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The best wallpaper apps for Android

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Changing the background of your Android device is one of the most straightforward and effective ways of making your phone your own. Beyond the basics, there are a handful of wallpaper-modifying tricks that you may not know are out there. These are our favorite apps that let you set up automatic wallpaper changes.

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One way of setting up your wallpaper is to have it change on a timed schedule. Doing this means you don't have to sort it out manually; your device is fresh each time you come to use it. There are several approaches you can take, which we'll outline here.

Wallpaper Changer 

Installing a dedicated app is perhaps the easiest way of changing your Android device's wallpaper on a schedule. Sometimes the name just says it all. Wallpaper Changer is the best-known app for the job, though there are others around on Google Play.

Fire up Wallpaper Changer to find the app's settings. You can choose a certain number of minutes, hours, or days as your interval, set how the app resizes or crops images, opt to change the wallpaper every time you unlock your phone, and set your wallpapers to cycle through in a random order if you prefer.

androidpit wallpaper changer 35
Wallpaper Changer lets you set your schedule and adjust a few other options. / © NextPit
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There are a couple of other settings to tweak: you'll need to choose the Wallpaper Changer live wallpaper as the wallpaper on your device (press and hold a blank part of the home screen to do this) and then compile a group of images via the Albums tab. If you upgrade to the Pro version of Wallpaper Changer, you can manage several different albums.

IFTTT

Another way of rotating through several wallpapers on your Android device is via the always-impressive "If This Then That (IFTTT)." It connects apps and services using triggers that lead to actions — and one of the supported actions is switching the background on a connected Android device.

androidpit automatic wallpaper change instagram ifttt
We made an IFTTT recipe to change the wallpaper every time a new photo is posted to Instagram from within a certain area. / © NextPit
${app-com.ifttt.ifttt}

Once you've signed up to IFTTT and started work on your wallpaper-shifting recipe, you can choose all kinds of triggers: a new photo in a Dropbox folder, a newly liked image on Instagram, a new picture from an RSS feed, something from your Flickr feed, and so on.

For example, we created a Recipe to change the wallpaper whenever IFTTT found a new public Instagram photo taken in a nearby city center. It's not as straightforward a solution as using a dedicated app, but it gives you a lot more flexibility when setting the routine.

You can find out more about the possibilities IFTTT offers here:

Microsoft Launcher

Microsoft Launcher includes Bing wallpapers that are updated daily. If you have a Windows PC, you might already be familiar with these beautiful wallpapers on your computer's lock screen. It also intelligently presents you with apps based on your location, adding to a more dynamic experience that goes a few steps beyond automatic wallpaper rotation. The more you use the launcher, the better it gets. Plus, it is optimized to save battery and memory.

androidpit arrow launcher
Microsoft's sleek Launcher also can change your wallpaper automatically. / © NextPit
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Wallpapers by Google

Pick a category and get stunning wallpapers everyday courtesy of Google. If you have a recent version of Android, you can have one on your home screen and a different one on your lock screen. Their selection of wallpapers is constantly growing, with pictures coming from Google Earth, Google+, and others.

googlewallpap
As usual, Google has the answer. / © NextPit (screenshot)
${app-com.google.android.apps.wallpaper}

Muzei Live Wallpaper

For fans of classic works of art, Muzei is the choice for you. The app has wallpapers replicating some of the most famous painters the world has ever seen, such as Vincent van Gogh. The art also recedes into the background, blurring, and dimming artwork to keep your icons and widgets in the spotlight. You can also control how often Muzei automatically changes your wallpaper, with options for everything from 15-minute intervals to once every three days.

muzei wallpaper app
Van Gogh's Starry Night is one of the featured works of art / © Muzei
${app-net.nurik.roman.muzei}

Walli

If you have a newer smartphone with a very high-resolution display, such as a Samsung AMOLED, you will probably want to take a look at Walli. The beauty of this app is that the wallpapers come in resolutions up to 4K. The wallpapers are made by selected artists, and the artists themselves can earn money from being featured on the app. That's cool, because it still means that you can get their work for free, but the people who put in the hard graft aren't getting short-changed.

walli
Artwork from selected artists / © Shanga

How do you automatically change your wallpaper? Know of any other useful methods? Let us know in the comments.

