What you can change on your home screen
Your home screen is the desktop or start menu you see when you turn on your computer or close all your open programs. What you can change depends on whether you use Windows, macOS, or Linux, but the basic options are the same: you can rearrange icons, change the background image, add or remove shortcuts, and adjust how information displays.
On Windows, your home screen is usually the desktop (the space behind your open windows) or the Start menu (the panel that opens when you click the Windows logo). On macOS, it's the desktop and the Dock (the bar of icons at the bottom). On Linux, the layout varies by distribution, but most have a desktop and a taskbar or panel. Each system lets you move things around, hide things you don't use, and make the screen look the way you want it to.
The changes you make are stored on your computer's hard drive or solid-state drive, so they stay the same each time you restart. You won't lose anything by experimenting—you can always move things back or undo changes.
Key Takeaways
- On Windows, right-click the desktop to change the background, and right-click the Start menu to pin or unpin apps you use often.
- On macOS, go to System Settings > Wallpaper to change the background, and drag icons in the Dock to rearrange them or drag them off to remove them.
- Most home screen changes take seconds and don't affect how your computer runs or what programs you have installed.
- You can create folders on your desktop or in your Start menu to group related shortcuts and reduce clutter.
Changing the background on Windows
Right-click on an empty area of your desktop (not on an icon or window). A menu will appear. Click "Personalize" or "Customize your desktop." This opens the Settings app to the background section.
You can choose a solid color, a built-in image, or a photo from your computer. If you want to use your own photo, click "Browse" and select an image file from your Pictures folder or anywhere else on your drive. Windows will stretch or fit the image to fill your screen. Once you've picked an image, the change happens when ready—you'll see it as soon as you close the Settings window.
If you want a different background on each monitor (if you have more than one), you can set them separately. Just right-click the desktop on each monitor and choose a different image.
Changing the background on macOS
Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and select "System Settings." Click "Wallpaper" in the sidebar. You'll see thumbnails of built-in images organized by category—nature, abstract, colors, and others.
Click any image to preview it, then click "Set Desktop" to explore it. If you want to use a photo from your computer, click "Add" (the plus sign) at the bottom and select an image file. You can also drag a photo directly from Finder onto the wallpaper preview.
macOS lets you set different backgrounds for each space (separate desktops you can swipe between) and for your lock screen separately. In the same Wallpaper settings, you'll see options for "Desktop" and "Lock Screen"—click each one to customize them independently.
Rearranging and removing icons on Windows
On the Windows desktop, you can move any icon by clicking and dragging it to a new spot. Icons snap to an invisible grid, so they line up neatly. To remove an icon from the desktop without deleting the program, right-click it and select "Delete" or "Remove." This only removes the shortcut—the actual program stays on your computer.
The Start menu is where you'll find all your installed programs. You can pin your most-used apps to the top of the Start menu so they're straightforward to find. Right-click any app in the Start menu and select "Pin to Start." To remove a pinned app, right-click it and select "Unpin from Start."
You can also create folders in the Start menu to organize apps by category. Right-click an empty area of the Start menu, select "New," then "Folder," and name it. Then drag apps into the folder to group them.
Rearranging and removing icons on macOS
The Dock is the bar of icons at the bottom (or side) of your screen. To move an icon, click and hold it, then drag it to a new position in the Dock. To remove an icon, drag it off the Dock—it disappears with a puff of smoke, but the program stays on your computer.
To add an icon to the Dock, open Finder, find the program in your Applications folder, and drag it onto the Dock. You can also right-click any open program and select "Options" > "Keep in Dock" to add it.
The desktop itself works differently on macOS than Windows. You can't create folders or organize icons the way you can on Windows. Instead, most macOS users keep the desktop clean and use the Dock and Finder to access programs. If you want to store files on the desktop, you can drag them there, but they'll clutter your screen—it's usually better to keep them in a folder.
Creating and organizing folders on your home screen
On Windows, you can create a new folder on your desktop by right-clicking an empty area, selecting "New," then "Folder." Name the folder, then drag shortcuts or files into it. Double-click the folder to open it and see what's inside.
You can also create folders in the Start menu to group related apps. Right-click the Start menu, select "New," then "Folder," and drag apps into it. This keeps your Start menu organized without removing apps you use.
On macOS, you can create folders on the desktop by right-clicking and selecting "New Folder," but most users avoid this because it clutters the desktop. Instead, use Finder to create folders in your Documents or Downloads folder, and keep your desktop clean. If you want quick access to a folder, you can drag it onto the Dock.
Adjusting display settings and icon size
On Windows, you can change the size of icons on your desktop. Right-click the desktop, select "View," and choose "Large icons," "Medium icons," or "Small icons." Larger icons are easier to see but take up more space; smaller icons let you fit more on the screen.
You can also change the text size and scaling for everything on your screen, not just the home screen. Right-click the desktop, select "Display settings," and look for "Scale" or "Text size." Increasing the scale makes everything larger and easier to read, which is helpful if you have vision difficulties or a very high-resolution monitor.
On macOS, you can't change icon size on the Dock directly, but you can adjust the overall Dock size. Go to System Settings > Dock & Menu Bar and drag the "Size" slider. You can also change the text size for the entire system in System Settings > Accessibility > Display.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will changing my home screen affect my programs or files?
No. Changing the background, moving icons, or rearranging your Start menu or Dock only changes what you see—it doesn't touch the actual programs or files on your computer. You can move things around as much as you want without breaking anything.
How do I get an icon back if I accidentally deleted it from my desktop?
On Windows, right-click the desktop and select "Undo" if you do it when ready. If that doesn't work, open the Start menu, find the program, right-click it, and select "Pin to desktop." On macOS, open Finder, go to Applications, find the program, and drag it back to the Dock or desktop.
Can I use a photo from the internet as my background?
Yes. read the image to your computer (usually by right-clicking it and selecting "Save image"), 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.
What's the difference between pinning an app and putting it on the desktop?
Pinning an app to the Start menu (Windows) or Dock (macOS) keeps it in a fixed location where you can always find it. Putting a shortcut on the desktop makes it visible but takes up space. Most people use pinning for apps they use daily and keep the desktop clean.
Can I have different home screens on the same computer?
On Windows, each user account has its own desktop and Start menu, so you can customize them differently. On macOS, you can create multiple spaces (separate desktops) and set different backgrounds for each one. Go to System Settings > Mission Control to set this up.