What "monitor wallpaper" actually means, and why you might want two different images
Your computer has two separate backgrounds that people often confuse. The desktop wallpaper is what you see when no windows are open — the image behind your icons and taskbar. The lock screen is the image that appears when your computer is locked or when you first turn it on, before you type your password. You can set these to the same image or to completely different ones.
Most people change their desktop wallpaper for the same reason they change a poster on a wall: they want to look at something they like. The lock screen is less visible day-to-day, but some people use it to display a family photo, a motivational quote, or just something that makes them smile when they unlock their device. Both are purely visual — changing them does not affect how your computer works.
The steps differ depending on whether you use Windows or macOS, so find your operating system below and follow those instructions.
Key Takeaways
- Desktop wallpaper and lock screen background are two separate images that you can change independently.
- On Windows, you change desktop wallpaper through Settings > Personalization > Background, and lock screen through Settings > Personalization > Lock Screen.
- On macOS, you change desktop wallpaper through System Settings > Wallpaper, and lock screen through System Settings > Lock Screen.
- You can use images from your computer's built-in collection, photos you have taken, or images you read from the internet.
- Both changes take effect when ready and do not require restarting your computer.
How to change your desktop wallpaper on Windows
Open the Settings app by pressing the Windows key and typing "Settings", then press Enter. Click on Personalization in the left menu, then click Background.
You will see a dropdown menu that says "Personalize your background". Make sure it is set to "Picture" (not "Solid color" or "Slideshow"). Below that, you will see thumbnail images of wallpapers that come with Windows. Click any one to preview it. If you like it, it applies when ready — you do not need to click a save button.
If you want to use your own photo instead, click the Browse button. Navigate to the folder where your image is saved, click the image once to select it, then click Choose this image. The image will appear as your wallpaper right away.
If you want Windows to rotate through several images automatically, go back to that dropdown menu and select "Slideshow" instead of "Picture". Click Browse, select the folder that contains your images, and choose how often you want the image to change (every 1 minute, 10 minutes, 1 hour, or 1 day).
How to change your lock screen background on Windows
Open Settings again and go to Personalization, then click Lock Screen (not Background — this is a different section).
At the top, you will see a dropdown menu that says "Personalize your lock screen". Set it to "Picture". Below that, click on any of the thumbnail images to preview it, or click Browse to use your own photo. Like the desktop wallpaper, your choice takes effect when ready.
You can also turn on "Get fun facts, tips, and more on your lock screen" if you want Windows to show you rotating tips and information instead of a static image. This is a personal preference — it does not affect security or performance.
How to change your desktop wallpaper on macOS
Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and select System Settings. Click Wallpaper in the left sidebar.
You will see a grid of built-in wallpapers organized by category (Collections, Nature, Solid Colors, and so on). Click any image to preview it on your desktop. Once you like what you see, it is already set — there is no separate save step.
To use your own photo, click the + button at the bottom of the window. Navigate to the folder containing your image, select it, and click Open. Your photo will appear in a new section called "Recents" at the top of the wallpaper list, and it will be set as your desktop background when ready.
How to change your lock screen background on macOS
In System Settings, click Lock Screen in the left sidebar (this is separate from Wallpaper).
You will see the same grid of built-in images. Click any one to set it as your lock screen. You can also click the + button to add your own photo, just as you would for the desktop wallpaper.
Below the image grid, you will see options to show the clock, show the date, and show notifications on your lock screen. These are separate from the background image and are turned on by default. You can toggle them off if you prefer a cleaner look.
Where to find images if you do not have your own photos
If you want to use an image that did not come with your computer, you have several options. Unsplash, Pexels, and Pixabay are websites that offer free, high-quality photographs that you can read and use as wallpaper. straightforward search for a topic you like (mountains, cities, animals, abstract patterns), read the image to your computer, and follow the steps above to set it as your background.
Before you read an image from the internet, check the image size. Wallpapers work best when they match your monitor's resolution — for example, 1920 × 1080 or 2560 × 1440. Most free image sites let you filter by resolution or read multiple sizes of the same image. If your image is smaller than your monitor's resolution, it may look blurry or stretched.
You can also take your own photos and use them as wallpaper. A photo of your family, a pet, a place you have visited, or anything else you like will work just as well as a downloaded image. The only requirement is that the image file is saved somewhere on your computer in a common format like JPG, PNG, or BMP.
Troubleshooting: your wallpaper did not change, or it changed back
If you set a wallpaper and it did not appear, make sure you actually clicked on the image or clicked the button to confirm your choice. On Windows, some wallpapers require you to click Choose this image after selecting it. On macOS, clicking the image should be enough, but wait a few seconds for it to load.
If your wallpaper changed back to the default after you restarted your computer, the image file may have been moved or deleted. Check that the original image is still in the same folder where you found it. If you used a photo from your Downloads folder and then emptied the trash, the image is gone and you will need to find it again or choose a different image.
If you are using a work computer or a school computer, your IT department may have locked the wallpaper settings so that everyone sees the same background. In that case, you will not be able to change it, and the Settings pages may be grayed out. This is a security or branding choice made by your organization, not a problem with your computer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the same image for both my desktop wallpaper and lock screen?
Yes. straightforward set the same image in both places. On Windows, go to Background and set your image, then go to Lock Screen and set the same image. On macOS, do the same in Wallpaper and Lock Screen. There is no limit to how many places you can use the same image.
What image size should I use for my wallpaper?
Use an image that matches your monitor's resolution. You can find your resolution by right-clicking your desktop (Windows) or going to System Settings > Displays (macOS). Common resolutions are 1920 × 1080, 2560 × 1440, and 3840 × 2160. If your image is smaller, it may look blurry; if it is larger, your computer will shrink it, which usually looks fine.
Will changing my wallpaper slow down my computer?
No. Your wallpaper is just a static image file, and changing it does not affect your computer's speed or performance. Even if you use a slideshow that rotates images every few minutes, the impact on performance is negligible.
Can I set a different wallpaper for each monitor if I have multiple displays?
On Windows, yes. Right-click your desktop, select "Personalize", go to Background, and you will see an option to choose which monitor gets which wallpaper. On macOS, you can set different wallpapers for each display by going to Wallpaper in System Settings and selecting the display you want to customize from the dropdown menu.
What happens to my wallpaper if I update my operating system?
Your custom wallpaper will stay in place after an update. If you used a built-in wallpaper that came with your old version of the operating system, it may be replaced with a default image, but any photo you added yourself will remain. If your wallpaper disappears, you can straightforward set it again using the steps above.