How to Change Your Desktop Background in Windows Vista

The background image appears behind open windows and icons.

Windows Vista displays an image or wallpaper as your desktop background. Windows Vista includes a default image, but you can set your own custom desktop background. You can select a desktop background from the images included with Windows Vista, or set any image on your computer as your desktop background. You can download more background images from the Web. You can modify your desktop background and other personal settings from the Personalization pane in the Windows Control panel.

Instructions

1. Click "Start" and select "Control Panel."

2. Select the "Appearance and Personalization" option in the Control Panel window and click "Personalization."

3. Click "Desktop Background" in the Personalization window.

4. Click the "Picture Location" drop-down box and select a category of images, or click the "Browse" button and browse to a folder containing background images on your computer.

5. Select a new desktop background by clicking its thumbnail image in the list of available background images.

6. Click one of the options under "How Should the Picture Be Positioned" at the bottom of the window. The background image can be stretched to fit the desktop screen, placed in the center of the screen or tiled repeatedly on the screen.

7. Click "OK."

Tips & Warnings

• Set a specific image as your desktop background by right-clicking that image on your computer and selecting "Set as Desktop Background."

References

• Microsoft: Change Your Desktop Background (Wallpaper)