Tired of staring at the same Mac wallpaper every day? Whether you’re looking to uplift your mood, personalize your setup, or just switch things up a bit, changing your wallpaper is an easy way to refresh your screen. And the good news? macOS gives you plenty of ways to do it—from built-in options, setting up custom photos, Live Wallpapers to even auto-rotating wallpapers that change automatically throughout the day. Here’s a complete guide to help you out.
Set a default Apple wallpaper on Mac
Follow these steps to pick a wallpaper from macOS’s built-in options:
- Click the Apple icon in the top-left corner of the screen and select System Settings. You can also launch System Settings by clicking its icon in the Dock.
- Scroll down and select Wallpaper in the sidebar. You will see wallpapers from Apple in various categories like Pictures, Landscape, Cityscape, Underwater, Earth, etc. You can also pick solid colors and dynamic wallpapers from here.
- Just click any image to instantly apply it to your desktop.
If you use virtual desktops, enable the toggle beside Show on all Spaces to set the same wallpaper for all virtual desktops. Otherwise, you can choose a different wallpaper for each space.
On macOS Monterey or earlier: Go to System Preferences > Desktop & Screen Saver, then select an Apple option from the sidebar to browse and apply wallpapers provided by Apple.
Change your Mac wallpaper to a custom image
If you want to apply your personal photo or any custom image as your wallpaper on your Mac, you can do so using these steps:
- Launch System Settings, scroll down, and click Wallpaper in the sidebar.
- Click the Add Photo option at the top and choose:
- From Photos to browse and find a photo in the Photos app library.
- Choose to pick an image from Finder.
- Beside the picture thumbnail at the top, you will see a bunch of options: Fill Screen, Fit to Screen, Stretch to Fill Screen, and Center. Try these to see how the wallpaper fits the screen.
To remove a custom wallpaper, apply a different wallpaper, hover over the custom one, and click the X (cross button).
Set a wallpaper from Finder, Photos, or Safari
Alternatively, you can also set a custom image as a wallpaper like this:
- In Finder, find the image you want to set as a wallpaper, right-click it, and select Set Desktop Picture.
- In the Photos app, select the photo you want to use as a wallpaper, click the Share button, and then select Set Wallpaper.
- Apple also lets you set an image you find on Safari as your Mac’s wallpaper. In Safari, right-click on the image, and select Use Image as Desktop Wallpaper to set it without downloading it first.
Make your Mac’s wallpaper change automatically
Want your desktop to look different every time you see it? Here’s how to set up auto-rotating wallpapers:
- Go to System Settings.
- Scroll down and click Wallpaper in the sidebar.
- In wallpaper settings, click on Add Folder or Album.
- Click Choose Folder.
- Select a folder with multiple images. It will be added as a category.
- Click on the first image with rotating arrows on it.
- Choose how often you want the wallpapers to change with the appropriate option: Every Day, Every Hour, Every 5 Seconds, On Wake, or On Login).
This works great if you have a folder of travel photos, nature shots, or your own curated wallpaper collection. If you have an album in Apple Photos, you can directly select it from the drop-down.
Bonus: Set different wallpapers for different displays
If you’re using more than one display with your Mac, here’s how to set a unique wallpaper for each display:
- Go to System Settings > Wallpaper.
- Your screens will be listed separately at the top. Select the display you want to customize.
- Choose a different wallpaper for each one.
Changing your wallpaper might seem like a trivial thing, but it can make your Mac feel brand new. Whether you stick with Apple’s visuals or bring in your own, customizing your desktop is a great way to make your space your own.
Give your Mac a personal touch
A new wallpaper won’t speed up your Mac or boost its battery, but it will definitely change how it feels to use. It’s a small tweak that adds a personal touch to your daily setup. So go ahead, try out a few, rotate them, or set your own photo. Your desktop deserves a little makeover now and then.
FAQs
You might be under admin restrictions (like in schools or offices), or the wallpaper might not have downloaded yet. Try waiting or restarting your Mac.
macOS only supports animated wallpapers on the Lock Screen. To use videos, try third-party apps like iWallpaper or Paper.
Check out Unsplash, Pexels, or Wallhaven for high-quality wallpapers. You can also explore our curated collection of aesthetic Mac wallpapers.
Yes! Apple’s Dynamic Wallpapers adapt based on Light or Dark mode—look for them in the Dynamic section.
macOS will switch to a default or blank wallpaper. You can always set a new one anytime.
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