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How to change your wallpaper automatically from a folder

Use KeyRoutines' Every … trigger with List files to get the pictures in a folder, Count list items and Random number to pick one, Get list item to fetch it, and Set wallpaper to apply it. It runs on your schedule and can target one monitor or all of them.

Steps

  1. 1

    Pick how often

    Add the Every … trigger, for example every 1 hour, or At a time for once a day.

  2. 2

    List the pictures

    Add List files for your wallpapers folder with the pattern *.jpg;*.png.

  3. 3

    Pick one at random

    Add Count list items, then Random number from 1 to that count as a whole number, then Get list item at that position.

  4. 4

    Set it

    Add Set wallpaper with the picture you picked. Leave the monitor empty for every monitor.

Tips

  • Windows' own slideshow does this too; a routine is useful when you want a different folder per monitor or a wallpaper that changes with something else, such as dark mode.

Questions

Can each monitor get a different picture?
Yes. Repeat the pick and Set wallpaper steps with a different monitor each time.
Does it work with Wallpaper Engine?
KeyRoutines Pro has separate Wallpaper Engine steps to show a wallpaper or move to the next one in its playlist.

Blocks this routine uses

Trigger · ScheduleFree

Every …

Every … starts a routine on a fixed interval, from once a minute to once every seven days. It suits regular jobs such as backups, check-ins and tidy-ups that should keep their rhythm.

Step · FilesFree

List files

List files collects the files in a folder that match your filters and gives you the list to work with. It is usually paired with For each so a routine can deal with many files one at a time.

Step · Data and variablesFree

Count list items

Count list items tells you how long a list is and whether it's empty. It's the quick check before a loop, or the number you show at the end.

Step · Data and variablesFree

Random number

Random number picks a number between a smallest and largest value. By default it's a whole number from 1 to 100, like a dice with a hundred sides.

Step · Data and variablesFree

Get list item

Get list item takes one item from a list by its position. Use it to grab the first search result, the last line of a file, or a random pick from a list.

Step · DisplayFree

Set wallpaper

Set wallpaper changes the desktop background to a picture you choose, on one monitor or on every monitor. Use it to give work, gaming and streaming their own look, or to rotate backgrounds through the day.

More how-to guides

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