How to change the wallpaper on Windows 11

howtosimply.com/guides/how-to-change-the-wallpaper-on-windows-11/ · Checked October 2026 · Windows 11 Enterprise 25H2 (build 26200.9457), Microsoft Cloud PC

4 of 6 steps with real screenshots · 1 official source below

Device

Windows

Shown on

Windows 11 Enterprise 25H2 (build 26200.9457), Microsoft Cloud PC

App

Settings

Real screenshots

4 of 6 steps

Checked

October 2026

Sources

1 official, linked below

Step by step

1. 

   Open the Background settings

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

   Watch these steps Done

2. 

   Choose the kind of background

   Open the list next to Personalize your background: Picture, Solid color, Slideshow or Windows spotlight. The page notes that a picture applies to the current desktop, while a solid colour or slideshow applies to all your desktops.

   Done

3. 

   Picture: pick an image

   Click one of the Recent images, or click Browse photos next to Choose a photo and pick a file from your PC.

   Done

4. 

   Choose how the picture fits

   Open the list next to Choose a fit for your desktop image. 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, and Span stretches one picture across several monitors.

   Done

5. Slideshow: pick a folder

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

   Done

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.

   Done

Watch these steps

About this guide

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.

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.