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Nicholas Montegriffo

Nicholas Montegriffo
Editor

A cyberpunk and actual punk, Nicholas is the Androidpit team's hardcore gamer, writing with a focus on future tech, VR/AR, AI & robotics. Out of office, he can be found hanging around in goth clubs, eating too many chillies, or at home telling an unlucky nerd that their 8th level wizard died from a poisoned spike trap.

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32 comments
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  • 3
    mikedavis May 12, 2021 Link to comment

    Can you please suggest me app from above list which does not pop-up any ads.


  • 2
    Pirlusca Mar 29, 2021 Link to comment

    Still no live wallpaper switcher or rotator. All my family use live wallpapers made from our family videos or other sources. Incredible!!!!


  • 2
    Pirlusca Jan 3, 2021 Link to comment

    I have live wallpapers on all my Xperia, HTC, Motorola G4, Xiaomi redmi, Belly dancers Racing steam locos, Waves on tropical beaches, F1 racing, Stripteases, Lightning storms, Wife on the Beach. You name it any video can be converted to a LIVE Wallpaper not a photo flipper!!!


  • 1
    Umar Abdullah Technical Services LLC Dec 4, 2020 Link to comment

    it is love to read about wallpaper.


  • 1
    recyclone Nov 6, 2020 Link to comment

    If you haven't used Wallpaper Mover V2 by syscom yet you are missing something. It can change your wallpaper based on several triggers but does not require Internet access to ensure the privacy of the user and it works with your existing launcher. All wallpapers currently on google play do not respect your privacy this one does.


  • 49
    storm Aug 25, 2019 Link to comment

    If you spend enough time on the home screen to see or even worry about wallpaper, you're not using your device as smartly as you should be.

    marco sarli


  • Dean L. 34
    Dean L. Aug 22, 2019 Link to comment

    Same here. I like to have my pics as my wallpapers to. That's what makes my phone unique and truly mine.

    marco sarliKevinDeactivated Account


  • marco sarli 39
    marco sarli
    • Admin
    Aug 22, 2019 Link to comment

    What makes me feel that my phone is really mine and unique is to have always my wallpaper. I have no need or desire to change constantly wallpaper

    Dean L.


  • 46
    Deactivated Account Aug 21, 2019 Link to comment

    I think the best wall papers and home screens are picture I have of my loved ones. You do not need an app to use them

    Dean L.


  • 5
    Douglas Nguyen Jan 1, 2019 Link to comment

    I used to use Zedge but now I use Walli. It has beautiful wallpapers and recently added the auto wallpaper change feature.


  • F.Alam 7
    F.Alam Jan 1, 2019 Link to comment

    Thanks a lot for this thread


  • 49
    storm Dec 31, 2018 Link to comment

    You must spend a lot of time on your home screen. I'm in app much more than home screen


  • 9
    Cynthia F. Dec 31, 2018 Link to comment

    I've been using DailyPic (Microsoft Store, Google Play) for years, and LOVE the Bing daily picture of the day. They're always beautiful, and if you don't happen to like that one, you can always choose another.


  • 25
    Deactivated Account Oct 18, 2018 Link to comment

    I have been using Wallpaper Changer since a long time, yes its the pro version and it is an excellent application. Just go for it and you will surely not be disappointed. It uses next to no battery power and does a lot in enhancing your Android experience.


  • Wayne Mceachron 1
    Wayne Mceachron Oct 27, 2017 Link to comment

    Does anyone know of an Android Wallpaper changer that's connected to Google Photos?


  • Alex Roy 2
    Alex Roy Jan 24, 2017 Link to comment

    whether arrow launcher from microsoft is to android or windows or it work on both of them


  • 4
    Saidalavi Padinhare Peediyakkal Jan 23, 2017 Link to comment

    Hello,
    All these applications are for static wallpaper. I am a lover of Live Wallpaper. Still there is no applications to change the live wallpapers automatically according to a schedule. If somebody can develop it or already knows , kindly share

    Pirlusca


    • 2
      Pirlusca Dec 29, 2020 Link to comment

      That is something I have wanted for at least 8 years


  • Natanael Bodanese 16
    Natanael Bodanese Jan 23, 2017 Link to comment

    Pra quem usa temas acho que não se encacharia esse né ?


  • 12
    Bill L. Jan 22, 2017 Link to comment

    Zedge is an app worth checking out. Great selection of wallpapers and notifications /ring tones.

    nightflyer2131Natanael BodaneseJohn T.

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