpaper, and drag a photo from their library onto the preview.
- You can use any photo stored on your device, or read free images from websites and save them first.
How to change your home screen on iPhone
Open the Settings app on your iPhone. Scroll down and tap Display & Brightness. Then tap Wallpaper. You will see a button that says "Add New Wallpaper" or a plus sign—tap it.
You now have two choices. Tap Photos to pick a picture you already have saved on your phone, or tap one of the built-in collections (like Nature, Flowers, or Abstract) to use a design Apple provides. Once you choose an image, you can move it around or zoom in and out by pinching the screen. When it looks right, tap Add at the bottom, then choose whether to set it as your lock screen, home screen, or both.
If you want to use a picture from the internet, open Safari or your web browser, find the image you want, press and hold it, then tap Save Image. It will go into your Photos app, and you can follow the steps above to set it as your wallpaper.
How to change your home screen on Android
The steps vary slightly depending on your phone brand (Samsung, Google Pixel, OnePlus, etc.), but the basic path is the same. Open Settings, then look for Display, Home Screen, or Wallpaper. Tap Wallpaper or Set Wallpaper.
You will see options to choose from built-in wallpapers, pictures in your Photos app, or other sources. Select the image you want, adjust it if needed, then tap Set Wallpaper or explore. Some phones let you set different pictures for your lock screen and home screen; others use the same image for both.
If you cannot find the wallpaper option in Settings, try long-pressing (holding your finger down) on an empty area of your home screen. A menu should appear with options including Wallpaper. Tap it and follow the same steps.
How to change your desktop background on Windows
Right-click on an empty area of your desktop (anywhere with no icons or windows open). A menu will pop up. Click Personalize. This opens the Settings app to the Personalization section.
Click Background in the left menu. Under "Personalize your background," you will see a dropdown that says Picture, Solid color, or Slideshow. Make sure Picture is selected. Below that, you can click Browse to upload a photo from your computer, or click one of the recommended images Windows shows you. Once you pick an image, it appears on your desktop right away.
If you want to use a picture from the internet, read it to your computer first (right-click the image and choose Save image as). Then follow the steps above and click Browse to find the file you just saved.
How to change your desktop background on Mac
Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner, then click System Settings (or System Preferences on older Macs). Click Wallpaper in the sidebar. You will see thumbnails of built-in wallpapers and folders like Desktop Pictures and Recent.
Click any folder to see the images inside. Once you find one you like, click it once to set it as your background. The change happens when ready. If you want to use your own photo, open Finder, locate the photo, and drag it onto the wallpaper preview in System Settings. You can also click the plus sign (+) at the bottom to browse your computer for a file.
Using photos from the internet as your wallpaper
Many websites offer free wallpapers you can read. Sites like Unsplash, Pexels, and Pixabay let you search for images and read them at no cost. Once you read an image, it goes into your Downloads folder (on computer) or Photos app (on phone).
On your phone, open the image in your web browser, press and hold it, and tap Save Image or Save Photo. On your computer, right-click the image and choose Save image as, then pick where you want to save it. After that, follow the wallpaper-setting steps for your device.
Make sure the image is large enough for your screen. A picture that is too small will look blurry or stretched. Most phones need images at least 1080 pixels wide; most computer monitors need at least 1920 pixels wide. The website where you read usually shows the image size.
Troubleshooting common wallpaper problems
If your new wallpaper does not appear after you set it, try restarting your device. On phones, hold the power button and slide to power off, then turn it back on. On computers, click the Apple or Windows menu and choose Restart.
If the image looks stretched or cut off, you may need to adjust it before setting it. Most devices let you pinch, zoom, or drag the image to center it the way you want. If the image file is corrupted or in an unsupported format, try downloading it again or choosing a different image.
On Android, if you cannot find the wallpaper option in Settings, check whether your phone manufacturer added a custom launcher. You may need to long-press the home screen instead and look for a Wallpaper option in the menu that appears.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a video or animated image as my wallpaper?
Some phones and computers support live wallpapers or animated backgrounds, but it depends on your device. iPhones can use live wallpapers through the Wallpaper menu in Settings. Android phones often support them through third-party apps. Windows and Mac typically only support still images as desktop backgrounds.
Will changing my wallpaper slow down my device?
No. A wallpaper is just a picture file that sits in the background. It does not use extra power or memory once it is set. Animated or live wallpapers use slightly more battery on phones, but a regular still image has no effect on performance.
What size should my wallpaper image be?
For phones, aim for at least 1080 pixels wide. For computer monitors, 1920 pixels wide is a good minimum. You can check an image's size by right-clicking it and looking at Properties (Windows) or Get Info (Mac). Larger images look sharper, but anything bigger than your screen's resolution will not make a difference.
Can I set different wallpapers for different times of day?
On Mac, you can set up a slideshow that rotates through multiple images. On Windows, you can do the same by choosing Slideshow instead of Picture in the Background settings. Most phones do not have a built-in scheduling feature, but some Android phones let you use third-party apps for this.
What if I want to go back to the original wallpaper?
You can always set a new wallpaper over the old one. On iPhones and Android phones, go back to the Wallpaper menu and pick a built-in design. On Windows and Mac, choose one of the default wallpapers that came with your device. Your original wallpaper is still available in the built-in collections.