How do I change the wallpaper on my Android phone?
Touch and hold an empty spot on your home screen, then tap Wallpaper & style (on Samsung, Wallpaper and style). Choose a built-in picture or one of your own photos, then pick whether it goes on the home screen, the lock screen, or both. Tap Set wallpaper or Done to finish.
Steps to check
Open the wallpaper menu
Go to your home screen. Touch and hold an empty space, with no app icons under your finger, until a menu appears. Tap Wallpaper & style.
- Samsung The button is called Wallpaper and style. You can also find it in Settings, then Wallpaper and style.
- Pixel Tap Wallpaper & style, then More wallpapers to see all the choices.
Pick a picture
Choose one of the built-in wallpapers by tapping a category and then a picture. To use your own photo, tap Choose a photo on Pixel, or Change wallpapers and then Gallery on Samsung, and tap the photo you want.
Choose where it goes
Your phone asks where to use the picture. Pick Home screen for the screen with your apps, Lock screen for the screen you see before you unlock, or both to use the same picture on each.
Adjust and save
You will see a preview. Drag the picture with one finger to move it, or pinch to zoom in and out. When it looks right, tap Set wallpaper on Pixel, or Done on Samsung. The new wallpaper shows straight away.
Samsung: change only the lock screen
On a Galaxy phone you can also start from the lock screen. Touch and hold the lock screen, unlock with your PIN, pattern, or fingerprint if asked, then tap Wallpapers at the top left and pick a new picture. Tap Done to save.
Normal vs. not
Usually normal
The colors of your menus and buttons changing a little after a new wallpaper. On Pixel phones, the system colors change to match the wallpaper. You can choose other colors under Wallpaper & style, then Colors.
Worth a closer look
The wallpaper keeps changing on its own when you did not ask for it. A daily wallpaper or a lock screen picture service may be turned on, so check the wallpaper menu and switch it off if you prefer one picture.
Common questions
- Can I use a picture of my family as wallpaper?
- Yes. Pick it from your photos or Gallery in the wallpaper menu, then choose the home screen, lock screen, or both.
- Will changing the wallpaper delete my apps or photos?
- No. It only changes the background picture. Your apps and photos stay as they are.
- How do I go back to my old wallpaper?
- Open the wallpaper menu again and choose it from the built-in wallpapers or your photos.
Related questions
Sources we checked
- Change wallpaper on your Pixel phone (Pixel Phone Help (Google))
- Change or create a wallpaper on your Pixel phone (Pixel Phone Help (Google))
- Set photos or videos as wallpaper on a Galaxy phone or tablet (Samsung)
- Keep your Galaxy phone's lock screen fresh automatically (Samsung)
Menu names can differ by phone brand and Android version. See our editorial policy for how we check steps.