How to Change Your MacBook Wallpaper Easily (A Guide)

If you want to change your MacBook wallpaper easily, we will show you how. If you want to customize your MacBook to match your personality and interests, one of the best ways to do it is to change your wallpaper. Because nothing else screams ownership and individuality than having a personal wallpaper appear on your screen, with that in mind, it allows us to show you the step-by-step process for customizing your MacBook wallpaper.

How to Change Your MacBook Wallpaper Easily

Devices operating on Mac generally offer fewer customization options compared to Windows-based devices. Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean you are left with no options to customize your MacBook user experience. Like other laptops, you can customize your experience on the MacBook, and you can start by changing your wallpaper.

A wallpaper has both a practical and symbolic purpose. It lets you mark your computer like yours, so you can easily recognize it from among a sea of computers. In some cases, it might even discourage other people from messing with your files. On a more personal note, a wallpaper may remind you of people you value and motivate you to achieve your goals.

Most computers allow you to set any photo as your wallpaper for as long as it matches the size and file format requirements of the device. MacBooks are no different, and they allow you to select a photo from your file or stock images and set them as your wallpaper.

Allow us to walk you through some steps for changing your desktop wallpaper. Note that the steps will apply to all versions of macOS, including both old and new configurations. It must also be noted that all wallpapers act as the lock screen background.

If you are using a MacBook Pro in particular, you may consider reading this guide on how to speed up MacBook Pro quickly within 10 minutes. You may also want to learn a few tricks about the MacBook touch bar that you may want to know.

If you’re looking for wallpapers, visit Wallpapers.com and spice up your desktop with HD wallpapers.

How to Change Your MacBook Wallpaper Using Stock Wallpaper

Like most operating systems, the MacBook has a series of stock images you can use as wallpaper. Suppose you’re not very particular about your photo or are using a company-owned laptop. In that case, you’re probably better off using a stock photo. Here are the steps:

1. Select the Apple logo from the screen’s upper left-hand corner, followed by System Preferences.
2. Click on the Desktop and Preferences option. You can select a photo from stock wallpapers or choose a photo from within your photo library.
3. Look for and select the Desktop Pictures option under the Apple sidebar.
4. The photos should be readily displayed on the toolbar, and you need to select a photo to use as your wallpaper. Note that any image that you click on will automatically become your wallpaper.
5. To customize the layout of the photo, right-click the photo itself and select a layout option (i.e., fill the screen, fit to screen, stretch to fill the screen, center, and tile).

How to Change Your MacBook Wallpaper Using a Custom Photo

Suppose you find stock photos too impersonal and want to go the extra mile with custom photos. In that case, that much is possible and very easy to accomplish. Just follow these steps:

1. From the desktop, click on the Apple logo from the top-left corner and select System Preferences.
2. Select the Desktop and Screensaver tab from the list.
3. Look for the Plus (+) button at the bottom left of the System Preferences page and select an image from the list.
4. Once you’ve selected an image, click on Choose, and that image will be set as your new background wallpaper.

How to Change Your Desktop Picture from Finder on Mac

Suppose you have a specific photo that you want to use as your wallpaper. In that case, you can head straight to the photo and set it as your wallpaper without going through System Preferences or Photos. Here are the steps:

1. Go to the Finder toolbar and type in the file name you want to use as your wallpaper.
2. Once you’ve selected an image, right-click on it and press the Control key.
3. From the list of options, select Set Desktop Picture. Note that deleting or moving the picture from this folder will invalidate the wallpaper the next time you open your device.

How to Change Your MacBook Wallpaper Easily from the Photos App

While the easiest route to changing your wallpaper is always through the System Preferences tab, you can do the same via the Photos tab. Just follow these steps:

1. From your desktop, look for the Finder toolbar at the bottom and select the Application button.
2. Look for and select the Photos app. Photos you have personally saved onto your computer or downloaded from the internet should be readily available. Select one to turn into your wallpaper.
3. Look for the Share icon from the top-right section and choose the Set Desktop picture option.

How to Set Up a Screensaver Using Stock Wallpapers or Personal Photos

There are two types of wallpapers, static wallpaper, and dynamic wallpaper. A static wallpaper does not move or change, while a dynamic wallpaper is one where on-screen elements change. If you prefer a bit of movement on your screen, especially when you’re idle, you might consider getting a screensaver.

A screensaver is a program that blanks the screen or fills it with moving images when the computer has entered idle mode for some time. Perhaps you’re busy attending a meeting, or you’re away for a few hours, you can set a few photos to appear while you’re computer is not in use. Here are the steps:

1. From the desktop, click on the Apple logo from the top-left corner and select System Preferences.
2. Then click on the Desktop and Screensaver tab.
3. Click on the Screensaver option.
4. From the left-hand side, select one of the screensaver options (i.e., Shifting Tiles).
5. Click on Source and select a folder from which the photos will be taken.
6. Look for and select the drop-down menu next to the Change Picture option.
7. Look for the Start after option and select the frequency you want the wallpaper photos to change. It can be anywhere between five seconds to once a day. You may also select a specific condition for the wallpaper to change, such as “when logging in” or “when waking from sleep.”

Final Thoughts on How to Change Your MacBook Wallpaper Easily

This concludes our article on the various methods you can take to change your Macbook wallpaper to either a stock wallpaper or a personal photo. The process for either is relatively easy, though you need to be familiar with the ins and outs of the Mac operating system. With these steps, you should be able to change your wallpaper to any photo you want, whether that be a photo you downloaded from the internet or a photo you took yourself. Once you’ve mastered the steps, the process should feel as natural to you as logging in.

On the other hand, you may reach the point where you already want to either sell or donate your old MacBook and change it up into a new one. In that case, you will want to wipe all files you have embedded in your files to protect your privacy. Check out this guide on wiping a MacBook before selling or giving it away.