Set Wallpaper - ImageGlass

ImageGlass provides command-line tools to set images as your Windows desktop wallpaper or lock screen background.

set-wallpaper

Set an image as the Windows desktop wallpaper with a specified display style.

Syntax

igcmd.exe set-wallpaper <imagePath> <style>

Parameters

imagePath

string

required

Full path to the image file to set as wallpaperExamples:

"C:\Photos\landscape.jpg"
"D:\Images\nature.png"
"%USERPROFILE%\Pictures\photo.jpg"

style

enum

required

Wallpaper display styleOptions:

Centered (or 0) - Center the image on screen without scaling
Stretched (or 1) - Stretch to fill the entire screen
Tiled (or 2) - Tile the image across the screen
Current (or -1) - Use the current Windows wallpaper style

Exit Codes

Code	Description
`0`	Wallpaper set successfully
`1`	Administrator privileges required
`2`	Error (invalid style or file error)

Examples

Set Centered Wallpaper

igcmd.exe set-wallpaper "C:\Photos\landscape.jpg" Centered

Centers the image on the desktop without stretching or scaling.

Set Stretched Wallpaper

igcmd.exe set-wallpaper "C:\Photos\nature.png" Stretched

Stretches the image to fill the entire screen.

Set Tiled Wallpaper

igcmd.exe set-wallpaper "C:\Photos\pattern.jpg" Tiled

Tiles the image repeatedly across the screen (useful for patterns).

Use Current Style

igcmd.exe set-wallpaper "C:\Photos\photo.jpg" Current

Applies the image using whatever wallpaper style is currently set in Windows.

Using Numeric Style Values

igcmd.exe set-wallpaper "C:\Photos\image.jpg" 0
igcmd.exe set-wallpaper "C:\Photos\image.jpg" 1
igcmd.exe set-wallpaper "C:\Photos\image.jpg" 2

Wallpaper Styles Explained

Centered (0)

Image displayed at original size
Positioned in the center of the screen
No scaling or distortion
Background color visible if image is smaller than screen
Best for: Icons, logos, or images you want to preserve exactly

Stretched (1)

Image scaled to fill entire screen
Maintains aspect ratio (may crop sides)
No background color visible
May distort if aspect ratios don’t match
Best for: Photos, wallpapers designed for your screen resolution

Tiled (2)

Image repeated across the screen
No scaling applied
Creates a pattern effect
Best for: Small patterns, textures, or repeating designs

Current (-1)

Uses the existing Windows wallpaper setting
Useful when you want to change the image but keep the same display style
Best for: Scripts that rotate wallpapers without changing user preferences

Advanced Usage

Random Wallpaper Script

@echo off
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion

set "folder=C:\Wallpapers"
set /a "count=0"

for %%f in ("%folder%\*.jpg" "%folder%\*.png") do (
    set /a "count+=1"
    set "file[!count!]=%%f"
)

set /a "random=(%RANDOM% %% count) + 1"
igcmd.exe set-wallpaper "!file[%random%]!" Stretched

if %ERRORLEVEL% EQU 0 (
    echo Wallpaper changed successfully
)

Wallpaper Rotation Schedule

@echo off
rem Run this script via Task Scheduler

set "wallpapers[0]=C:\Wallpapers\morning.jpg"
set "wallpapers[1]=C:\Wallpapers\afternoon.jpg"
set "wallpapers[2]=C:\Wallpapers\evening.jpg"
set "wallpapers[3]=C:\Wallpapers\night.jpg"

set hour=%time:~0,2%
if %hour% LSS 12 set idx=0
if %hour% GEQ 12 if %hour% LSS 17 set idx=1
if %hour% GEQ 17 if %hour% LSS 21 set idx=2
if %hour% GEQ 21 set idx=3

call igcmd.exe set-wallpaper "!wallpapers[%idx%]!" Stretched

PowerShell Wallpaper Changer

$images = Get-ChildItem "C:\Wallpapers" -Include *.jpg,*.png -Recurse
$random = $images | Get-Random

& "C:\Program Files\ImageGlass\igcmd.exe" set-wallpaper $random.FullName Stretched

if ($LASTEXITCODE -eq 0) {
    Write-Host "Wallpaper set to: $($random.Name)" -ForegroundColor Green
}

Error Handling

Check for Invalid Files

@echo off
set "image=C:\Photos\wallpaper.jpg"

if not exist "%image%" (
    echo Error: File not found: %image%
    exit /b 3
)

igcmd.exe set-wallpaper "%image%" Stretched

if %ERRORLEVEL% EQU 2 (
    echo Error: Invalid image file or style
    exit /b 1
)

echo Wallpaper set successfully

Handle Administrator Requirements

@echo off
igcmd.exe set-wallpaper "C:\Photos\image.jpg" Centered

if %ERRORLEVEL% EQU 1 (
    echo Administrator privileges required
    echo Please run as administrator
    exit /b 1
)

set-lock-screen

Set an image as the Windows lock screen background.

