Wall Paper - Creating and/or Installing


	Creating Your Own Wallpaper

Wallpaper is a file that is used as a backdrop on your “desktop” or the first screen you see when you start your computer. In versions of Windows prior to XP (2002) this file had to be a bitmapped file, or a file format created by some graphics programs, among them the program Paint that is part of the Windows accessories (To access it, click on Start>Accessories>Paint). In XP beside bmp file you can use either a “gif” “jpeg” “jpg” or “png” files. This covers all the images that you can find on the World Wide Web. (How to download an image file.)

Note that wallpaper uses RAM. If your computer is running slower than you would like, or you get out of memory errors you may want to get rid of any wallpaper. This is done the same way that you install new wallpaper.

Create a picture or copy one into Paint (You only need to copy the picture if the picture is not in a format accepted by the version of Windows you are using, e.g. bmp for earlier versions. Or if you wish to use any of the clip art that comes with the Office Suites.) To copy a picture to Paint:
1. Open the program that supports the picture and select it (Note tapping Ctrl-A will select the entire image.).
2. Tap Ctrl-C to place it on the clipboard.
3. Open Paint (Start>Accessories>Paint)
4. Paste the image on the clipboard on the screen in Paint by tapping Ctrl-V.
If you wish the picture centered on the screen, you will need to center it in Paint. Note that the complete screen is NOT visible. To center the picture:
1. Click on the rectangle underneath the word Edit on the menu line (the word Select will appear shortly after your mouse pointer is over it).
2. Place the mouse pointer on one corner of the picture, and drag until the rectangle covers the entire picture.
3. Place the mouse pointer on the vertical bar and drag until it is evenly spaced between the top and the bottom.
4. Do the same for the horizontal bar.
5. Put the mouse pointer inside the rectangle until it looks like this -->
6. Drag the selected area to the center of the screen.
Save it. Note the folder (directory) where it is being saved so you can find it. Or, save it in the C:/Windows folder. Paint automatically creates bitmapped files.
You can also create wallpaper with another graphics program, if it allows you to "Save As" a bitmapped file (has the extension ".bmp"). To do this:
1. Select the object. (Remember that Ctrl-A will select all objects on a screen.)
2. Click on File/Save As.
3. Drop down the box under type.
4. Select a "bmp" or bitmapped file. When an object is save in this manner, Windows will automatically center it when it is selected as wallpaper.
When you are selecting wallpaper, use the browse function to locate the file you created and select it as your wallpaper.
To install the wall paper see Wall Paper and Screen Savers.

Last Updated: March 17, 2003

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Creating Your Own Wallpaper