Wallpaper ideas: Choose a mood before a picture

Pick a mood first. It can help you find wallpaper ideas you like. The first picture has four panels. They show sea, forest, city and snow. Thin white gaps keep the views apart. Try a tabletop scene for a softer mood. Choose arches for warm colour. Pick a fantasy scene for an unusual subject.

Tip: Use the four-panel picture to compare themes before choosing one for your desktop.

Pictures in this collection

For calm colour, compare plain colours and colour choices. For a bold screen, try bold scenes. For a personal touch, browse letter K or Max name designs.

Four panels of sea, forest, neon city and snowy mountains shows four moods. Compare each panel at full size. Peach gradient is a plain idea. Warm terracotta arches brings warm forms to the screen.

Choose a picture for your layout

For a room mood, see room scenes. For open scenery, choose wide views. If you prefer a night screen, compare 11:11 designs and space artwork.

Calm water, gradient horizon is a quiet laptop idea when your desktop holds many folders. Butterfly on a pale flower pairs orange and black wings with a soft green backdrop. Giant machine in a mountain valley is a bold choice. Leave room around it. The land helps show its size.

Apply your desktop picture

1. Open a card and choose the JPG size that fits your display.
2. Save the file in your Pictures folder.
3. In Windows Settings, open Personalization, then Background.
4. Select Picture and browse to the saved JPG.

Microsoft's background guide covers the settings for this wallpaper ideas file.

Related collections

Try all themes to compare more subjects, picture choices for another mixed picture set, or unusual ideas for unusual scenes and close-ups.

Verdict

For wallpaper ideas, start with a mood you enjoy, then choose a plain field, nature detail or bold imagined scene.