Can I change the Dashboard Background?

No, unless you can find the image file buried somewhere in the depths of the System folder. Actually, dig into the Resources folder of Dock.app…it might be there.

Update: There are two images called mini_pirelli.png and pirelli.png in /System/Library/CoreServices/Dock.app/Contents/Resources/ that are the graphics used in Dashboard. Feel free to play around with those. But the tiling mechanism will remain.

Message was edited by: musicwind95

There definitely should be a way to do that. I'm really not sure how they decided the grey with circles makes sense; in my personal opinion it looks terrible (and I'm a designer, for whatever that's worth). I would MUCH prefer that the desktop simply gets blurred, like when you open mission control. Perhaps Apple will address this in a future update?

As a 'Designer' you should be able to figure it out very easy. Everything has a source file.

Mines already a vintage wallpaper pattern and it took 5 mins. Just edit the original source files and save.

Go thru the files in /System/Library/CoreServices/Dock.app/Contents/Resources/

There is alot of custimizable content. Its is a repeat tile only script thou but you can be very creative none the less.

If you want it to behave as it did in previous systems - displaying the dashboard over whatever was already on the screen - just go to System Preferences -> Mission Control and uncheck the "Show Dashboard as a space" box.

To change the Lego-inspired background in Dashboard (you'll need an Administrator password to do this)

1. navigate your way to/System/Library/CoreServices/Dock.app/Contents/Resources/
2. find the image "pirelli.png" and rename it to "pirelli copy.png"
3. find an image you want to use (something that will tile!) and copy it to the Resources folder
4. name it "pirelli.png"
5. The next time you restart/log in, your background will have changed to the new Pirelli. Alternately, you can open System Preferences and Mission Control, then deselect and reselect the option to show Dashboard as a Space.

Enjoy!

Thanks, have been looking everywhere!

Awesome info, Thanks Thomas!

Perfect! Exactly what I was looking for!

I use a translator app in dashboard, and I need to be able to see the page, with images, in order to enter a phrase or word.

Thanks Thomas A Reed. That is exactly what I wanted to do.

Actually, you can. Take whatever image you want and have it on your desktop. right click it, click set desktop picture, and scroll over to your dashboard real quick. If fast enough the dashboard will have that image.(every time you restart your computer it goes back to that black and gray one, and i'm only sure about it working for mac book air)

It doesn't require password and thats because it's a glitch.

Exactly the answer I was looking for. Thank you!