Which wallpaper size to download
Every still in the gallery is offered in four files. Pick the one closest to, or slightly above, the display’s native pixel size. macOS can scale a larger image down cleanly; starting from a much smaller file looks softer.
The four files
- 4K — 3840×2160, 16:9. A solid default for many external 4K monitors.
- 5K — 5120×2880, 16:9. Matches a 27-inch Studio Display’s 5120×2880 panel.
- 6K — 6144×3456, 16:9. For a Pro Display XDR (6016×3384) or any desk where you want extra pixels to crop.
- MacBook 16:10 — 3456×2234. A crop for 14-inch and 16-inch Liquid Retina XDR panels, which are 16:10, not 16:9.
A 16:10 laptop plus a 16:9 display
Use the MacBook crop on the built-in panel and a 4K, 5K, or 6K file on the external display. Assign them separately in System Settings → Wallpaper. The same scene will crop differently on each, which is expected.
Live loops
The current live files are 1920×1080 loops. They are lighter to play than a 5K video. If you use a third-party player to place one on the desktop, it will be scaled up to the display. Stills remain the sharper choice for a static desk.