Change your Mac's desktop wallpaper

Why it happens

Your Mac keeps the desktop picture in the Wallpaper section of System Settings. Each screen, and each desktop Space, can have its own wallpaper. That's why a picture sometimes changes on one screen but not the other.

How to fix it

1. Click the Apple menu, choose System Settings and click Wallpaper in the sidebar.

   Wallpaper

2. Using two screens? Click the screen you want to change at the top of the window.

3. Scroll through the choices and click a picture you like, or pick a plain colour under Colors. The desktop changes straight away.

   Wallpaper›Colors

4. For a photo from your Photos library, click Add Photo… in Wallpaper, then Choose from Photos…, and pick the picture you want.

   macOS 26 Tahoe Wallpaper

   macOS 27 Golden Gate Wallpaper›Add Photo…›Choose from Photos…

5. For a photo saved as a file, open Finder, Control-click the photo and choose Set Desktop Picture.

6. To have the same wallpaper on every desktop Space, turn on Show on all Spaces. Leave it off to give each Space its own.

   Wallpaper›Show on all Spaces

Add Photo… and Choose from Photos… are the macOS 27 wording. If you don't see them on macOS 26, drag the photo out of Photos into a Finder folder, then use Set Desktop Picture.

Still not fixed?

1. Wallpaper keeps changing by itself? Some wallpapers shift through the day or shuffle on purpose. Pick a single still picture instead.

2. Only one screen changed? Select the other screen at the top of Wallpaper and choose the picture again.

3. If your choice goes back to the old wallpaper after a restart, your Mac may be managed by a school or company that sets it for you. Ask whoever looks after it.

4. If the wallpaper still won't stay on a personal Mac after the latest macOS update, contact Apple Support.