Missing option for 'Your Photos' as custom wallpaper in MacOS Tahoe

Just updated to MacOS Tahoe, and after a reboot, my custom display wallpaper is gone--but my custom settings for screensaver remain correct (shuffle photos from a designated suitable-for-work-settings photo album)

I am trying to follow these instructions....

Customize the wallpaper on your Mac - Apple Support

Go to the System Settings app on your Mac.

Click Wallpaper in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.)

Scroll down to Your Photos, click the Add Photo button, then do any of the following:

Add a photo from your Photos library: Click Choose from Photos, then select a photo.

BUT: 'Your Photos' does not appear and I have scrolled down as far as I can, past

Dynamic Wallpapers

Landscape

Cityscape

Underwater

Earth

Shuffle Aerials

Colors

And that's as far as I can scroll. I've also scrolled all the way to the right in each of the different options.

No 'Your Photos' or 'Custom' option appears anywhere.

What am I missing?

[Edited by Moderator]

MacBook Pro 16″

Posted on Sep 21, 2025 9:55 PM

Top-ranking reply

merv209

Level 1

16 points

Posted on Oct 17, 2025 2:46 AM

Alright i'm on MAcOs Taho 26.0.1 and was having the same issue. Where only the default images are showing (Arials, solid color options only).

My Photos library is also on my external SSD.

To fix it for me i opened a photo in the photos app and pressed the share icon and selected "Set Wallpaper". This took a good minute before anything happened but the photo was then set on the desktop AND all the missing photos options appeared!

[Edited by Moderator]

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62 replies

Dec 3, 2025 6:24 PM in response to bradleyscollins

There are several ways; this is what I’ve tried that works:

Open the Photos app
Find a photo you want and click once to select it
Right click on the photo and click Share, or click the Share icon (box with an up arrow)
A long list of Share options will appear, including a long list below the icons
Near the bottom of the list is Set Wallpaper

Dec 12, 2025 5:31 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

This worked for me. I did not have this custom wallpaper issue in MacOS 26.1, but upgraded to 26.2 and the issue showed up.

Followed the steps to use sharing in the Photos app to 'Set Wallpaper', waited a few minutes. Then opened 'System Settings > Wallpaper' and waited another minute or so for the panel to load, then saw the 'Your Photos' option again and was able to select the photo I added via the Photos app.

Wallpaper setting panel is buggy for sure.

Missing option for 'Your Photos' as custom wallpaper in MacOS Tahoe