How to create and set up dynamic wallpapers on Mac

Learn how to create and use dynamic wallpapers, and have your Mac’s background change throughout the day based on your location, time, and more.

The Dynamic Wallpaper feature in macOS allows users to set wallpapers that change throughout the day based on time, geographic location, or simply whether the system is in Light or Dark Mode.

One of the most popular dynamic wallpaper options is the built-in one for your current macOS version. This wallpaper shifts its look throughout the day. In the morning, the wallpaper looks bright and colorful, but as the day progresses, it transforms into a darker appearance.

Set a built-in dynamic wallpaper on Mac

1) Open System Settings and select Wallpapers.

2) Browse through the Dynamic Wallpapers section and select one. If a wallpaper is not downloaded, it will take a while to save it from Apple’s server.

3) Look at the top of the System Settings window and make sure it says Automatic next to your dynamic wallpaper name. Some wallpapers, like Macintosh, offer an additional option that lets you choose Color.

Setting dynamic wallpaper as Mac's desktop background from System Settings

About dynamic wallpapers

Geographic-based files tell macOS your location and then change your wallpaper based on location and time of day. That means that the system even knows that if it is winter at your location, the later-day images should be displayed sooner.
Time-based files simply tell macOS to change your wallpaper based on the system clock.
Light and Dark mode wallpapers merely change based on your system’s Light and Dark Mode settings. If you set it to Light Mode, you get that image, same with Dark Mode. Naturally, if you have the system set to auto-switch between modes, the wallpaper will toggle with the system.
Bonus category? Some Dynamic Wallpapers can be built based on your system time and/or geographic location and also include the ability to switch based on your Light-Dark-Mode settings.

Create a dynamic wallpaper with your own photos

There are a few ways out there to make Dynamic Wallpaper for macOS. Dynamic Wallpaper Club may tempt you because it is a free resource, but it took the site about five days to compile my five-image Dynamic Wallpaper. It also requires all your uploaded images to be the exact same canvas size and several other frustrating nuances.

Therefore, to make things smooth, I offer Dynaper for macOS as my recommendation for making your own Dynamic Wallpaper. It allows quick, drag-and-drop creation of Dynamic Wallpaper, with the ability to set exact times for your wallpapers to change. There is also a tool for creating Light and Dark Mode wallpapers.

I am pretty pleased with the functionality of Dynapaper from an ease-of-use perspective. If you want to fully utilize the software, some in-app upgrades are available to remove the watermark.

1) Download and open the Dynaper – Dynamic Wallpapers app on your Mac.

2) You will see two app windows:

One lets you create a dynamic wallpaper that has light and dark modes and will change accordingly.
The other option allows you to add several images and define the times when the wallpapers change automatically.

3) Drag your images in one of these windows.

Define the wallpaper times if you have gone with the second option. You can learn everything in detail about it in our tutorial on automatically changing your Mac’s wallpaper at regular intervals. So, check that out.

Set wallpaper change times and click Export

4) With everything set up, hit the Export button and save the dynamic image. You can check the “Set Image as Wallpaper” box now or do that in the next step.

Set auto-changing dynamic image as your Mac wallpaper

5) Go to Mac’s System Settings > Wallpapers and hit the Add Photo button. Click Choose, select the dynamic image you just created, and select it as your wallpaper.

Download some great dynamic wallpapers for your Mac

The following set of 5K-ready images is featured by the 24 Hour Wallpaper app for macOS, which includes over 100 unique time-based wallpapers. If you are really into Dynamic Wallpapers, you should get this app. They also sell individual packs on their own wallpaper gallery.

Each HEIC file includes about 10+ images that change based on your location, time, and can also dynamically toggle based on Light and Dark Mode. If you want the images to cycle across all images throughout the day, you need to set your macOS system settings to Auto-Mode (not Light or Dark). The following previews just show an early day and evening preview. Download the HEIC file using the link below each preview set.

Dynamic wallpaper that changes throughout the day

Dynamic wallpaper of Miami skyline that changes throughout the day

macOS dynamic wallpaper of Earth from space

The next wallpapers we have are by @BasicAppleGuy, who regularly posts Apple musings on his blog, as well as great wallpapers. His blog has bonus versions of these dynamic wallpapers, ready for your iPhone, and non-dynamic versions of each one!

BasicAppleGuy also used the Dynaper app, which we mentioned above, to create the following Light and Dark Mode dynamic wallpapers.