Syntax

igcmd.exe set-lock-screen <imagePath>

Parameters

imagePath

string

required

Full path to the image file to set as lock screen background

Exit Codes

Code	Description
`0`	Lock screen set successfully
`1`	Administrator privileges required
`2`	Error setting lock screen

Examples

Basic Usage

igcmd.exe set-lock-screen "C:\Photos\lockscreen.jpg"

With Error Checking

@echo off
set "image=C:\Photos\lockscreen.jpg"

if not exist "%image%" (
    echo File not found: %image%
    exit /b 3
)

igcmd.exe set-lock-screen "%image%"

if %ERRORLEVEL% EQU 0 (
    echo Lock screen updated successfully
) else if %ERRORLEVEL% EQU 1 (
    echo Administrator privileges required
    exit /b 1
) else (
    echo Failed to set lock screen
    exit /b 2
)

PowerShell Example

$lockScreenImage = "C:\Photos\lockscreen.jpg"

if (Test-Path $lockScreenImage) {
    & "C:\Program Files\ImageGlass\igcmd.exe" set-lock-screen $lockScreenImage
    
    if ($LASTEXITCODE -eq 0) {
        Write-Host "Lock screen updated" -ForegroundColor Green
    } elseif ($LASTEXITCODE -eq 1) {
        Write-Host "Administrator privileges required" -ForegroundColor Yellow
    } else {
        Write-Host "Failed to set lock screen" -ForegroundColor Red
    }
} else {
    Write-Host "Image file not found" -ForegroundColor Red
}

Automated Lock Screen Changes

Daily Lock Screen Update

@echo off
rem Add to Task Scheduler to run daily

set "folder=C:\LockScreens"
set "date=%date:~-4%%date:~3,2%%date:~0,2%"

for /f "delims=" %%i in ('dir /b /a-d "%folder%\*.jpg" ^| findstr /i "%date%"') do (
    igcmd.exe set-lock-screen "%folder%\%%i"
    goto :done
)

rem Fallback to default
igcmd.exe set-lock-screen "%folder%\default.jpg"

:done

Random Lock Screen

# PowerShell script for random lock screen
$images = Get-ChildItem "C:\LockScreens" -Filter *.jpg
$random = $images | Get-Random

& igcmd.exe set-lock-screen $random.FullName

Write-Host "Lock screen set to: $($random.Name)"

Requirements and Limitations

Windows Permissions

May require administrator privileges depending on system configuration
Uses Windows Runtime (WinRT) APIs
Requires Windows 10 or later

Image Requirements

Supported formats: JPG, PNG, BMP, and other standard image formats
Recommended resolution: Match or exceed your screen resolution
File size: No strict limit, but smaller files load faster

Lock Screen Behavior

Immediately applies the new background
Overrides Windows Spotlight if enabled
Persists until changed again
Synchronized across user sessions

Security Considerations

Administrator Privileges

If exit code 1 is returned:

# Run as administrator
PowerShell -Command "Start-Process igcmd.exe -ArgumentList 'set-lock-screen','C:\Photos\image.jpg' -Verb RunAs"

File Access

Ensure the image file is accessible to the SYSTEM account
Avoid using network paths or removable drives
Use local, permanently available paths

Combined Script Example

Set both wallpaper and lock screen:

@echo off
set "image=C:\Photos\background.jpg"

echo Setting wallpaper...
igcmd.exe set-wallpaper "%image%" Stretched
if %ERRORLEVEL% NEQ 0 (
    echo Failed to set wallpaper
    exit /b 1
)

echo Setting lock screen...
igcmd.exe set-lock-screen "%image%"
if %ERRORLEVEL% NEQ 0 (
    echo Failed to set lock screen
    exit /b 1
)

echo Background updated successfully!

Command Line

​set-wallpaper

​Syntax

​Parameters

​Exit Codes

​Examples

​Set Centered Wallpaper

​Set Stretched Wallpaper

​Set Tiled Wallpaper

​Use Current Style

​Using Numeric Style Values

​Wallpaper Styles Explained

​Centered (0)

​Stretched (1)

​Tiled (2)

​Current (-1)

​Advanced Usage

​Random Wallpaper Script

​Wallpaper Rotation Schedule

​PowerShell Wallpaper Changer

​Error Handling

​Check for Invalid Files

​Handle Administrator Requirements

​set-lock-screen

​Syntax

​Parameters

​Exit Codes

​Examples

​Basic Usage

​With Error Checking

​PowerShell Example

​Automated Lock Screen Changes

​Daily Lock Screen Update

​Random Lock Screen

​Requirements and Limitations

​Windows Permissions

​Image Requirements

​Lock Screen Behavior

​Security Considerations

​Administrator Privileges

​File Access

​Combined Script Example

​See Also

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

set-wallpaper

Syntax

Parameters

Exit Codes

Examples

Set Centered Wallpaper

Set Stretched Wallpaper

Set Tiled Wallpaper

Use Current Style

Using Numeric Style Values

Wallpaper Styles Explained

Centered (0)

Stretched (1)

Tiled (2)

Current (-1)

Advanced Usage

Random Wallpaper Script

Wallpaper Rotation Schedule

PowerShell Wallpaper Changer

Error Handling

Check for Invalid Files

Handle Administrator Requirements

set-lock-screen

Syntax

Parameters

Exit Codes

Examples

Basic Usage

With Error Checking

PowerShell Example

Automated Lock Screen Changes

Daily Lock Screen Update

Random Lock Screen

Requirements and Limitations

Windows Permissions

Image Requirements

Lock Screen Behavior

Security Considerations

Administrator Privileges

File Access

Combined Script Example

See Also