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Windows XP/Changing The Wallpaper

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Commonly referred to as a background image, changing the desktop wallpaper on your personal computer is one of the first and easiest ways to personalize your PC. You may choose one of the attractive images that are bundled with Windows, you may download an image from the Web, or you may select a digital image from a camera. Almost any image on your computer or the internet may be tiled, centered, or stretched to fit your desktop, so possibilities are endless!

To choose one of the background images (wallpapers) that come with Windows:

  1. Right-click on the desktop.
  2. Click on Properties.
  3. On the new window that appears, select the Desktop tab.
  4. In the scrolling list labeled Background:, select any image.
  5. Click OK.

To choose another image that you have saved onto your computer:

  1. Right-click on the desktop.
  2. Click on Properties.
  3. On the new window that appears, select the Desktop tab.
  4. To the right of the scrolling list labeled Background:, click on Browse....
  5. In the new window that appears, go to the image you want as your background, and click Open.
  6. Click OK.

To choose an image from the Internet without saving it first:

  1. Right-click on the image you want as your wallpaper.
  2. Click on Set as Wallpaper.
  3. Click Set Wallpaper.

Note: The drop-down menu labeled Position: will change the image from Tiled, Centered, or Stretched across the screen. The menu labeled Color: will change the color behind the background image.

To automatically cycle your wallpaper:

If you change your wallpaper frequently, you may want to consider downloading an extra free program. There are many free automatic wallpaper changers available on the Internet; try searching Wallpaper Changer.

Here are a few wallpaper changers that are currently available for free.