Show Me Microsoft Windows XP (2nd Edition)

The desktop background , or wallpaper, is a picture that serves as your desktop's backdrop, the basic surface on which icons and windows appear. You can select a background picture and change how it looks using the Desktop tab in the Display Properties dialog box. Once you select a background picture, you can display it on the screen three different ways: Tile displays the picture consecutively across the screen; Center displays the picture in the center of the screen; and Stretch enlarges the picture and displays it in the center of the screen. Instead of selecting a background picture, which can sometimes make icons on the desktop difficult to see, you can also change the background to a color .

Use a Background Color

Right-click a blank area on the desktop, and then click Properties.

Click the Desktop tab.

Click None.

Click the list arrow, and then click a color.

Click OK or Apply.

Use a Picture

Right-click a blank area on the desktop, and then click Properties.

Click the Desktop tab.

Click the picture you want.

To select another picture, click Browse, locate and select a picture, and then click Open.

Click OK or Apply.