Guide · 4 min read ·
How to change your desktop wallpaper on Windows 11
By PC Wall Art Team
Short answer
On Windows 11, right-click the desktop, choose Personalize, then Background, and pick Picture, Solid color, Slideshow or Windows spotlight; for a picture, click Browse, choose your image and set the fit to Fill.
Key takeaways
- The fastest route is right-click the desktop, Personalize, Background.
- Fill is the right fit for most images; Span is for one image across several monitors.
- A wallpaper made at your screen's native resolution needs no cropping or scaling.
- Slideshow rotates images from a folder you choose, with an interval and an optional shuffle.
- You can right-click any image in the recent list to set it on just one monitor.
Changing the wallpaper on Windows 11 takes about thirty seconds once you know where the setting lives. Getting it to look sharp takes one more decision, the fit, and an image that matches your screen. This guide covers both, plus slideshows and multi-monitor setups.
How do you change the wallpaper on Windows 11?
Right-click an empty part of the desktop, choose Personalize, open Background, set "Personalize your background" to Picture and click Browse photos to pick your image.
Step by step:
- Right-click an empty area of the desktop and select Personalize. You can also open Settings and go to Personalization.
- Select Background.
- Next to Personalize your background, choose Picture.
- Click one of the recent images, or Browse photos to pick a file.
- Under Choose a fit for your desktop image, pick Fill unless you have a reason to use something else.
There are two shortcuts. In File Explorer, right-click an image file and choose Set as desktop background. In the Photos app, open the image, use the three-dot menu and choose Set as, then Background.
Which fit option should you choose?
Choose Fill for almost every wallpaper, because it covers the whole screen without distorting the image, cropping only what doesn't fit.
| Fit | What it does | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Fill | Scales the image to cover the screen, cropping the overflow | Most wallpapers |
| Fit | Shows the whole image, adding bars if the shape doesn't match | Photos you don't want cropped |
| Stretch | Forces the image to the screen shape | Rarely; it distorts anything that isn't the right shape |
| Tile | Repeats the image at its original size | Small patterns |
| Center | Shows the image at its original size, in the middle | Images exactly the size of your screen |
| Span | Spreads one image across all monitors | One wide image across a multi-monitor setup |
If your image already has the same pixel size as your screen, Fill, Fit and Center all look the same, and nothing is scaled. That's the sharpest result. Our screen resolutions guide shows how to find your screen's native size, and the wallpaper editor can draw an original wallpaper at exactly that size.
How do you set up a wallpaper slideshow?
Set "Personalize your background" to Slideshow, choose a folder of images, then pick how often the picture changes and whether to shuffle.
- Put the images you want into one folder. Mixed sizes work, but images of the same shape look more consistent.
- In Background, choose Slideshow.
- Click Browse next to the album setting and select the folder.
- Set Change picture every to the interval you want.
- Turn Shuffle the picture order on if you don't want them in file-name order.
- Choose a fit, usually Fill.
To skip to the next picture, right-click the desktop and choose Next desktop background.
A slideshow is a nice way to use a set of wallpapers in the same style. For example, make several versions of one design with different colors and let Windows rotate them.
How do you set a different wallpaper on each monitor?
With Picture selected, right-click an image under Recent images and choose which monitor to set it for.
Windows 11 lets you give each display its own picture. Add each image once using Browse photos so it appears in the recent list. Then right-click a thumbnail and choose Set for monitor 1, Set for monitor 2 and so on.
If you want one picture to run across all screens, use the Span fit instead. The dual-monitor and ultrawide guide explains how to size an image for that and how to line up monitors of different sizes.
Per-monitor wallpapers don't combine with multiple virtual desktops. If you use Task View desktops, each desktop gets its own background instead, set by right-clicking a recent image.
What about solid colors and Windows spotlight?
Solid color gives you a plain background in any color you choose, and Windows spotlight shows a different photo from Microsoft each day.
Solid color is the calmest option, and it pairs well with lots of desktop icons. Pick from the swatches or use View colors to choose a custom color.
Windows spotlight changes the picture automatically. It is convenient but you don't control the image, and it may add a small icon on the desktop for information about the photo.
If you want a plain background with a little more depth than a flat color, a soft gradient is a good middle ground. The gradient wallpaper collection has ready-made starting points you can adjust and download.
Why does the wallpaper look blurry or cropped?
Usually the image is smaller than the screen or a different shape, so Windows has to scale it up or crop it.
Check the image's size in its file properties and compare it with your display resolution under Settings, System, Display. A 1920 × 1080 image on a 2560 × 1600 laptop is both smaller and a different shape. Windows enlarges it and cuts off the sides, which softens fine detail.
The fix is simple: use an image made at your exact resolution, or at least one with the same shape and more pixels.
FAQ
Why can't I change my wallpaper on Windows 11?
Personalization settings are locked until Windows is activated, and on work or school computers an administrator may have set the background with a policy. In both cases the Background page shows a message explaining why the options are greyed out.
How do I change the lock screen picture?
The lock screen has its own page. Open Settings, Personalization, Lock screen, and choose Windows spotlight, Picture or Slideshow there. Changing the desktop background does not change the lock screen.
Where does Windows 11 keep the wallpaper I set?
Windows keeps its own working copy of the current background, so deleting or moving your original file afterwards doesn't remove the wallpaper right away. Keep the original anyway, in case you want to set it again or use it on another device.
Can I use a GIF or video as my wallpaper?
Not with the built-in settings. Windows 11 supports still images and slideshows for the desktop. Animated backgrounds need third-party apps.