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It has been a long while since Google gave us new wallpapers in a feature drop, leaving us personalization enthusiasts waiting for new device-exclusive ones while sifting through a barrage of AI-generated wallpapers on the Pixel 8 series. However, Google has since launched a new mint colorway for the device, while anticipation builds for the Pixel 8a, which is next in line. Although the mint colorway didn’t have exclusive wallpapers from the get-go, Google is finally giving Pixel Superfans a few, but that means you can download them too.
Download Google’s new Pixel wallpapers, launched with the December Feature Drop
Showcasing an autistic artist’s perspective of nature around us
The Google Pixel 7 Pro and its smaller sibling have been on sale for a few months now, and they just keep getting better. Regular Feature Drops pack improvements like macro mode controls for the Pro model and other camera features for older Pixel phones. The December Feature Drop already brought a handful of snazzy new live wallpapers, but there are even more backgrounds in tow for you, as Google has announced.
15 new Google wallpapers are ready for your Pixel 7 delivery
You won’t need a Pixel 7 to use these though
The big talking point today is the Made By Google event, where we expect to see the full debut of the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro alongside the Pixel Watch. If you own a Pixel phone, you'll be happy to learn there are now 15 new wallpapers for you to choose from directly from Google. You'll find them on the Pixel 7 if you're buying one, or you'll also be able to get these on a Pixel 3 or later Google device.
Google's got a free Pixel 6 for whomever can create the best wallpaper
You've got two weeks to come up with a Pixel wallpaper design that's worthy of a free phone
Look, we get it: everything's expensive these days. Whether you're buying a bike, a home, or even just some food, chances are you're paying more (and getting less) than you were a few years ago. Big-ticket purchases like a new smartphone can feel particularly out of reach, but Google's throwing a bone to one talented Pixel fan, offering a shiny new Pixel 6 to whomever comes up with the best wallpaper.
Google's newest Pixel wallpapers celebrate Indigenous Day with Inuit artwork
They're available on Pixel 3 or later, or grab them for any phone with our handy download links
While Pixel owners are still waiting for any sign of the still-delayed August security patch, Google's monthly round of wallpapers is rolling out right on time. After a month focused on friendship and frogs, the company returns to celebrate Indigenous Day, with three new backdrops all based on Inuit culture.
Check out these cute new wallpapers and icons set to arrive with LineageOS 19.1
Feel free to download and apply at your pleasure
LineageOS may be a little late to the Android 12 party, but the team of talented developers behind it are working hard on getting the next major release ready for this open source project. If you happen to be living under a rock, Lineage is one of the most popular custom ROMs out there, and is committed to giving a new lease on life to aging devices. Ahead of the official release of 19.1, the OS is sharing a few goodies in the form of new wallpapers and icons.
Google's latest Pixel wallpapers adorn your phone with flowers for Earth Day
Grab them right here for any phone
It's a new month, so it's time for Google to unveil its latest additions to its Curated Culture wallpapers collection. April is home to Earth Day, the perfect occasion to roll out some fresh backdrops themed around the environment. If you have a Pixel phone, it's a great opportunity to ring in the spring season with some floral prints for your wallpaper.
Download all 457 Google Wallpapers backgrounds from the Pixel phones
Including the Pixel 6's new and exclusive wallpapers
There are thousands of beautiful wallpapers available across dozens of snazzy apps on Android, but sometimes, Google's own backgrounds are just what your phone needs. While it's simple to install the Google Wallpapers app on most Android devices, you still can't get all the backdrops it has on offer for Pixel phones — there are quite a few exclusive. We can provide you with an easy way to download each of Google Wallpaper's collections in a neat, zipped up package, making it easy to sift through the selection, all without installing an extra app.
Wallpaper Engine is a popular live background tool that's making its way from Steam to Android
It will be free-to-use, but to take full advantage of it, you'll need the Windows program
Google offers a few live wallpapers, but if the pre-installed selection on your phone just doesn't cut it, you need to look into other alternatives. These could soon be joined by a gaming community favorite — Wallpaper Engine has just announced that it's in the process of creating an Android app.
Google just added three gorgeous new Pixel wallpapers
Created to celebrate International Friendship Day — aww
Google's Pixel wallpapers can be a bit hit-and-miss, especially compared to the excellent selection in Chrome OS. However, a new batch of three walls just arrived on Pixels that are pretty dang nice, especially when paired with Android 12's Material You dynamic accent colors.
