3 Ways to Change your Desktop’s Background Picture

While selecting photos to add to my private web album this morning I noticed a picture that brought back some fond memories. The picture was of my wife and I riding horses through the jungles and hills of Costa Rica as part of our recent Legacy Genealogy Cruise. My horse was the slowest of our group – always in the back. It wasn't until the end of our trip that I realized it didn't understand my English. Once I started saying "Vámonos" it kept up with the others.

This would be a great picture to replace the flowers on my desktop that I've looked at for so long:

Windows 7 or 8

Follow these steps to change the desktop's background picture in Windows 7 or 8.

1. Right-click anywhere on your desktop and click Personalize.
2. Click on the Desktop Background link.
3. Click the Browse button, browse to the desired image, and click OK.
4. Click the Clear All button, then add a checkmark to the desired image. Click Save changes.
5. In the Picture Position menu, I chose the Fit option.

Legacy Family Tree

Follow these steps to change the desktop's background picture from within Legacy Family Tree 8.

1. First, make sure that you have already added the picture to your media gallery in Legacy.
1. Click on the person's Media Gallery button and click Add Media > Picture.
2. Browse/locate the desired image and click Open.
3. I then select the option to "Leave this file where it is and link to it there" and click OK.
4. After adding any caption and date, click Close.
2. In the person's Media Gallery, click on the picture, and then click the Edit button.
3. Click the "Set as Desktop Wallpaper…" button.
4. Select one of the three options and click "Save as Wallpaper."

Photoshop Elements

Follow these steps to change the desktop's background picture from within Photoshop Elements.

1. In Photoshop Elements' Organizer, locate the desired picture, right-click on it, and select the Set as Desktop Wallpaper option.

Digital Imaging Essentials

For more digital imaging guidelines and tips, including how to digitize, organize, and share your digital imaging collections, read Geoff Rasmussen's Digital Imaging Essentials: Techniques and Tips for Genealogists and Family Historians. 

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