How to Make Wallpaper Change Automatically on Mac

Quick Tips

• You can use the default System Settings app or rely on a third-party wallpaper app to change desktop pictures at regular intervals.
• Open the Photos app > Select the photos > Right-click and then select Add to > Folder.
• Open Settings > Wallpaper > Add Photo Album > Select the Album name > Select Auto-Rotate.

How to Create a Wallpaper Folder on Your Mac

You’ll need to create a local folder containing all the images you want to set as wallpaper on Mac. There are two ways to create a folder of wallpapers on a Mac. You can use the default Photos app or the Finder menu to create a folder.

Method 1: Photos App on Mac

If you sync your iPhone or iPad photos to iCloud, you can access the same from the default Photos app on Mac.

Step 1: Open the Photos app on Mac.

Step 2: Select photos and then right-click on them (or two-finger click on a touchpad).

Step 3: Expand Add to from the context menu > New Album > Give it a name.

Method 2: Finder App on Mac

Step 1: Open Finder from the Mac dock and then select several photos.

Step 2: Right-click New Folder with Selection and then rename the folder. Hit the Return key to complete the folder.

Automatically Change Wallpapers on Mac

After you create a pictures folder on Mac use the steps below to automate all wallpapers.

Step 1: Open Settings > Wallpaper > Add Photo Album > Select the Album name > Select Auto-Rotate.

Step 2: Select your newly created folder and then check all the pictures from the same menu.

Step 3: Click Auto-Rotate, and then the system will change the desktop wallpaper on your Mac.

Step 4: To change the auto-rotate frequency, expand the Change picture menu and then select the relevant cycle.

You can also auto-change wallpaper when logging in or when waking Mac from sleep. macOS allows you to change wallpaper randomly from the folder.

If you want to import wallpapers from the Finder app, click Add Folder to open Finder. Select a folder > set all pictures to auto-rotate as wallpaper on your Mac.

Set Dynamic Desktop Wallpapers

Any Mac running macOS Mojave or later can pick a dynamic wallpaper from System Settings. Such desktop picture changes throughout the day based on your location. For instance, the wallpaper will be bright and ready to welcome you in the morning. It will turn dark by late evening or night.

Open Settings > Wallpaper > Set Dynamic wallpaper.

In the latest macOS Ventura, Apple offers nine dynamic wallpapers.

Use 24 Hour Wallpaper App

The 24-Hour Wallpaper is an excellent third-party wallpaper app on Mac. It packs 100+ beautiful ready-to-use wallpapers from different categories like nature, cityscape, and beaches. All wallpapers remain synchronized with your time and location all day. The app offers all images in 5K resolution. Whether you work on a MacBook or a big desktop, a 5K wallpaper delivers crisp results on your Mac.

The app integrates directly with the system wallpaper and does the job with minimal CPU, GPU, and battery use. The 24 Hour Wallpaper app costs $10 as a one-time payment. You can check the app in action from the Mac menu bar and make relevant changes from the same menu.