Ever set a wallpaper and found the best part cut off? It's almost always about size and shape, not quality. Here's a plain-English guide to wallpaper sizes for iPhone, Android and desktop, plus what to do when an image doesn't quite fit.
The short version
- Phones: a tall portrait image of at least 1080×1920 looks sharp on nearly any phone. Newer phones are even taller, so expect a little trimming at the sides.
- Desktops and laptops: 1920×1080 (Full HD) is the minimum. Use 2560×1440 for QHD monitors and 3840×2160 (4K) for 4K screens and most modern Macs.
- The shape (aspect ratio) matters more than the exact pixel count. Your phone or computer scales the image to fill the screen and crops whatever doesn't fit.
Pixels vs aspect ratio, in 30 seconds
Resolution is the width × height in pixels (for example 1080×1920). More pixels means more detail. Aspect ratio is the shape: 1080×1920 is 9:16, the classic tall phone shape. Most current phones are taller and skinnier, around 9:19.5 or 9:20. When the image and the screen have different shapes, your device zooms the image until it fills the screen and trims the overflow. That's why the edges sometimes disappear.
iPhone wallpaper sizes
| iPhone model | Screen resolution (portrait) |
|---|---|
| iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone 16 Pro Max | 1320×2868 |
| iPhone Air | 1260×2736 |
| iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro | 1206×2622 |
| iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone 14 Pro Max | 1290×2796 |
| iPhone 16, iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro | 1179×2556 |
| iPhone 14, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro | 1170×2532 |
| iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation) | 750×1334 |
Every iPhone since the iPhone X has a tall screen of roughly 9:19.5. A 9:16 image like 1080×1920 still looks crisp on all of them. iOS scales it to the screen height and trims a slice off the left and right. The iPhone SE uses the classic 9:16 shape, so a 1080×1920 image fits it with no cropping.
Android wallpaper sizes
Android phones vary a lot more, but most fall into a few groups:
| Example phones | Screen resolution (portrait) | Shape |
|---|---|---|
| Most mid-range phones, many Pixel and Galaxy models | 1080×2340 to 1080×2424 | about 9:19.5 to 9:20 |
| Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra / S25 Ultra | 1440×3120 | 9:19.5 |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro | 1280×2856 | about 9:20 |
| Foldables (inner screen) | close to square | varies |
Not sure what your phone uses? Search for your model name plus "screen resolution". Some Android launchers also make the home screen wallpaper scroll sideways as you swipe between pages, which zooms it in a little more. If you'd rather it didn't, look for a "wallpaper scrolling" setting in your launcher.
Desktop and laptop wallpaper sizes
| Screen | Common resolution | Shape |
|---|---|---|
| Full HD monitors and most Windows laptops | 1920×1080 | 16:9 |
| QHD / 1440p monitors | 2560×1440 | 16:9 |
| 4K monitors and TVs | 3840×2160 | 16:9 |
| MacBook Air 13-inch (M2 and later) | 2560×1664 | about 16:10 |
| MacBook Air 15-inch | 2880×1864 | about 16:10 |
| MacBook Pro 14-inch / 16-inch | 3024×1964 / 3456×2234 | about 16:10 |
| iMac 24-inch | 4480×2520 | 16:9 |
| Ultrawide monitors | 3440×1440 | 21:9 |
For a 16:9 monitor, pick the file that matches or beats your resolution. For a Mac or any 16:10 laptop, use the 4K file. macOS fills the screen and trims a thin strip from the sides. On ultrawide monitors, a 16:9 image gets trimmed top and bottom. Set the fit to Fill rather than Stretch so nothing looks squashed.
What sizes our wallpapers come in
- Phone lock screens: PNG files at 1080×1920 (9:16), which fit most iPhone and Android phones. Taller screens may crop slightly at the sides. Some packs list their own sizes, so check each product page. Browse all lock screens or phone wallpapers.
- Desktop wallpapers: every design comes in 1920×1080 (Full HD), 2560×1440 (QHD) and 3840×2160 (4K UHD), and works on Windows and Mac. See our desktop wallpapers.
- Matching sets: the Desktop + Phone Matching Bundle pairs 4K desktop wallpapers with matching phone lock screens.
All files are digital downloads. Your download comes instantly after purchase.
How to stop a wallpaper from cropping badly
- Zoom out fully when you set the wallpaper, then drag to centre the part you care about.
- Keep the subject in the middle. Edges are the first thing to go on taller screens.
- Leave room for the clock. On a lock screen, the top quarter or so sits behind the time and widgets.
- Don't upscale a tiny image. A small picture stretched to a big screen will look soft. Start at least as big as your screen's resolution, or close to it.
- Desktop: choose "Fill". On Windows, go to Settings > Personalization > Background. On a Mac, go to System Settings > Wallpaper.
Step-by-step setup instructions are in our guide: How to change your iPhone wallpaper (and lock screen).
FAQ
What's the best size for an iPhone wallpaper?
To match a specific model exactly, use its screen resolution from the table above (for example 1206×2622 for iPhone 17). For a file that works on nearly every iPhone, 1080×1920 or larger looks sharp, with a little trimming at the sides on newer models.
Is 1080×1920 good enough for a phone wallpaper?
Yes. It's sharp on virtually every phone. Taller phones crop a small amount from the left and right edges, so pick designs with the main subject centred.
Why does my wallpaper look blurry?
Usually one of three things: the image is smaller than your screen, it was sent through a messaging app that compressed it, or (on iPhone) the home screen Blur option is on. Download the original file again and set it from Photos or Gallery.
Can I use a phone wallpaper on my computer?
Not really. A tall phone image on a wide screen gets heavily zoomed or surrounded by bars. Use a desktop-sized file instead. Our desktop wallpapers include 4K.
PNG or JPG?
Both work as wallpaper. PNG keeps flat colours and text crisp with no compression blotches, which is why most of our wallpapers ship as PNG.