How to Change the Desktop Picture on a Mac

Mac Leopard OS X

Your desktop background is what you see most often on your Mac. If you have the newest Leopard operating system, you are familiar with the purple bursting light image. However, you can change that to personalize this image to your own specific tastes or choose a standard image that evokes positive feelings. Read these steps to get started.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

1. System preferences window

   Open your "System Preferences" from the Apple icon on your Apple navigation toolbar.

2. Desktop and Screensaver icon

   Click on "Desktop and Screen Saver." This opens a window where you can control and set the settings for your desktop image.

3. Desktop image options

   Choose one of the pre-set images from the categories on the left. There are more than 50 designs to choose from. You can manipulate the options in this window so that your desktop image remains consistent, or you can select your pictures to change at given time intervals.

4. Adding personal picture as desktop image

   You can also opt to have your desktop image be a personal picture. Simply locate an image through the "Pictures Folder."

5. Close out of this window when you are satisfied with the picture you have chosen.