Windows XP Professional Product Documentation > Customizing your computer

To change your desktop background

1.

Open Display in Control Panel.

2.

On the Desktop tab, do one or more of the following:

•	Click a picture in the Background list. In Position, click Center, Tile, or Stretch.
•	Click Browse to search for a background picture in other folders or on other drives. You can use files with the following extensions: .bmp, .gif, .jpg, .dib, .png, .htm. In Position, click Center, Tile, or Stretch.
•	Select a color from Desktop color. The color fills the space not used by a picture.

Note

•	To open Display, click Start, click Control Panel, click Appearance and Themes, and then click Display.
•	You can use a personal picture as a background. All of your personal pictures located in My Pictures are listed by name in the Background list.
•	You can save a picture from a Web site as a background. Right-click the picture and then click Set as Background. The picture is listed in the Background box as Internet Explorer Background.
•	If you choose an .htm document as your background picture, the Position options are unavailable. The .htm document is automatically stretched to fill your background.

Related Topics

•	Use a picture as a desktop background
•	Change Windows visual effects
•	Use a graphic from a Web site as your background
•	Use a picture as your desktop background