Skip to main content

How to: Access stunning hi-res OS X screensaver images to use as wallpaper

Mountain Lion includes a set of 44 beautiful screensaver images in stunning 3200×2000 resolution, ideal for use as wallpaper on Retina MacBook Pros, Thunderbolt Displays and larger Cinema Displays.

Getting access to the images to use as wallpaper takes just a few seconds. Instructions follow…

Via OSXDaily

In the Finder, from the Go menu select Go to folder… (or hit CMD-Shift-G).

In the box that opens up, paste in this:

/System/Library/Frameworks/ScreenSaver.Framework/Versions/A/Resources/Default Collections/

That will open up the folder where the screensaver images are stored. Hit CMD-A to select all of them, then CMD-C to copy. Now open or create the folder where you’d like to store the wallpaper and hit CMD-V to paste in the copies.

Then simply right-click the photo you’d like to use as your wallpaper and select Set Desktop Picture.

 

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Comments

  1. Ash Boer - 11 years ago

    Some nice work. Have lots of new backgrounds for my MacBook Air :)

  2. hellokitler - 11 years ago

    Cool tip. Why are these hidden in the bowels of the operating system?

  3. Ashley Bremner - 11 years ago

    if someone could put these in a zip folder thatd be great thanks….

  4. NQZ (@surgesoda) - 11 years ago

    Thanks for this.

  5. Eric Davis (@ericperisho) - 11 years ago

    wonder why they weren’t simply included in the /Library/Desktop Pictures folder? I put them there. Thanks for the info.

  6. Saif Karim - 11 years ago

    It says folder not found! Please help?

  7. mindofmedia - 11 years ago

    Does not work for mountain lion. (The default collection folder is not there)

    • mindofmedia - 11 years ago

      Sorry, works for Mountain Lion, not for Mavericks

  8. Oliver Kadak - 11 years ago

    Thanks for the tip!
    You can also drag those folders to Desktop & Screen Saver in System Preferences
    http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/3189/5bud.png

  9. Colin Jeffers - 11 years ago

    Says ‘The Folder can’t be found’ .

  10. how about posting these pictures here or at least previews?

  11. Nakul Bhatnagar - 11 years ago

    It is telling me that the folder cannot be found, and I am running 10.8.4, help?

  12. It is Shift+CMD+G not CMD+Shit+G (I know, it works anyway because you press them together :D ). The folder direction works great ;)

  13. Nice one! Why are they hidden away in the first place though?

  14. Jesse Järvi - 11 years ago

    On Mavericks, the file path is

    /Library/Screen Savers/Default Collections

  15. pbranham - 11 years ago

    I have actually been using these as my backgrounds for about 6-8 months. I put them all in a folder together and have it randomly cycle through them on my two monitors for my wallpaper. I love it. I forget where I heard about it first though.

Author

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Ben Lovejoy

Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!


Ben Lovejoy's favorite gear

Manage push notifications

notification icon
We would like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates.
notification icon
You are subscribed to notifications
notification icon
We would like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates.
notification icon
You are subscribed to notifications