How to Restore Desktop Background on Mac

The first thing we do with a laptop, PC, tablet, or even a mobile phone is setting the wallpaper. And sometimes, the personalized desktop backgrounds are accidentally altered with no visible way to restore them. But you don't have to be anxious if you want to find old desktop background on MacBook Pro, iMac and MacBook Air.

In this guide, we will guide our readers who want to find out the ways to restore Mac backgrounds. Let's begin now.

Quick Navigation

Part 1: Where are my old desktop backgrounds on Mac

Part 2: How to Change Mac Desktop Backgrounds

Part 3: 3 Ways for How to Recover Deleted backgrounds and wallpaper on Mac

Where are my old desktop backgrounds on Mac

All users know that Mac OS comes with an in-built list of wallpapers and screensaver for the device. But not all the users know where the files are located. So, if you want to know "where were Apple desktop pictures", the path you need to follow is given below.

1. Open the Finder app and press the Cmd + Shift + G key to open the Go To Folder option.
2. Enter the path "~/Library/Desktop Pictures" and hit Return key.

This will open the default desktop pictures and background library where all images are stored. Unless you manually delete the files from the Desktop Pictures folder, the files will be accessible to you all the time.

How to Change Mac Desktop Backgrounds

If you have lost the desktop background image somehow, then you can find old desktop background on Mac by picking a new image and setting it as background.

1. Open "System Preferences" from the Dock or use the Apple icon on the top.

you can also select the "Change Desktop Background" option by right-clicking on the desktop.

2. Click on the Desktop & Screen Saver option and then open the Desktop tab.
3. Under the tab, you will see the "Desktop Pictures" option.
4. Now, scroll through the list of images and choose the one you like.
5. Click on the image, and it will apply as a desktop background.

Now, you have reset a new image as a background on Mac.

3 Ways for How to Recover Deleted backgrounds and wallpaper on Mac

If you want the old desktop background back on your device, then we will cover three possible ways to do it. In this part, we will learn how to restore old/deleted/lost background or wallpaper in detail.

Method 1: How to check out the folder "Desktop and Screen Saver" to look for backgrounds and wallpapers?

Most of the users set a background for their desktop, which is in-built. It means that as long as the image file exists in the Desktop Pictures library, you will be able to restore previous desktop background on Mac. Here's how you can restore the background.

1. Open System and Preferences > Desktop & Screen Saver > Desktop tab.
2. Now, scroll and try to find the previous image you used for the wallpaper.
3. Select the image, and it will be set for the background once more.

Method 2: Check out trash can to restore deleted backgrounds and wallpapers on Mac

If you can't find the image you want as background, then checking out the Trash folder is also necessary. Generally, all the lost and deleted files can be found in the Trash if you haven't emptied it. This means that you can still restore desktop background on Mac by restoring the image from Trash.

1. Click on the Trash icon from the Dock and open the folder. Try to find the image that was being used as a desktop background.
2. As soon as you locate the file, right-click on it, and select the Put Back option to restore the file in its original location.

Once the image is restored, you can set it again as a desktop background. If you empty the trash file. Don't worry, you can also to use the following way to recover files from trash on Mac.

Method 3: How to recover deleted backgrounds and wallpapers on Mac with iBeesoft

In case the wallpaper you want to set as the background is nowhere to be found, you need to rely on iBeesoft Data Recovery for Mac. The software has various features that will allow users to restore desktop background on MacBook Pro and more. No matter how the files get lost, this software will have a guaranteed solution to retrieve the lost files under any circumstances.

To get the program, visit the official site and download the Mac version. Finish the setup carefully, and the software will be ready for use. Here is the systematic guide for how to get back deleted backgrounds and wallpapers on Mac with iBeesoft Data Recovery.

1. Select File Type

Launch the program and select the file type that you want to scan for. You can also keep all file types selected and directly click on the Start button to initiate the recovery process.

2. Select Your Built-in Disk

Now, mark the location where the files were located and again press the Scan button to recover deleted files on Mac. By default, the software will run a Quick Scan. But if you want to change to Deep Scan mode, then you can switch once the scanning process is finished. Deep Scan will find more files for you.

3. Preview Desktop Background & Restore

When the results appear on the screen, filter them using the file type, format, or folder to narrow down the results. Once you find the file, have a preview, and then click on the Recover button.

The image will be downloaded on your Mac, and you can set it as a desktop background once more.

Hopefully, now you know to restore desktop background on MacBook Pro. We recommend that instead of going through all the hassle of finding the file, use iBeesoft Data Recovery for quick and effective results. Tell your friends and family about this tool as well.