You can finally set a custom Material You accent color in Android 12, but your choices are limited
Beta 3 also includes a redesigned wallpaper picker
Google is delivering its first significant visual redesign in years with Android 12, and along with it comes a theme engine capable of customizing your smartphone in just a few simple steps. Material You pulls its slate of color choices from your wallpaper to customize icons, menus, and more. With Android 12 Beta 3, you can finally choose a custom set of accent colors, though some might still find the possibilities just a little too limiting.
Your Chromebook is getting a new wallpaper feature from... Windows 10?
Custom wallpaper syncing is on the way
Hunting for that perfect family photo or stylish Unsplash pic to use for your PC and smartphone wallpaper can be time consuming, especially when you get around to applying it everywhere. That situation is mostly unchanged with Chromebooks — the exception being with its stock backgrounds, which can magically sync across all your Chrome devices when applied. Chrome OS started testing sync for custom wallpapers a few months back, but the ability got pulled shortly thereafter. There's been radio silence on whether the feature will come back — until our discovery made today.
Android 12 beta 2 debuted the new operating system's much-anticipated automated theming system, which adjusts the colors of your phone's entire interface to match and complement the background wallpaper of your choice. We've been playing with it for the last day, but for a perfect example of why you'll want to check it out, we turn to Ars Technica Reviews Editor and Android Police alumnus Ron Amadeo.
Android 12's app switcher now has a boring opaque background
At least the color still matches your home screen, sort of
Themes are a big part of Android 12, offering all-new ways for customizing your phone as much as you want. Unfortunately, there are a couple of places where it seems like Google has locked everyone into a single visual element. In Android 12 Beta 2, the Recent apps page has replaced your wallpaper with a new solid backdrop that uses Monet to pull colors from your wallpaper.
Chromebooks get a step closer to Apple's AirDrop with Chrome OS 91
Nearby Share, revamped media viewing experience, and more
Following Chrome 91's release for mobile and desktop platforms, Chrome OS 91 is launching on eligible Chromebooks. The major update introduces a sprinkle of new features that'll sweeten the user experience — here are all the important bits Google announced today.
This website lets you create custom wallpapers from your favorite emojis
You've heard of Emoji Kitchen, now get ready for emoji wallpapers
Emoji are becoming increasingly vital for online communication, and many people just can't get enough of the ubiquitous "picture characters." And if you'd like to go as far as decorating your homescreen's background with a hand-picked selection of emoji, you've now got a chance thanks to Oculus/Dropbox/Google engineer Nicholas Jitkoff and Google Maps coder Alastair Tse. They created emoji supply, a web tool that allows you to create and share your own wallpapers based on emoji, and it's incredibly fun.
Google Photos lets you set a live wallpaper of your cool — or random — memories (APK Download)
For the adventurous ones only
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Every time I open the wallpaper picker on my phone, I wonder why it doesn't let me choose a local folder or a Google Photos album as a source of pics to cycle through on my homescreen. While that functionality has yet to be added, a new integration between Photos and Android's wallpapers is live now, but it only takes input from your Memories, leaving you at the mercy of Photos' AI algorithm and what it deemed worthy of being a "Memory."
Heynote turns your wallpaper into a personalized to-do list
And it unlocks plenty of other possibilities, too
Your home screen wallpaper is arguably the most personal part of your phone. Most people use it to show off beautifully designed illustrations or memorable moments from the camera roll, but what if wallpaper had a more functional purpose? That's the question a new app called Heynote tries to answer — although it doesn't always get it right.
While most companies try to hide display cutouts with wallpapers, seemingly as as something to be ashamed of, Google took the route of highlighting the Pixel 4a's pinhole cutout as a feature in its series of fun new wallpapers for the phone. Unfortunately, the latest Android 11 Beta (which the Pixel 4a just got) applies a crop to wallpapers for a new zoomed-in animation it does when entering the multitasking menu or app drawer, and that breaks all the cleverly designed wallpapers. However, Google tells us a fix is planned.
Here's how to get the Pixel 4a's Eclipse live wallpaper on any phone
If you like bluish gradients, this is your wallpaper
It's pretty common for wallpapers from the latest phones to be ported to others, and the Pixel 4a is the latest subject of this. A developer on the XDA Forums by the name of Pranav Pandey has ported the 4a's Eclipse live wallpaper, and we have the download over at APK Mirror.