Computer Desktop Configuration Tips
Facts and Questions
If you need help with your computer - adjusting your desktop photos and text size - you don't have to call an MCSA or an MCSE, or mortgage you house for any other alphabet computer repairperson. You've come to the right place for free answers!
All our desktop images can be used on PC or Mac and below you'll find assistance for both computers, as well as several different operating systems and browsers.
What is my screen resolution?
Which resolution wallpaper size should you choose? Your screen resolution is contingent on the size of your monitor and if you have not previously changed this resolution. It should be set to what is called native resolution for best results. See below about "native resolution." To determine your current resolution:
On Windows operating system
- Click Start > Control Panel (Settings for Windows 2000) > Display > Settings Tab > Adjust Screen Resolution slider
- Easier Way! Right-click empty space on your desktop > select properties (desktop properties) > Settings Tab > Adjust Screen Resolution slider
- Or... look below for your current resolution
Your current resolution
is:
On a Mac
First we should state the obvious: Most Mac people do not need assistance, this is a fact. HOWEVER, having admitted the previous statement as a life long pc user and having repaired many of them, I must also disclose there are some Mac users that do need assistance - such as the newbies, as I once was!
- Click the Apple menu at the top of your desktop > System Preferences > Displays > view resolution
- Or... look above for your current resolution
What is Native Resolution and why should I care?
LCD or Plasma monitors are listed with a "native resolution" according to the size of the screen. A resolution number tells you how many vertical and horizontal pixels are available to display your images or text. If your screen's native resolution is 1280x1024 and you decide to change that (because the text is too small - see How to increase text size to fix this problem) resolution to something smaller, like 1024x786, this forces fewer pixels to do the work of displaying images on your screen, thus images are stretched and text is blurry.
How do I know what my native resolution is?
The native resolution is the maximum resolution the LCD monitor will display. See What is my screen resolution to see the highest numbers available in your resolution list.
Why is my text so small in "native"?
"But if I have a large 'native' screen the text is too small!" That is true for many people and monitors. And though it is tempting to change that resolution, resist the urge, and instead increase the text or font size. Here's how:
Windows
- Click Start > Control Panel > Display > Appearance > Font Size.
- Easier Way! Right-click empty space on your desktop > select desktop properties
How do I increase text size in browser windows?
"Okay, the text on my documents is a nice size now, but it didn't help with the text when I'm surfing the internet."
Web sites, such as Free-naturewallpaper.com, do not use what is referred to as an absolute/fixed size. Here and on many up to date web sites, the text (and the content frame) can easily be enlarged. Here's how to do it:
Windows
IE5-6 - first we'll see if style sheets is disabled already...
- Have your browser window open, click View from the menu Bar at the top
- Select Text Size and select an option (Largest, Larger, Medium....)
- If the Text Size is not available do the following
- on the menu bar at the top select Tools > Internet Options,
- Select General tab and click Accessibility
- See that all three checkboxes under Formatting are checked
- Click Ok and then click refresh
- Repeat steps from the View menu
IE 7 or later
- Have your browser window open, click View from the menu Bar at the top
- Select Text Size and select an option
- Firefox 1.0 on a pc - temporary increase
- Select View from Menu Bar > Text Size > Increase or Decrease
Firefox 1.0 - Permanent font increase
- From Menu Bar, select Tools > Options
- Click General, click Fonts & Colors
*Short cut for windows is generally Ctrl++
Mac OS
Firefox- is the same as above on a pc
Safari 1.2 or later
- From the Menu Bar select Safari > Preferences
- Click Appearance, and set your Standard font size
- Opera - this trick will actually zoom in on the web page
- click View > Zoom and increase the percentage
*Short cut - the short cut for the above browsers is Command+
For more information on text/font size and style sheets check out the Web Accessibility Initiative visit: http://www.w3.org/WAI/changedesign.html
How do I set images as my desktop wallpaper?
A reminder will be listed in each gallery, but basically here's how to do it:
Windows
- Allow the photo to load fully (click image to enlarge on Vista)
- Right-click (ctl-click Mac) on the image
- Select "Set As Wallpaper" or "Use image as desktop picture"(Mac) from the fly-out menu
- Click Back when finished
Mac - OS X
There are two ways, the easiest is first:
- Allow the photo to load fully and then click image to enlarge
- Right-click (ctl-click) on the image
- Select "Use image as desktop picture" from the fly-out menu
- Click Back when finished
To save images for later use you can download them this way:
- Ctl-click (or right-click if you have reconfigured your mouse) and select Save image to "Downloads"
- Save to Download folder (see instructions for creating a handy Download folder if you do not already have one)
- From the Apple menu (or from your Dock at bottom), select System Preferences, and then "Desktop and Screen Saver"
- Select Choose Folder in window on left to go to your desktop Download folder, and select photo in window on right
*Once you search for and use the Download folder it will appear in the list with Choose Folder and you can go directly to it.
* Short Cut - This should work for all the above: right-click (ctl-click) on empty space on the desktop, from the fly out menu select Properties (XP), Personalize (Vista), or Change Desktop Background (Mac) and continue.
I can't find my resolution!
If you don't see your exact resolution, select the closest one and stretch, center or tile images on your screen. Here's how to do it:
Windows 98/ME/2000
First we need to talk about why you would still have these versions (especially Windows 98! and gawd forbid ME!)
- Click Start > Control Panel > Display Properties > Background tab
- From memory, you should have options such as stretch or center, try these. If it doesn't work, it must be those operating systems, ha!
Windows XP
Follow steps above above steps, only your tab says Desktop, select to center, stretch or tile.
Vista
- Open Control Panel, select Personalize > Desktop Background
Mac
- From the Apple menu (or from your Dock at bottom), select System Preferences, and then "Desktop and Screen Saver," your choices are Fill, Stretch, Tile and Center.
* Short Cut - This should work for all the above: right-click (ctl-click) on empty space on the desktop, from the fly out menu select Properties (XP), Personalize (Vista), or Change Desktop Background (Mac) and continue.
How can I reuse the wonderful images from Free-naturewallpaper.com and change them later?
You can always come back to our site to change your desktop photo as many times as you wish. But if you really want to store the images, you can, but don't do this with everything you find on the internet, or you will fill up your drive unnecessarily. When you use "Set as Background" the photo is saved to a file many layers down in your file system that is usually hidden. So, when you find a photo you like, instead of right-clicking to "Set as Background," you'll save it to a location that you can easily get to.
- First right-click the image you like, select "save image as" or it will say some variation of that, select a location (it is a good idea to create a new folder on your desktop called Download for things you download from the internet. See download folder instructions).
- Follow above instructions My picture doesn't fit! to get to your desktop properties (personalize) and click browse to find the location where you stored your free wallpaper image.
How to create a download folder
If you are new to computers, surfing the web or you just aren't very organized, you may not know how creating a Download folder on your desktop will make your life easier. This folder can be in your Documents/My Documents or on the desktop. Newer operating systems may have this folder already made for you, so check these areas to see if it is there. Whenever you download a patch, picture or anything (safe) from the internet you should always click the browse button before downloading the item, so you can place it in your download folder. This way you'll always know where it is.
- Right-click on empty space on your desktop, select New > Folder
- Name the folder Download (type over the highlighted text)