Skip to content
UpdateWatermark 2.1 for Mac: Updated App Store text now makes it clearer how to apply one text or imported-logo watermark to a batch of photos. Existing recipes and exports are unchanged.Watermark 2.1 for Mac.What changed
BraveCL

How to build a personal wallpaper library on Mac

Import your own photos, decide which ones rotate, and preview a wallpaper on your Mac without applying it.

5 stepsUpdated Nov 12, 2026Get My Wallpapers - Refresh Time
What you'll achieve
You will have a local wallpaper library with three imported photos eligible for rotation and a selected photo displayed in the Fill preview.
What you need
  • My Wallpapers - Refresh Time 2.0 installed on a Mac.
  • A folder containing photos you own or have permission to use.
Personal wallpaper library with three imported landscapes and a Mountain Lake Fill preview for the main display

My Wallpapers - Refresh Time starts with an empty personal collection. This guide walks through importing a folder of landscape photos, reviewing the selected images, including each photo in automatic rotation, and previewing one photo for the main display. Nothing is applied to the desktop during these steps.

  1. 1.Review the photos to import

    Choose Add Folder… and select the folder of photos you want. In Review Wallpapers, check that the three photos are selected, then choose Add 3. The photos are not in your library until you confirm the import.

    Review Wallpapers sheet with three selected landscape photos ready for import
    Review Wallpapers sheet with three selected landscape photos ready for import

  2. 2.Find your photos in the library

    After confirming the import, your Library lists all three photos. Select any thumbnail to view its preview without changing the wallpaper currently on your desktop.

    Personal wallpaper library containing three photos: Forest Reflections, Golden Coast and Mountain Lake
    Personal wallpaper library containing three photos: Forest Reflections, Golden Coast and Mountain Lake

  3. 3.Include a photo in automatic rotation

    Select Mountain Lake and turn on Included in the photo inspector. Repeat for Golden Coast and Forest Reflections so they can appear in the automatic rotation.

    Mountain Lake selected in the library with Included enabled in the inspector
    Mountain Lake selected in the library with Included enabled in the inspector

  4. 4.Confirm the eligible wallpaper lineup

    Select Forest Reflections and check that Included is on. The strip below the preview now contains all three eligible photos. To keep a photo in your library but out of rotation, switch Included off for that photo.

    Forest Reflections included and all three wallpaper photos visible in the eligible lineup
    Forest Reflections included and all three wallpaper photos visible in the eligible lineup

  5. 5.Preview a photo for the main display

    Select Mountain Lake, choose Main Display and select Fill under Presentation. This previews the photo without applying it. Choose Apply only when you want to change the actual desktop wallpaper.

    Mountain Lake previewed with Fill for the Main Display, with Apply available but not pressed
    Mountain Lake previewed with Fill for the Main Display, with Apply available but not pressed

After the last step

Your current desktop remains unchanged until you deliberately choose Apply.

Tips

  • Use the library thumbnails to select and preview a photo without applying it.

  • Turn off Included to keep a photo in the collection without adding it to automatic rotation.

  • You can select Fit instead of Fill to compare the photo's presentation before applying.

  • Watch outReview any photo size warnings during import before confirming Add 3.

  • Watch outThe Apply button changes the selected desktop wallpaper; these steps stop at preview.

  • Watch outIncluding photos makes them eligible for rotation, but does not by itself start a timed routine.

Guides for My Wallpapers - Refresh Time