How To Change Wallpaper on Mac [Video]

Downloaded a new wallpaper for your Mac? Add it under Your Photos in System Settings and it becomes your desktop picture straight away. The same screen has Apple's own wallpapers, and Finder can set an image from its menu without opening System Settings.

We checked these steps on a MacBook Pro running macOS 27, using Apple's MacBook Neo wallpaper.

Set a Downloaded Image as Your Mac Wallpaper

Step One: Open System Settings

Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of the screen and choose System Settings….

Step Two: Open Wallpaper Settings

Click Wallpaper in the sidebar. You may need to scroll down to find it.

Step Three: Add a Photo

Under Your Photos, click Add Photo…, then click Choose File….

Step Four: Choose the Image

Open the folder where your wallpaper is saved, select the image, then click Open.

The wallpaper changes right away, and the image joins Your Photos so you can choose it again later. Close System Settings to see it on your desktop.

Choose One of Apple's Wallpapers

To use one of Apple's own wallpapers instead, click it in the same Wallpaper settings. They are grouped as Dynamic Wallpapers, Landscape, Cityscape, Underwater, Earth, Mac, Shuffle Aerials, Pictures and Colors.

Set a Wallpaper From Finder

In Finder, Control-click the image file, then choose Set Desktop Picture.

For more of Apple's official wallpapers for Mac, iPhone and iPad, see our wallpaper section.