How to change the wallpaper on Windows 11

2 min read · 6 steps · Updated 2 October 2026

Short answer

Right-click an empty spot on the desktop and choose Personalize, then click Background. Under Personalize your background, choose Picture and click one of the pictures or Browse photos to use your own. Slideshow, Solid color and Windows spotlight are in the same list.

The desktop background is the quickest way to make a PC your own. Windows 11 can show one picture, a changing set from a folder, a plain colour, or a new photo from Microsoft every day.

These steps are for Windows 11. The pictures are simplified diagrams of the Settings window, not screenshots, so colours and spacing on your PC look a little different.

Step by step

  1. – ▢ ✕SettingsSystemBluetooth & devicesNetwork & internetPersonalizationAppsAccountsTime & languagePrivacy & securityPersonalizationBackgroundColorsThemesLock screen

    Open the Background settings

    Right-click the desktop and choose Personalize, or open Settings and click Personalization. Then click Background.

  2. Choose the kind of background

    Under Personalize your background, open the list: Picture, Solid color, Slideshow or Windows spotlight.

  3. Picture: pick an image

    Click one of the recent pictures, or click Browse photos and choose a file from your PC.

  4. Choose how the picture fits

    Fill enlarges the picture to cover the screen and may cut off the edges. Fit shows the whole picture, with bars if the shape differs. Stretch distorts it. Tile repeats it. Center shows it in its real size. Span stretches one picture across several monitors.

  5. Slideshow: pick a folder

    Choose a folder with pictures, set how often the picture changes, and switch on shuffle if you like.

  6. Different pictures on two monitors

    In Picture mode, right-click a picture in the list of recent images and choose the monitor it should go on.

Good to know

You can also right-click any picture file in File Explorer and choose Set as desktop background.

Windows that is not activated does not allow changes under Personalization.

The picture on the lock screen is set separately, under Personalization, Lock screen.

For the rest of the look: how to turn on dark mode on Windows 11. On other devices: how to change the wallpaper on a Mac.

In short: Right-click the desktop, Personalize, Background, choose Picture, Slideshow, Solid color or Windows spotlight, pick the image and the fit.

Sources
  • Microsoft Support: Change your desktop background image

Rules and prices change. Check the official source before you act.