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Project: Complete Collection of Mac OS Wallpapers (UPDATED!)

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Gamer9430

Gamer9430

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Apr 22, 2014
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Original Post: So this isn't exactly PowerPC related, but being that this involves PPCs and that this community usually is open to helping out with fun stuff like this, I figured I'd post this thread here.

I've always thought that it would be awesome to have a complete collection of every desktop wallpaper included with every Mac OS version, ranging from the earliest version of System 7 with wallpaper support all the way through to macOS High Sierra, spanning in total 27 major OS releases and 27 years between the initial release of System 7 and High Sierra.

Updated Post: Thanks to the strong community we have here at MacRumors, we have been able to track down and include every Wallpaper/Desktop Picture from every version of MacOS to date. This will continue to be updated as needed with new OS releases that bring new wallpapers, as well any new discoveries that might have been made. Thanks again to everyone who helped in some way with this project!

Installation: Copy content of "Desktop Pictures" folder to ~/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/ (**SEE NOTE BELOW FOR MACOS 13+) to have all wallpapers show up natively in the default wallpaper location, or place the "Desktop Pictures" folder anywhere on your computer and add the folder on using "Desktop & Screen Saver" prefpane.

**WARNING FOR MACOS 13+ USERS: Please note that on macOS 13 Ventura and macOS 14 Sonoma, Apple has changed the way wallpapers are stored in the Desktop Pictures folder, changing the files from .jpeg/.heic to .Macdesktop files. It is HIGHLY SUGGESTED to not replace or modify the contents of this folder with the Desktop Pictures folder here and instead you should just add the folder using "Add Folder or Album" setting within the Wallpaper system settings section.

Included:
-Mac OS 7.6 (Must be tiled to appear correctly)
-Mac OS 8 (Multiple Resolutions included, certain images must be tiled to appear correctly)
-Mac OS 9 (Multiple Resolutions included, certain images must be tiled to appear correctly)
-Mac OS X 10.0 Cheeta (5K & 6K Resolution)
-Mac OS X 10.1 Puma (5K & 6K Resolution)
-Mac OS X 10.2 Jaguar (5K & 6K Resolution)
-Mac OS X 10.3 Panther (5K & 6K Resolution)
-Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger (5K & 6K Resolution)
-Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard (5K & 6K Resolution)
-Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard (5K & 6K Resolution)
-Mac OS X 10.7 Lion (5K & 6K Resolution)
-OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion (5K & 6K Resolution)
-OS X 10.9 Mavericks (5K & 6K Resolution)
-OS X 10.10 Yosemite (5K & 6K Resolution)
-OS X 10.11 El Capitan (5K & 6K Resolution)
-macOS 10.12 Sierra (5K & 6K Resolution)
-macOS 10.13 High Sierra (5K & 6K Resolution)
-macOS 10.14 Mojave (6K Resolution)
-macOS 10.15 Catalina (6K Resolution)
-macOS 11 Big Sur (6K Resolution)
-macOS 12 Monterey (6K Resolution)
-macOS 13 Ventura (6K Resolution)
-macOS 14 Sonoma (6K Resolution) [Current as of 12/20/2023, macOS 14.2.1]
-Various promotional wallpapers used by Apple over the years


Download Links:
[Mirror1/Dropbox]: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6c8veze05y4dou8/AAABpBWhiGAtqKzOcvZozA9Ea?dl=0
[Mirror2/MEGA]: https://mega.nz/folder/es1UhKpJ#MJ9QFPbylUiWZv_1jfO_dw
Please note this is a 1.8GB zipped download with 599 images.
 
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The default wallpapers for Public Beta - 10.3 were included in every OS up to Lion unchanged. If you have a newer Mac OS X 10.4 - 10.6.8 installation you should already have them (Public Beta - 10.1 is named "Classic Aqua Blue", 10.2's is "Jaguar Aqua Blue", 10.3 "Panther Aqua Blue").

Same goes for the 10.10 wallpaper being included in 10.11 and 10.12.
 
