macOS · Personalization

Change Wallpaper and Screen Saver on Mac

Wallpaper settings let you set the desktop picture — from Apple's built-in dynamic and aerial images to your own photos — and configure the screen saver that appears after your Mac sits idle. Recent macOS versions combine both into a single Wallpaper settings pane.

How to open Wallpaper & Screen Saver

  1. Open System Settings → Wallpaper.
  2. Choose a built-in image, dynamic wallpaper, or your own photo.
  3. Click 'Screen Saver' on the right to choose and configure a screen saver style.
  4. Set how long your Mac should sit idle before the screen saver starts.

What you should know

  • Dynamic wallpapers automatically shift throughout the day to match light and dark appearance.
  • Aerial screen savers (drone-style footage of cities and landscapes) can also be used as slow-moving wallpaper.
  • You can set separate wallpapers for each display when using more than one monitor.
  • Screen saver idle time can be set independently from display sleep timing.

If 'Require password after screen saver begins' isn't turned on, anyone who wakes your Mac while the screen saver is running can access it without a password — that's controlled separately, under Lock Screen settings.

Why it matters

Wallpaper and screen saver settings are mostly aesthetic, but the screen saver's idle timing and its interaction with password requirements have a real security dimension — a screen saver alone doesn't protect your Mac unless it's paired with a password requirement. Dynamic and aerial wallpapers also use a bit more system resources than a static image, which occasionally matters on older Macs or when battery life is a priority. Getting this pane set up the way you like it is a small thing that you'll look at every single day.

Best practices

  • Pair any screen saver with 'Require password immediately' under Lock Screen settings for actual security, not just visual privacy.
  • Use a static or dynamic (not aerial) wallpaper on battery power if you're trying to maximize battery life, since aerial video wallpapers use more energy.
  • Set a per-display wallpaper on multi-monitor setups if you want to visually distinguish your screens at a glance.
  • Choose a shorter idle time before the screen saver in shared or public spaces, and a longer one at a private desk.

Common problems and fixes

Screen saver never starts even after being idle.
Check Battery or Energy settings for a 'Prevent automatic sleeping' option that might be keeping the Mac fully active, and confirm the idle time in Wallpaper → Screen Saver isn't set to Never.
A custom photo album stopped updating as the wallpaper slideshow.
Reselect the album under Wallpaper settings, since renaming or deleting the original album in Photos breaks the link.
Aerial screen saver looks choppy or won't play smoothly.
Aerial screen savers download high-resolution video and can stutter on a slow or metered internet connection; switch to a lower-resolution style or a static wallpaper instead.

Tips and tricks

  • Set wallpaper directly from Photos by right-clicking any image and choosing 'Set as Desktop Picture' without opening System Settings.
  • Use a rotating photo album as your wallpaper slideshow set to change every few minutes for variety throughout the day.

Frequently asked questions

Does the screen saver use a lot of battery?

Aerial and video-based screen savers use noticeably more power than a static image or simple pattern, so switch to something simpler if you're trying to conserve battery.

Can I use the same aerial video as both my wallpaper and screen saver?

Yes, several Apple aerial and landscape options are available as both a slow-moving wallpaper and a full screen saver from the same Wallpaper settings pane.

Is the screen saver a security feature by itself?

Not on its own — it only hides the desktop visually; you need 'Require password' turned on under Lock Screen settings for it to actually protect your data.

More Personalization guides for macOS

See every macOS guide