How to change your Windows XP Desktop Wallpaper

Wallpapers are images that appear in the background on your Desktop, behind all your icons. To change your Desktop wallpaper, do the following:

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  Click anywhere on the Desktop that is not an icon, but click once with your right hand mouse button


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  A menu pops up. The one below

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  Click on Properties, once with your Left mouse button


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  The following dialogue box pops up

This is the Display Properties dialogue box. As you can see, there are tab strips for Themes, Desktop, Screensaver, Appearance, and Settings. Click on the Background tab strip and the dialogue box will change to this one:

There is a list of wallpapers we can use. Click on one, and you get a preview of what it will look like. Scroll down to see more wallpapers. If you're satisfied, click the OK button to set your wallpaper.

You can use your own images. You are not limited to the ones on the list. If you have an image somewhere on your computer, and you want to use that instead of the ones on the list, you can click the Browse button, in the image above. Doing so will bring up the Browse Dialogue box:

In the image above, no background files are showing. You can click one of the folders on the left to search for a picture, or use the "Look In" drop down box at the top. When some background image are showing, click on one to select it. The name of the file you have selected will then appear in the File name text box.

Click the "Open" button to return to the Display Properties dialogue box. A preview of your image will be displayed. If you're happy with your selection, click the "Apply" button then OK. Your desktop will change to your selected image.