How to set a desktop wallpaper on any computer

You downloaded a wallpaper. Here's how to put it on your screen, with the menu names each system uses and a few tips for getting the fit right.

Before you start

Save the file somewhere you'll find it again, such as your Pictures folder. Every wallpaper on this site uses a 16:9 frame, which matches most desktop monitors and many laptops. If you plan to switch wallpapers often, keep them together in one folder. Windows, for example, can rotate through a folder with its Slideshow option.

Windows 11

Open Settings, then select Personalization and then Background.
Next to Personalize your background, choose Picture.
Select Browse, then find and choose your file.
Under Choose a fit for the desktop images, pick Fill. Fill covers the whole screen, though it may crop parts of the image.

For a shortcut, right-click the image in File Explorer and choose Set as desktop background. With more than one monitor, right-click a picture in the Background list to set it for one monitor only. That option isn't available when you use multiple desktops.

macOS

Open the Apple menu and choose System Settings.
Click Wallpaper in the sidebar. You may need to scroll down.
Scroll to Your Photos and click Add Photo. Then choose Choose File, or Choose Folder to add a whole folder.
Use the size and position options in the Wallpaper settings to fill the screen.

In Finder, you can also right-click or Control-click the file and choose Set Desktop Picture.

Linux with GNOME

Open Settings and select Appearance.
Under Background, click Add Picture and choose your file.
Select the new picture. GNOME applies it right away.

In the Files app, you can also right-click an image and choose Set as Background. Some built-in GNOME wallpapers change with the light and dark styles.

Linux with KDE Plasma

Right-click an empty part of the desktop and choose Desktop and Wallpaper.
Add your image to the wallpaper list and select it.
Set Positioning to Scaled and Cropped and apply the change.

In the Dolphin file manager, you can also right-click an image and use its wallpaper action. The desktop dialog sets one screen at a time; the Dolphin shortcut applies the picture to every screen.

ChromeOS

Right-click an empty part of the desktop and choose Set wallpaper & style.
Select Wallpaper and then My Images. Pick your file from the list.

ChromeOS lists your own pictures under My Images, so save your download where it shows up there.

Pick the right file for your screen

Find your screen's resolution first in your computer's display settings. On Windows, open Settings and select System and then Display. Then match the file to your screen:

A 1920x1080 screen gets full detail from this site's High Resolution download.
A 2560x1440 screen gets close to full detail from the newer downloads of about 2912x1638.
A 3840x2160 screen needs the 4K file on Telegram for full sharpness.

Getting the fit right

If the picture looks stretched, switch the fit setting to a fill option, such as Fill on Windows or Scaled and Cropped on KDE Plasma. Those options keep the original shape and trim the edges instead of distorting the image.

If the wallpaper looks blurry

A soft or blurry wallpaper almost always means your screen shows more pixels than the file contains, so your computer has to enlarge it. Check the file's size on its wallpaper page under Specs and compare it with your screen's resolution. If the file is smaller, download a larger version. Our guide to 4K versus high resolution explains when the file on Telegram helps.

Ultrawide monitors use a wider shape than 16:9, so any 16:9 wallpaper loses some of its top and bottom when it fills the screen. Designs with a centered subject or an even texture handle that crop best.

More guides: 4K vs high resolution · How they’re made