external screen desktop image

Hi, I would like to change the standard image on the external screen when using a separate display for my keynote presentation.

Using a MacBookPro with MacOs High Sierra, the image on the external screen is one of the standard Apple mountain ones, I have tried to switch to a different image using System Preferences and Change Desktop Background, but it changes only the one on the mac, not the other display.

Anybody know how to accomplish this?


MacBook Pro 15", macOS 10.13

Posted on Oct 21, 2019 3:49 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Oct 22, 2019 5:24 AM

Hi, Gary, thanks. That's also what I first thought, but there was no way to get the mouse cursor to appear on the external diplay (my HDMI-TV)

Also I just could not make contact with the secondary desktop pane that appeared on the secondary display when I right-clicked on the MBP desktop.

So I had to dig a little deeper and found an old article on the mac observer that helped me to solve it:

https://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/os-x-how-to-use-separate-spaces-with-multiple-monitors

The thing is, in Mission Control, I had the option "Displays have separate Spaces" turned on i.e. Box checked.

After I removed the tick, I was able to access preferences for the external screen and change the background.

Not in the displays menu. Nifty hidden little thing.

big thanks to @John Martellaro


2 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Oct 22, 2019 5:24 AM in response to Gary Scotland

Hi, Gary, thanks. That's also what I first thought, but there was no way to get the mouse cursor to appear on the external diplay (my HDMI-TV)

Also I just could not make contact with the secondary desktop pane that appeared on the secondary display when I right-clicked on the MBP desktop.

So I had to dig a little deeper and found an old article on the mac observer that helped me to solve it:

https://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/os-x-how-to-use-separate-spaces-with-multiple-monitors

The thing is, in Mission Control, I had the option "Displays have separate Spaces" turned on i.e. Box checked.

After I removed the tick, I was able to access preferences for the external screen and change the background.

Not in the displays menu. Nifty hidden little thing.

big thanks to @John Martellaro


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external screen desktop image

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