The Most Popular Wallpaper of All Time, Ranked

Choose the wallpaper you think is the most popular!

Author: Gregor Krambs
Updated on May 1, 2024 06:53
Deciding on the right wallpaper can transform a room from bland to striking, echoing personal style and setting the tone for the entire living space. It's useful then, to see which designs have resonated most with people over the years. Offering a collection of popular choices helps homeowners and designers align their preferences with trends that have stood the test of time. Through an ongoing public vote, an up-to-date list of beloved wallpapers emerges. This dynamic tally not only reflects current design preferences but also helps predict future trends. It serves as a versatile tool for anyone looking to infuse their environment with a touch of personal flair or professional elegance, making the choice of decoration a little easier and more informed.

What Is the Most Popular Wallpaper of All Time?

  1. 1
    58
    votes
    This iconic wallpaper was the default background for Windows XP, which is considered the most popular operating system in history. The image features a bright green hill with a blue sky and fluffy clouds. It has become a symbol of simplicity and calmness.
    The Windows XP Bliss wallpaper is a vibrant and serene landscape photograph featuring rolling green hills under a blue sky with wispy white clouds. The image is dominated by a large hill in the center, covered in lush green grass and dotted with scattered trees. The hills extend into the distance, creating a sense of depth and tranquility. The image has become synonymous with the Windows XP operating system and is widely recognized by computer users around the world.
    • Resolution: 1600 x 1200 pixels
    • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
    • File Format: JPEG
    • Color Space: sRGB
    • File Size: 547 KB
  2. 2
    42
    votes
    This wallpaper was introduced in macOS Mojave, the latest version of Apple's operating system. It features a stunning photograph of the Mojave Desert taken by a famous landscape photographer, Drew Kelly. The image is sharp and detailed, with warm colors and a dramatic sky.
    The Apple macOS Mojave desert wallpaper depicts a stunning desert landscape with rolling sand dunes and a clear blue sky. The wallpaper showcases a dramatic, desert sunset with warm, golden hues, creating a visually captivating scene. The image captures the stark beauty and unique ecosystem of the Mojave Desert, imparting a sense of vastness and tranquility.
    • Resolution: 5120 x 2880 pixels
    • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
    • File Format: JPEG
    • File Size: Approximately 5MB
    • Color Profile: sRGB
  3. 3
    26
    votes
    This wallpaper is part of Google's Material Design guidelines, which is a set of principles for designing digital products. The image depicts a mountain range with a bright yellow sun rising behind it. The colors are vibrant, and the shapes are simple and elegant.
    The Google Material Design Mountains wallpaper is a popular wallpaper created by Google. It features a serene landscape of snow-capped mountains, surrounded by lush green forest. The design incorporates the principles of material design, emphasizing bold colors, depth, and realistic shadows.
    • Resolution: 1920x1080 pixels
    • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
    • File Size: 1.34 MB
    • Format: JPEG
    • Color Palette: Vibrant and contrasting colors
  4. 4
    36
    votes
    This wallpaper is based on a photograph of the Earth taken by NASA's Apollo 17 mission in 1972. It shows the entire planet from space, with its blue oceans and green land masses. The image has become a symbol of environmental awareness and global unity.
    The NASA Blue Marble wallpaper is an iconic image of the Earth taken from space. It showcases the planet in stunning detail, with its vibrant blue oceans, white clouds, and patches of green landmass. The image captures the beauty and fragility of our planet, serving as a reminder of the importance of preserving and protecting it.
    • Image Resolution: 8000x8000 pixels
    • Image Format: JPEG
    • Capture Date: January 4, 2012
    • Equipment Used: Suomi NPP satellite
    • Camera: Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS)
  5. 5
    20
    votes
    This wallpaper features a stunning photograph of the Northern Lights, also known as Aurora Borealis. The colors are vibrant and surreal, with green and purple waves dancing in the sky. The image is a reminder of the beauty and mystery of nature.
    The National Geographic Aurora Borealis wallpaper showcases the captivating beauty of the Northern Lights phenomenon. The image captures the vibrant colors and mesmerizing patterns of the auroras dancing across the night sky.
    • Resolution: 1920x1080
    • File Format: JPEG
    • Size: 5.12 MB
    • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
    • Color Depth: 24-bit
  6. 6
    24
    votes
    This wallpaper is based on a famous street art piece by the artist Banksy. It shows a little girl reaching for a heart-shaped balloon that is flying away. The image is simple and poignant, representing the fleeting nature of happiness and love.
    The Banksy Girl with Balloon wallpaper depicts a stenciled graffiti artwork of a young girl reaching out for a red, heart-shaped balloon. The image is notable for its simplicity, emotional depth, and its widespread popularity as a symbol of hope and love.
