# Program or somesuch that will rotate desktop backgrounds automatically? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 16, 2005, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/program-or-somesuch-that-will-rotate-desktop-backgrounds-automatically/308611 "2005-06-16T22:01:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![liirogue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@liirogue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/liirogue)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2005, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/program-or-somesuch-that-will-rotate-desktop-backgrounds-automatically/308611/1 "2005-06-16T22:01:50Z")
In another thread (which I can’t find at the moment), someone mentioned that he has a program that randomly changes his desktop background. Anyone know of any like it? ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2005, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/program-or-somesuch-that-will-rotate-desktop-backgrounds-automatically/308611/2 "2005-06-16T22:19:22Z")
I use [dWall](http://www.dx13.co.uk/programs/dwall/index.html). It sucks the least out of the available options. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2005, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/program-or-somesuch-that-will-rotate-desktop-backgrounds-automatically/308611/3 "2005-06-16T22:19:34Z")
[Phyle’s Wallpaper Switcher](http://philippebedard.net/articles/178.aspx) Program’s in English despite the French website. You’ll get your way around. ---
**Author:** ![Cakey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/73ab20/32.png) [@Cakey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cakey)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2005, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/program-or-somesuch-that-will-rotate-desktop-backgrounds-automatically/308611/4 "2005-06-16T22:29:16Z")
I really like [Webshots](http://www.webshots.com/) - The copy I have is a few years old now so I’m not sure if the new version’s changed much, but the one I have is just great, a very small program that cycles the wallpaper. You can choose how often to change it, and also group backgrounds into categories which you can tick or untick whenever you want if you want a different sort of style. It has other features, like daily wallpaper downloads and screensavers, but I have those disabled so I can’t really comment, I just use it for the desktop cycling. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/program-or-somesuch-that-will-rotate-desktop-backgrounds-automatically/308611/5 "2005-06-17T03:20:48Z")
I just open the Desktop and Screen Saver PrefsPane and tell it to select a random picture from a folder I specify and to change it every specified interval, and it does. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/program-or-somesuch-that-will-rotate-desktop-backgrounds-automatically/308611/6 "2005-06-17T03:34:09Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > I just open the Desktop and Screen Saver PrefsPane and tell it to select a random picture from a folder I specify and to change it every specified interval, and it does. I wanted to say something like that too, but I was on an XP machine and couldn’t remember the name of the pref pane on my real computer. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/program-or-somesuch-that-will-rotate-desktop-backgrounds-automatically/308611/7 "2005-06-17T03:36:07Z")
Seriously, though, it should be _that_ easy. I can’t believe I had to search and search and search for the one that I recommended above (back when I searched for it). Oh, there are plenty of “wallpaper” (stupid terminology) switchers for Windows, and can you believe that some of them are 30 bucks? Holey sheets.