# Random Windows desktop **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 19, 2010, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-windows-desktop/554309 "2010-09-19T18:13:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2010, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-windows-desktop/554309/1 "2010-09-19T18:13:34Z")
Is there a program that everytime I turn on the computer will look at a folder of pix and pick one at random to be my desktop? ---
**Author:** ![Palooka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/palooka/32/2902_2.png) [@Palooka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palooka)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-windows-desktop/554309/2 "2010-09-19T19:05:21Z")
I’ve heard good things about NuonSoft’s wallpaper cycler, which has a freeware lite version. Windows 7 will do what you’re asking natively, if you already have that. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2010, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-windows-desktop/554309/3 "2010-09-19T21:39:34Z")
Windows 7 has that functionality built in. ---
**Author:** ![Random\_Design](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58f4c7/32.png) [@Random\_Design](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Random_Design)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2010, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-windows-desktop/554309/4 "2010-09-21T11:20:00Z")
There’s a program called Magentic which sort of does what you want - it downloads new wallpapers from their site, I’m not sure if you can set it to use your own image folders. (warning though - Magentic is made by the same people that make Incredimail, which I think most IT people would tell you to steer clear of.) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Accident](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Mr.Accident](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Accident)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2010, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-windows-desktop/554309/5 "2010-09-21T13:02:37Z")
I like [allwallpaperslite](http://www.nimblesoftware.com/desktop/free-wallpaper-changer/) myself. You can set it to pick from multiple folders, and what interval you want it to change from as quick as 1 second, to as long as a year. It’ll let you pick the order of the wallpapers it uses, or it can choose one at random. It used to be spyware free, but I haven’t downloaded it in over a year, so it could’ve changed since then. Or you can go for the premium version, which is only $3.99. I haven’t used it yet as the free one works fine for me. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2010, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-windows-desktop/554309/6 "2010-09-21T14:09:09Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Windows 7 has that functionality built in. I looked before I made the OP but didn’t see it. ---
**Author:** ![Palooka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/palooka/32/2902_2.png) [@Palooka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palooka)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2010, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-windows-desktop/554309/7 "2010-09-21T14:58:10Z")
[Here](http://img833.imageshack.us/img833/3699/directionsm.jpg) is a screen-grab outlining how to do it in Win 7.