    • Artist: Banksy
    • Artwork Name: Girl with Balloon
    • Date: 2002
    • Medium: Stencil graffiti
    • Style: Street art
  7. 7
    9
    votes
    This wallpaper is based on a painting by Vincent van Gogh, one of the most famous artists in history. The painting depicts a starry night sky over a small village, with swirling clouds and bright stars. The image is a masterpiece of Impressionism and a tribute to the beauty of the night.
    The Van Gogh Starry Night wallpaper is a digital representation of the famous painting 'The Starry Night' by Vincent van Gogh. It captures the vibrant and swirling colors of the original artwork, depicting a night sky filled with stars and a crescent moon. The painterly brushstrokes and expressive style of Van Gogh are preserved in this wallpaper, allowing art enthusiasts to bring a touch of classic artistry to their digital devices.
    • Resolution: 1920x1080 pixels
    • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
    • File Type: JPEG
    • Color Profile: RGB
    • File Size: 2.5 MB
  8. 8
    8
    votes
    This wallpaper is based on a series of paintings by Claude Monet, another famous Impressionist artist. The paintings depict a pond with water lilies in different seasons and times of the day, with colorful reflections and light effects. The images are a celebration of nature and the power of art.
    The Monet Water Lilies wallpaper is a famous depiction of Claude Monet's renowned Water Lilies series. It showcases the tranquil beauty of Monet's water garden at his Giverny estate in France, featuring floating water lilies and their reflections on the water's surface.
    • Title: The Monet Water Lilies
    • Artistic Style: Impressionism
    • Year: 1916-1926
    • Medium: Oil on canvas
    • Dimensions: Approximately 200cm x 425cm
  9. 9
    6
    votes
    This wallpaper is based on a woodblock print by the Japanese artist Hokusai. The print shows a giant wave towering over boats and a mountain, with blue and white patterns and dynamic lines. The image is a masterpiece of Japanese art and a symbol of the power and beauty of nature.
    The Hokusai Great Wave wallpaper depicts a powerful and iconic image of a large wave with Mount Fuji in the background. It is a renowned Japanese ukiyo-e print created by the artist Katsushika Hokusai during the Edo period.
    • Art style: Ukiyo-e (Woodblock print)
    • Year of creation: 1831
    • Dimensions: Height: 25.7 cm (10.1 in), Width: 37.8 cm (14.9 in)
    • Medium: Ink and color on paper
    • Subject: The Great Wave and Mount Fuji
  10. 10
    9
    votes
    This wallpaper is based on a lithograph by the Dutch artist M.C. Escher. The lithograph shows a surreal staircase with people walking in different directions and orientations, defying the laws of physics and logic. The image is a mind-bending masterpiece of optical illusion and a tribute to the human imagination.
    The Escher Relativity wallpaper is a captivating and mind-bending piece of art that depicts a seemingly impossible architectural structure. Inspired by the concepts of mathematical and optical illusions, it challenges the viewer's perception of gravity and spatial relationships. The wallpaper showcases a complex maze of staircases, doorways, and passageways, where figures appear to defy the laws of physics by walking upside down and sideways.
    • Dimensions: Varies depending on the chosen size
    • Resolution: High-quality resolution suitable for various devices
    • Color Palette: Black and white with subtle shades of gray
    • Style: Surrealistic, optical illusion, architectural
    • Technique: Lithograph

Missing your favorite wallpaper?

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Discussion

Ranking factors for popular wallpaper

  1. Quality of material
    The quality of the wallpaper material is also important in determining its popularity. The best wallpapers are durable, washable, and fade-resistant.
  2. Historical significance
    Some wallpapers have historical significance, either because they were created by a well-known designer or because they were associated with a particular period or style.

About this ranking

This is a community-based ranking of the most popular wallpaper of all time. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or wallpaper is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!

Statistics

  • 4315 views
  • 205 votes
  • 10 ranked items

Voting Rules

A participant may cast an up or down vote for each wallpaper once every 24 hours. The rank of each wallpaper is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.

More information on most popular wallpaper of all time

Wallpapers have been a popular aspect of interior design for centuries. From the intricate patterns of the Victorian era to the bold geometric shapes of the Art Deco movement, wallpapers have always been a way to add personality and flair to any room. With the rise of digital technology, wallpapers have taken on a new life in the form of desktop backgrounds and phone screens. Today, there are countless options available, from serene nature scenes to abstract designs to pop culture icons. But with so many choices, which wallpaper reigns supreme as the most popular of all time? Let's dive in and find out.

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