Why Does My Mac Keep Changing My Desktop Wallpaper After Shutdown?

Why Does My Mac Keep Changing My Desktop Wallpaper After Shutdown?

If you ever find yourself puzzled by the frequent change in your Mac's desktop wallpaper, especially after shutting down, it is likely due to one or more underlying factors. Below, we explore common reasons behind this issue and offer solutions to address them.

Common Causes and Solutions

1. Dynamic Desktop Setting: Many Mac users opt for dynamic wallpapers that change based on the time of day or other predefined conditions. This setting can sometimes lead to unexpected changes. To check or adjust your dynamic wallpaper settings:

Right-click on the desktop. Select System Preferences. Select Desktop Screen Saver.

Ensure that your wallpaper settings are configured as desired. If you wish to disable the dynamic setting:

Right-click on the desktop and choose Change Desktop Background. Uncheck the option that says Change picture: Every [time].

Corrupted Preferences

Corrupted preference files can cause various unexpected behaviors, including frequent wallpaper changes. To reset your desktop preferences:

Delete the file located in ~/Library/Preferences/. Restart your Mac, allowing it to create a new default preferences file.

Multiple User Accounts

If your Mac supports multiple user accounts, each account might have its own unique wallpaper settings. Make sure you are logged into the correct account before checking your preferences:

Log out of your current user account. Log in as the account where you wish to check the wallpaper settings. Open System Preferences and select Desktop Screen Saver to verify your settings.

Third-Party Software

If you use any third-party applications that manage wallpapers, these could be overriding your settings. To resolve this issue:

Check for any third-party wallpaper applications. Adjust their settings or disable them to see if the wallpaper changes stop.

iCloud Syncing

If you use iCloud and have multiple devices, your wallpaper settings might synchronize across them. To check and modify your iCloud settings:

Go to System Preferences. Select Apple ID and then go to the iCloud tab. Ensure that the Desktop Wallpaper option is not checked.

Conclusion

The most common issue is the automatic wallpaper change feature, which can be enabled and then set to change every minute. This can be easily toggled off.

Right-click on the desktop. Select Change Desktop Background. Uncheck the option that says Change picture: Every [time].

In most cases, there is a setting in your System Preferences that is instructing your Mac to change the wallpaper. Open System Preferences and click the Desktop Screen Saver setting to see what's causing the change. Commonly, the setting is configured to change every 15 minutes or so. If you frequently have a website or something open, you might not notice these changes.