Ask HN: Best Source for Desktop Backgrounds

72 points by hawktheslayer ↗ HN
Any good recommendations for downloading desktop backgrounds? I'm looking for pictures or artwork to use for my dual screen monitors. But I find it difficult to find high res downloads from safe sources.

61 comments

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If you're on Windows, I quite like Splash![0], it's an app that automatically loads pictures from Unsplash depending on keywords you choose.

[0] https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/splash-unsplash-wallpaper/...

Thanks, I didn't know about Splash, and I like it! Too bad my system admin disabled the Microsoft store.
If you can get hold of the .appx file from another source, you may be able to install it via powershell.
I love to browse the website of the Library of Congress, it has a lot of expressive historical photographs and you can download the high-res scans of the original plates. Of course, I have to process the images in an editor a bit, but I love the process. Generally I like "crafting" my desktop backgrounds myself.

I also like to have photos I've taken as my background.

Ya, the Library of Congress collection is great, it’s practically the only place I’ve been able to find images of art that is at least 3840 pixels wide that doesn’t need to be upscaled for 4K monitors. Does anyone know any other sources of high resolution images of classic art? All of the photos on museum sites like the Louvre and the Rijksmuseum are really low quality.
If you're looking for artwork I can recommend visiting museum websites, some of them offer their collections online with high quality downloads.

For example, the Rijksmuseum: https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/rijksstudio

I have a folder full of single color PNG files. Basically:

- find a saturation and brightness level that is pleasing to you

- now basically any hue you pick will be a pleasing color

- create a number of 5000x5000 PNG files in those colors

- use an image optimization tool (imgoptim etc.) and crush them to 1 KB files

- let your OS cycle through the folder

The best one I found was https://Unsplash.com

It has 1000s of high quality absolutely free images. You can even use them for commercial purposes for free legally.

Unsplash is also a great resource for slide deck backgrounds and hero images.
Thanks!

It's great that you don't need to sign in or do captchas.

https://wallhaven.cc has a solid selection and some basic filters.
This is by far the one I use most. Great selection, relatively few dupes, decent tagging, and not too many low quality upscales.
This is my goto. I think they do (or used) to scrape 4chan for the wallpapers.
I like the designer wallpaper monthly series from DesignMilk, over the years I’ve downloaded a bunch and they are my go to
I rotate pictures from a bike trip I took a few years ago
Maybe somewhat nostalgic, but I remember cycling through many artworks by digitalblasphemy [1] during the early-mid 2000s. Honestly surprised to see there's still new content!

[1] https://digitalblasphemy.com/

I'm still a subscriber there actually. The guy behind it is going strong and keeps trying new things. Would highly recommend if you like his style.
Haven't visited in many years but so glad to hear they are still up! What a classic.
Been using the standard macOS Mojave desert background for 3 years and counting. Not planning on changing.