How To Change Your Background On A Mac

Download Article

You lot can gear up your Mac's desktop background to any epitome saved to a common epitome format. This simply takes a 2d from Finder, Safari, or Photos. Use System Preferences instead if you want more command over the display.

1
Right click the image file. This is the fastest way to prepare the background. Just locate the epitome in Finder and right-click the folder.
- On a one-push mouse, hold down Control and click to "correct click."
2

Set Desktop Film. Select this option at the bottom of the correct-click driblet-downwardly menu. Your desktop should change automatically, though it may take a second for a high-resolution image.

Advertisement
3

Set a picture from Safari. If you see an image you similar while browsing in Safari, right-click it and choose Set Desktop Picture.^[i]
4

View more options. If you want to browse all images on your estimator, including default desktop backgrounds, continue on to the System Preferences section. If you desire to tweak the appearance of your wallpaper, skip down to the display options department below.

Advertising

1

Open up System Preferences. Click the apple icon in the pinnacle menu bar and select System Preferences. You can also admission Organization Preferences from the Applications binder.
2
Select Desktop & Screen Saver. This is located in the commencement row.
- If this takes you lot to Screen Saver options, click the Desktop tab before y'all continue.
iii
Choose a folder from the left pane. The folders under the word "Apple" contain images that came with your Mac. Click a folder, and the images within it will appear in the correct pane. You lot may also see other categories too Apple, including the "Photos" or "iPhoto" category that contains the photos in that application.
- If you don't see your photos, proceed reading to find out how to add together them.
4
Select an image. Once yous see an image y'all similar, click it in the right pane. Your desktop should change immediately.
- If y'all don't similar the positioning or size of your epitome, read near display options below.
5
Add a folder to the listing. Click the small + icon just beneath the left pane. In the pop up window, select a binder that contains images. This will add together that folder to the left pane.
- Information technology's not always easy to find your iPhoto or Photos folder. Use the method below if y'all're having trouble.
6
Troubleshoot missing photos. If the picture you lot're looking for does not announced on the list, save it to a different paradigm format in the same folder. You may need to separate photos with dissimilar file formats into split folders.
- To modify formats, open up the image in Preview or some other image viewing programme. Use File → Save As and select JPEG, PICT, TIFF, or PNG.
Advertisement

one
Open your photograph awarding. This method describes the process for Photos and iPhoto.^[2] Other photograph applications may non have this pick.
- This process has been confirmed for iPhoto ix.5 and later. Older versions of iPhoto may accept a different user interface.
2
Select the photograph. This photograph must be saved to your computer, not stored in an iCloud library or on a camera. You tin can drag it to your desktop to save information technology.
- On some versions of the awarding, you may select multiple photos, or an entire anthology. This will cause your desktop to cycle through all selected images.
iii
Make it your desktop using the Share button. Click the Share button in the top right corner. (This looks like a box with a vertical arrow.) Select "Set Desktop Picture."
- Continue on to display options if yous'd like to tweak how the prototype fits your screen.
4
Access the original file. Some users prefer to move all their desktop pictures to ane folder, and manage them from System Preferences. You can "drag and drop" the photograph to your desktop to make a copy, merely this may lower the quality. Try this instead:
- In Photos, select the epitome you desire, then choose File → Consign → Export Unmodified Original .^[3]
- In iPhoto, right-click ( Control -click) on the paradigm and select "Testify File" to reveal the file in Finder. Alternatively, use File → Reveal in Finder → Original.^[4]
Advertisement

1

Open the Desktop preferences screen. Open up Arrangement Preferences and select Desktop & Screensaver, followed past the Desktop tab.
2
Alter how the image fits the screen. The driblet-downward menu above the image pane sets the position of the paradigm on the screen. Hither'due south how each option works:
- Fill screen: Enlarges photo until screen is covered. This will cut off function of the photo if its size ratio is different from your screen.
- Fit to screen: Enlarges photo to fill the summit of the screen. Narrow photos will have black borders on either side. Broad photos will have the sides cut off.
- Stretch to fill screen: Distorts photo to fill up unabridged screen with no cut offs.
- Center: Places photo in center of screen surrounded past a solid color.
- Tile: Repeats image in filigree to fill screen. In Bone ten.7 or after, you lot can only cull images with resolution lower than your screen.^[v]Shrink big images if y'all want to tile them.
- If y'all cull an selection that doesn't fill the screen, a push button will appear to the right of the drop-downwards menu. Click this to change the color of the border.
3
Plow your desktop into a slideshow. Nether the paradigm pane, check "Modify motion-picture show" to cycle betwixt all images in the selected folder. Alter how often the picture show changes with the drop-down menu.
- By default, this volition cycle in the social club the images are placed in the binder. Check "Random social club" to modify this.
4
Change the menu bar advent. Check "Translucent menu bar" if you want the groundwork visible "backside" the top carte du jour bar. Uncheck information technology if yous adopt an opaque bar.
- This option is non bachelor for all computers.
Advert

Add New Question

Question

I seem to take slid my wallpaper dorsum to an earlier pick. How do I get my current option back?

Go to the "Apple" logo on the top of your screen. From at that place, go to "Organisation Preferences." From in that location, go to "Desktop and Screen Saver," and choose any desktop wallpaper you want.
Question

Every time I restart my computer, the background returns to the default setting. How can I make my changes stick?

Endeavour turning off automatic login in System Preferences (through Users & Groups or Account, depending on your OS X version). You may need to click the lock and enter an admin password get-go. If this doesn't fix the trouble, post on the apple support forums and someone will guide yous through some more advanced solutions.

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Video

On some versions of Mac Os 10, images in the Desktop Pictures folder can merely exist displayed every bit "Fit to Screen." If you want to change it to a unlike brandish, move it to a different folder. The Desktop Pictures folder is located in Macintosh HD → Library.
Apple tree recommends using photos at least 1024 x 768 pixels in size.

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Advert