How to Change Your Mac Wallpaper

  1. 1

    Open System Settings → Wallpaper

    Click the Apple menu → System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS). Click Wallpaper in the sidebar. All available wallpaper options are displayed.

  2. 2

    Browse and select a wallpaper

    Scroll through Apple’s built-in categories: Dynamic Desktop (shifts with time of day), Desktop Pictures, Colours and Gradients, and more. Click any image to set it immediately — you can see a live preview on your desktop as you hover over options.

  3. 3

    Use your own photo

    Scroll to the top of the Wallpaper settings and click the + button (or Add Photo). Navigate to the photo or folder on your Mac. Select the image and it appears as a wallpaper option. Click it to apply.

Quicker Method — Right-Click in Finder

Find any image file in Finder. Right-click on it → select Set Desktop Picture. The image is applied as your wallpaper immediately without opening System Settings.

Set Wallpaper from Photos App

Open the Photos app → select a photo → File → Share → Set Desktop Picture.

Different Wallpapers on Multiple Desktops

Mac supports multiple desktop spaces (Mission Control). Each space can have its own wallpaper. Switch to the desktop space you want to customise, then set the wallpaper as above — the change applies only to that space.

Dynamic Desktop wallpapersDynamic Desktop wallpapers automatically change throughout the day — showing a daytime version during the day and a darker version at night, synced to your location’s sunrise and sunset. Enable by selecting one of the Dynamic Desktop options in Wallpaper settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

In Wallpaper settings, when your own photo is selected, a dropdown appears with options: Fill Screen (crops to fit), Fit to Screen (letterboxes), Stretch to Fill Screen, Centre, and Tile. Fill Screen is best for most landscape photos. For portrait photos or photos with important edges, Fit to Screen preserves the whole image.
Yes — in Wallpaper settings, add a folder of photos using the + button. Select the folder in your wallpaper list. A Change Every option appears below — set it to change every 30 minutes, hour, day, or when you wake your Mac. The wallpaper cycles through all images in the folder.