How to Change Your Android Wallpaper

Spruce up your Android screen with pictures and animations

What to Know

  • Easiest: Long-press the wallpaper on the home screen and select Wallpapers > choose image > Set Wallpaper.
  • In Settings, go to Display > Wallpaper > choose image > Set Wallpaper.

This article explains how to change the background image on an Android device and where to find wallpaper images.

Change the Wallpaper

To change the image used in the background of the home screen of an Android phone:

  1. Open the Settings app.

  2. Select Display.

  3. Select Wallpaper.

    Display, Wallpaper, Wallpapers in Android Settings
  4. In the Choose wallpaper from list, select a location. Choose Gallery to use one of your own images. Choose Wallpapers to use a stock image.

  5. If you chose Wallpapers, scroll through the list of images or installed wallpapers. As you scroll, the screen changes to display the selected wallpaper.

    Select Android wallpaper images
  6. If you chose Gallery or My photos, a file browser opens. Tap menu (the three stacked lines) and select Images.

  7. In the list of image locations, navigate to the folder where the background image is stored, then tap the image's thumbnail.

    Set Android wallpaper
  8. In the Wallpapers screen, your chosen image is at the front of the wallpaper list and selected. To make the change, tap Set wallpaper.

  9. Your chosen wallpaper is applied to the home screen.

Use a Shortcut to Change the Wallpaper

To change the look of your home screen even more quickly:

  1. Long press the wallpaper on the home screen. Long press until you feel a feedback vibration and the screen changes.

  2. Tap Wallpapers.

  3. Browse the existing choices of wallpapers and live wallpapers or tap My Photos to choose a photo from your gallery.

    Wallpaper, images, My photos button in Android Settings

    Live wallpapers look the same as standard wallpapers when viewed in the browser. These background images say Animated in the thumbnail, indicating that the wallpaper on the phone is interactive.

  4. Tap Set Wallpaper

  5. The main screen appears with the new wallpaper. 

Find New Wallpapers

To find an unlimited number of wallpapers, search Google Play for wallpapers. You'll find several free apps available for download with thousands of free wallpapers.

Find wallpaper images on the web from sites such as Unsplash. Unsplash offers high-resolution images that can be downloaded free of charge.

If you'd prefer to get your wallpapers directly, download images to your phone or transfer images from your PC to your phone over a USB cable.

Android screens are becoming higher resolution with each release, requiring equally high-res images to look crisp and clear. Consider this when choosing your wallpaper source.

Was this page helpful?