How To Change Wallpaper on the Google Pixel 2/2 XL

Nik Read more July 27, 2018

Nowadays, mobile phones are so much more than mere gadgets we use when we need to make a call. Our smartphones have, in a way, become an expression of ourselves. We use and rely on them so much that we want them to be unique. One of the best ways to accomplish this is to set an appropriate wallpaper which reflects some aspect of our personality we would like to emphasize or simply shows an image which is important or dear to us.

How To Change Wallpaper on the Google Pixel 2/2 XL

At any given moment, your phone actually has two wallpapers in use. One for the home screen and another for the lock screen. They can contain the same image or be totally different, it’s completely up to you.

The lock screen is the first thing you see when you try to access a smartphone. That is where you need to input a code or perform some gesture in order to fully unlock the device. It also displays certain information so you wouldn’t have to go through this process for every little thing, like checking the time.

The lock screen is designed with security in mind and it accomplishes this in two ways. For one, it prevents unauthorized users from gaining access to your phone. Secondly, it stops you from accidentally pressing something important when you’re reaching for your phone or in other similar situations. Because this screen is what you’ll see first whenever you pick up your phone, it’s nice if it contains an inviting image.

After you get past the lock screen, you’ll see the home screen. This is the starting point for everything you’ll be doing with your phone so you’ll be seeing it a lot. Therefore, it’s only natural you’ll want this screen to display something nice in the background.

Fortunately, setting the wallpapers for both the home and lock screens is very simple and it’s part of the same process. Below, you will find a short guide explaining everything you need to do.

Changing the Wallpaper

We’ll start from your home screen.

Find a blank area (the top left corner in the above picture) and press and hold it for a moment or two. The screen will zoom out and you’ll see a new menu. In the bottom left corner, you will find an icon labeled “Wallpapers”. Tap it.

This will show you the available options for your wallpaper. The Pixel 2/2 XL comes preloaded with certain stock images, but you’ll probably want to select “My photos” and go for something you’ve personally downloaded or created.

Once you find the image you want, tap it. Now you can move it around, zoom, and set it the way you like. Once you’re satisfied, look at the top right corner of the screen and hit “Set wallpaper”.

This is the last submenu. Here, you need to choose if this image will be used for the home screen, the lock screen, or both. That’s it.

Alternatively, you can select the Photos app from the home screen. Pick an image and tap it. In the top right corner, there will be an options button (three vertical dots). Press it and select “Use as”. Now choose “Wallpaper”. From here, the process is the same as in the previous method.

Either way, the procedure is very simple and takes little time. The hard part is choosing which photo to go for. Fortunately, you can change your wallpaper as often as you like now that you’ve read this guide.