The Safari Start Page is what greets you every time you open a new tab on your Mac. By default, it displays a simple grey background with links to your Frequently Visited sites, Siri Suggestions, Reading List, and Privacy Report. However, Apple allows you to transform this space with a beautiful background image — either from Apple’s own curated collection of landscape and abstract wallpapers, or from your own personal photo library. It is a small but visually impactful personalisation.
How to Change the Safari Background Image
- Open the Safari browser on your Mac.
- Open a new tab to see the Start Page. If you do not see the Start Page layout, click Bookmarks in the top menu bar and select Show Start Page.
- Look in the very bottom-right corner of the Safari window. There is a small Settings icon (it resembles three horizontal sliders). Click on it.
- A customisation panel will slide up from the bottom. This panel lets you toggle various Start Page sections on or off.
- Find the Background Image checkbox at the bottom of the panel and ensure it is checked.
- A horizontal row of thumbnail images will appear immediately below the checkbox. These are Apple’s built-in background options, including abstract gradients, landscape photography, and minimal designs.
- Click on any thumbnail to apply it immediately as your Start Page background. The change takes effect instantly — you can see the background update behind the panel as you hover over different options.
How to Use Your Own Custom Photo as the Background
If none of Apple’s preset images appeal to you, you can use any image from your Mac — a family photo, a holiday landscape, a piece of digital art, or a custom-designed wallpaper.
- Follow steps 1 through 5 above to open the Background Image customisation panel.
- Scroll the horizontal image gallery all the way to the left until you see a large Plus (+) button or a blank tile with a “+” symbol.
- Click the + button. A standard macOS Finder file picker will open.
- Navigate through your files to find the image you want to use.
- Select the photo and click Choose.
Safari will immediately apply your chosen image as the Start Page background. The image will be centred and scaled to fill the full width of the browser window.
Tips for Getting the Best Results
- Use a wide, high-resolution image: The Safari Start Page spans the full width of your browser window. Narrow or low-resolution images will appear stretched or pixelated. Images at least 1920 pixels wide and 1080 pixels tall (16:9 aspect ratio) work best.
- Dark images work well with dark mode: If you use macOS in Dark Mode, choosing a darker background image for Safari’s Start Page creates a cohesive aesthetic.
- Removing the background: To revert to the default plain grey Start Page, open the customisation panel again and click the small × button on the currently selected background image, or uncheck the Background Image checkbox entirely.