How to set a desktop wallpaper in Windows 11

Windows 11 can show a still picture, a slideshow or a solid colour as the desktop background, and a separate picture on the lock screen. This guide covers the desktop background first and the lock screen after it, and it applies to both Home and Pro editions.

Choose the right size

A 4K monitor is 3840 × 2160 pixels, and the 16:9 wallpapers on this site are exactly that size, so they fit without scaling on a 4K screen and downscale cleanly on Full HD or 1440p. If your screen is ultrawide (21:9 or 32:9), a 16:9 picture will be cropped or stretched at the sides, so pick the fit option described below. For two monitors, see the guide on dual monitor wallpapers on this site.

Set a picture in two clicks

Download the full-size PNG or a JPEG from the wallpaper page. Full-size PNG gives the best quality for a 4K display; a 2560 JPEG is plenty for 1440p.
Open the folder where it was saved, right-click the file and choose Set as desktop background.

That is all it takes. If the picture looks too large or has bands at the sides, continue with the settings below.

Use the Settings page for more control

Open Settings, then Personalisation, then Background. Right-click the desktop and choose Personalise for a shortcut.
Next to Personalise your background, choose Picture. Pick one of the recent images or press Browse photos to select your download.
Under Choose a fit for your desktop image, pick one of the following:
Fill crops the picture to cover the whole screen without distortion. It is the best default for a 16:9 picture on a 16:9 screen.
Fit shows the whole picture with bars at the edges.
Stretch distorts the picture to match the screen, which is rarely what you want.
Tile repeats a small picture, which is only useful for patterns.
Center places the picture at its original size.
Span stretches a single picture across several monitors.

Other background types

Choose Slideshow to rotate through a folder of pictures at an interval you set, which suits a collection such as one of our themes. Choose Solid colour for a plain background. Windows Spotlight is a Microsoft service and is separate from the pictures you download here.

The lock screen

In Settings, Personalisation, open Lock screen.
Choose Picture as the lock screen type and select your download. The exact wording differs between Windows 11 updates.
If the same page lets you choose which status information shows on the lock screen, keep it minimal so the picture stays visible.

If something looks wrong

Blurry picture: check that Fill is selected and that the file is the full-size version, not a small preview.
Changes do not stick: some work and school computers manage the background through policy. Ask your administrator.
Wrong colours: Windows can apply Night light. Turn it off in Settings, System, Display to judge the picture itself.