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So if thats the case, then all we really need is the wallpapers from System 7-OS 9
 
I forget if all the "color matching" OS 9 wallpapers for iMacs/iBooks get installed in a standard install. I'll check afterwhile.
 
bunnspecial said:
I forget if all the "color matching" OS 9 wallpapers for iMacs/iBooks get installed in a standard install. I'll check afterwhile.
Click to expand...

I do believe they are installed on other machines, they just aren't set as default.
 
This is awesome! My favorite has always been the UFO ones from Mac OS 9. Used to have those on my iMac G3 back when I was little. So, does that mean we only need System 7 and Mac OS 8 still? I can potentially get Mac OS 8 in a few weeks (at home, and heading out of town before then). Also, wait a second. I know there's some panther/jaguar print wallpapers in one of the older versions of OS X, that I don't see in the dropbox with the other Lion/Panther Aqua related ones.

Is it possible (I haven't downloaded all of these yet) to get the entire compilation as one .zip file someplace to download? Or should I take on that task? :)
 
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Slix said:
This is awesome! My favorite has always been the UFO ones from Mac OS 9. Used to have those on my iMac G3 back when I was little. So, does that mean we only need System 7 and Mac OS 8 still? I can potentially get Mac OS 8 in a few weeks (at home, and heading out of town before then). Also, wait a second. I know there's some panther/jaguar print wallpapers in one of the older versions of OS X, that I don't see in the dropbox with the other Lion/Panther Aqua related ones.

Is it possible (I haven't downloaded all of these yet) to get the entire compilation as one .zip file someplace to download? Or should I take on that task? :)
Click to expand...
folder has been updated with OS 9 and server wallpapers
[doublepost=1489535040][/doublepost]System 7.5.3 Desktop patterns added as well... only problem is that OS X can't figure out how to tile them instead of just displaying the one small square
 
Gamer9430 said:
folder has been updated with OS 9 and server wallpapers
[doublepost=1489535040][/doublepost]System 7.5.3 Desktop patterns added as well... only problem is that OS X can't figure out how to tile them instead of just displaying the one small square
Click to expand...

Just make a huge resolution of the pattern?

Like make a 2560x1440 with the background filing it up, I'll do it on my MBP
[doublepost=1489548507][/doublepost]So I tried it with one pattern and maybe I should've lowered the resolution but tell me what you think?
 

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Here is the first Snow Leopard Desktop pic. It was on the first install dvd, Apple change it and in every new update change it to the newer one you have here. I think it was to PG-13 for apple, so it went Rated-G.
Snow Leopard.jpg
 
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donzubeck said:
Here is the first Snow Leopard Desktop pic. It was on the first install dvd, Apple change it and in every new update change it to the newer one you have here. I think it was to PG-13 for apple, so it went Rated-G. View attachment 694748
Click to expand...
Wow! I never realized there were two different versions. Thats actually really interesting. I guess Apple didn't approve of blood being on the mouth of a killer cat LOL... although, they should have left it. It would have showed Snow Leopard ripping apart Windows :p
[doublepost=1491241132][/doublepost]Updated with the new Unedited Snow Leopard wallpaper
 
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Yes it was the default, not very long though. Apple removed it from all of the updates and from the app store OS as well.
As far as I know it is only on the first install DVD. I think it was 10.6.1 or 10.6.2, and after they sold them all it was replaced with the cleaned up image.
 
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donzubeck said:
Yes it was the default, not very long though. Apple removed it from all of the updates and from the app store OS as well.
As far as I know it is only on the first install DVD. I think it was 10.6.1 or 10.6.2, and after they sold them all it was replaced with the cleaned up image.
Click to expand...
I own the original install DVD, and this image was not the default (I've used it on my Intel iMac back when that Mac worked). However, my DVD was a part of the Mac Box Set so perhaps that had something to do with it? Yes, it's 10.6.0, not 10.6.3.
 
That must be it, I have the retail DVD 10.6.0. I pulled that image off of the DVD with Pacifist. When I went to get it from my MacBook it had been replaced again. I must have done an update it may have been the app store update. It could have been the combo update too. I think I applied that one awhile back also.
 
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