Frequently Asked Questions
Below are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about desktop wallpaper. If you have a general question that isn't answered here, please email it to us through the 'contact' link at the bottom of the page.
- How do I change my desktop wallpaper in Mac OS X?
- How do I change my desktop wallpaper in Windows XP?
- How do I change my desktop wallpaper in Linux (KDE)?
- How do I figure out which resolution I should download?
- What if you don't have wallpapers in my display's exact resolution?
- How do I submit my own desktop artwork to InterfaceLIFT?
Answers to the FAQ
- 1. How do I change my desktop wallpaper in Mac OS X?
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Start by downloading a new wallpaper to your Desktop. Put this file in the 'Pictures' folder inside your Home Directory.
Now open up the 'Desktops & Screen Saver' preference pane in the System Preferences in one of the two ways described below.
- Control-click on the desktop (your actual desktop, not the file you just downloaded). Select "Change Desktop Background..." from the contextual menu that appears. Select the 'Desktop' tab in the preferences pane that appears.
- Or, choose "System Preferences..." from the Apple Menu, and then click on the icon for "Desktops & Screen Savers". Select the 'Desktop' tab.
Next, click on the "Pictures Folder" item from the list. In the browse pane you should now see the desktop wallpaper you just put into your Pictures folder. Click on it and your desktop will immediately change to the new one!
- 2. How do I change my desktop wallpaper in Windows XP?
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Find a new wallpaper you like and click on the appriate link to download the resolution you want (e.g. 1600x1200). A new window will popup with the full image.
Right-click on the image and select "Set as Background" from the popup menu.
- 3. How do I change my desktop wallpaper in Linux (KDE)?
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Find a wallpaper you like and click on the appriate link to download the resolution you want (e.g. 1600x1200). A new window will popup with the full image.
Right-click on the image and select "Save image as..." from the popup menu. Save the file to a convenient location on your hard disk. Next, minimize all your windows so that you can see your desktop workspace. Right-click on the desktop and select 'Configure Desktop...' from the popup menu.
In the System Settings module that appears, select the 'Background' icon from the left hand side of the window, then click on the 'Wallpaper' tab to your right. Finally, click on the 'Browse...' button and navigate to the wallpaper you just downloaded. When you are done, click the 'Apply' button in the to make you changes take effect.
- 5. What if you don't have wallpapers in my display's exact resolution?
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Simply select a wallpaper which is larger than the resolution at which your display is running and set your operating system to scale the image to fit. For the best results, make sure that you select an image with the appropriate aspect ratio so that it is not distorted or cropped.
For instance, if your display is running at 1024x768, you would select the 1280x960 resolution. It is larger, but has the same aspect ratio (1024/768=1.33 and 1280/960=1.33). Choosing a smaller resolution is not optimal because it will become blurry or pixelated (jagged) when stretch to cover your entire screen.
- 6. How do I submit my own desktop artwork to InterfaceLIFT?
InterfaceLIFT's content is entirely visitor-submitted. Not only do we encourage your submissions, we rely on them and so does our large community. If you think your digital art or photographs are good enough to share with the rest of the world, read our submission guidelines and send them in! [requires account]
