The quickest way to change your Mac background

Open System Settings, click Wallpaper, pick a new image, and you are done. The whole process takes under a minute. Your Mac comes with dozens of built-in images, and you can also use any photo from your computer or read new ones from the internet.

If you have never done this before, the steps below walk you through exactly where to click and what to expect at each stage. The process is the same whether you have an older Mac or a brand-new one.

Key Takeaways

  • System Settings is where you change your background on any modern Mac — it is the first place to look, not a hidden menu.
  • You can use any photo stored on your Mac, including screenshots and photos from your phone, as long as it is saved to your computer.
  • If you want a different background on your lock screen than your desktop, you set them separately in the Wallpaper section.
  • Downloaded images go to your Downloads folder by default, so check there if you cannot find a photo you just saved from the internet.

Opening System Settings and finding Wallpaper

Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen. A dropdown list will appear. Near the top, you will see "System Settings" — click it. A new window opens showing your Mac's settings.

On the left side of the System Settings window, you will see a list of categories. Scroll down until you find "Wallpaper" and click it. The right side of the window now shows your current background and options to change it.

If you cannot find Wallpaper in the list, your Mac is older and uses System Preferences instead of System Settings. The process is almost identical: click the Apple menu, choose System Preferences, then look for Desktop & Screen Saver and click it. The rest of the steps work the same way.

Choosing a built-in image or your own photo

When you open Wallpaper, you see two tabs at the top: one for your desktop and one for your lock screen. Start with whichever you want to change first. Below the tabs, you will see rows of image collections — Dynamic, Light, Dark, and Collections.

Click any collection to see the images inside it. When you find one you like, click it once. Your background changes when ready. You do not need to click a Save button — the change happens right away.

If you want to use a photo you already have on your Mac, look for a button that says "Add" or a plus sign near the bottom of the Wallpaper window. Click it, then navigate to the folder where your photo is stored. Select the photo and click Open. Your Mac will add it to the list and set it as your background.

Using photos from your Downloads folder

When you read an image from the internet, it usually goes to your Downloads folder automatically. To use a downloaded image as your background, click the Add button in Wallpaper, then look for Downloads in the sidebar on the left of the file browser that opens.

Click Downloads, find your image in the list, click it once to select it, then click Open. The image is now set as your background. If you have many files in Downloads and cannot find your image, look at the file name or the date it was downloaded — the newest files appear at the top.

Setting different backgrounds for desktop and lock screen

At the top of the Wallpaper window, you see two tabs: one labeled with a desktop icon and one labeled with a lock screen icon. Click the lock screen tab to set a different image for the screen that appears when your Mac wakes up or when you log in.

The process is identical — choose a built-in image or add your own photo. You can have a calm, straightforward image on your lock screen and a busier one on your desktop, or vice versa. Each one is set independently, so changing one does not affect the other.

Troubleshooting when your photo will not appear

If you add a photo and it does not show up in the Wallpaper list, the file format might not be supported. Mac accepts JPG, PNG, HEIF, and TIFF files. If your photo is in a different format, you may need to convert it first using a free online converter or an app like Preview.

If you cannot find a photo you downloaded, check your Downloads folder by opening Finder, clicking Downloads in the sidebar, and looking for the file there. Downloaded files sometimes end up in unexpected places depending on your browser settings. Once you find it, you can drag it directly onto the Wallpaper window, and it will be set as your background.

If your background changes back to the default after you restart your Mac, the image file may have been moved or deleted. Keep photos you want to use as backgrounds in a permanent folder like Pictures rather than Downloads, which you might empty later.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a photo from my iPhone as my Mac background?

Yes. Connect your iPhone to your Mac, open Finder, click your iPhone in the sidebar, then navigate to Photos. Find the photo you want, drag it to your Mac's Desktop or Pictures folder, then use it in Wallpaper. Alternatively, you can email the photo to yourself and read it on your Mac.

What if I want to change my background automatically every day?

In the Wallpaper window, look for an option that says "Change picture" with a dropdown menu. Click it and choose how often you want the background to change — every day, every hour, or when you wake your Mac. Your Mac will cycle through images in the collection you selected.

Can I use a screenshot as my background?

Yes. Screenshots are saved as PNG files, which Mac accepts. Take a screenshot using Command-Shift-4 or Command-Shift-5, find it on your Desktop or in your Downloads folder, then add it to Wallpaper the same way you would any other photo.

Why does my background look blurry or stretched?

This usually happens when the image is much smaller or a different shape than your screen. Mac stretches small images to fit, which makes them blurry. Use a photo that is at least 1920 by 1080 pixels for the best result, or look for images labeled as "high resolution" or "4K."