macOS 13 Ventura

Purpose

Set a user's Desktop wallpaper in macOS 13 Ventura from the command line. See Limitations

Minimum Requirements

macos 10.14 Mojave (macOS 13 Ventura required for the examples below to work)
Bash 3.2 (Ventura ships with 3.2.57)
Python 2.7 (Ventura ships with 3.9.6)

Background

An explanation of how Desktop wallpapers appear to be managed by macOS since Mojave (10.14) can be found at Setting the Desktop Image in macOS Mojave From the Command Line. While this article was written before the release of Ventura, the majority of the information is still relevant.

Instructions

Download macos-desktop-main.zip
Double-click ~/Downloads/macos-desktop-main.zip in the Finder to unzip it (Safari may do this automatically)
Open the Terminal application in macOS
At a Terminal prompt:
- type cd ~/Downloads/macos-desktop-main and press enter
- type chmod +x set-desktop.sh options.py Ventura\ Tests/set-desktop-ventura-tests.sh and press enter to make the scripts executable
See the Examples section for using the set-desktop.sh script
See the Valid Options section for using the options.py script
See the Tests section for using the set-desktop-ventura-tests.sh script

Usage

./set-desktop.sh WALLPAPER

WALLPAPER can be either

a pre-defined named option
the path to an image file

See the Valid Options and Examples sections for more information.

Examples

These examples use the Apple-supplied Deskop pictures that could otherwise be set via System Settings. They are categorised and listed as they appear in the Wallpaper pane as of macOS 13 Ventura.

See A Comparison of Apple-supplied Desktop Wallpapers Since macOS 10.14 Mojave

Wallpaper

Dynamic Desktop

Setting the wallpaper to Dynamic (e.g. The Beach Dynamic) ensures it changes throughout the day, based on your location.

Ventura Graphic Dynamic

./set-desktop.sh graphic

Ventura Graphic Light (Still)

./set-desktop.sh light

Ventura Graphic Dark (Still)

./set-desktop.sh dark

Monterey Graphic Dynamic

./set-desktop.sh monterey-graphic

Monterey Graphic Light (Still)

./set-desktop.sh monterey-graphic-light

Monterey Graphic Dark (Still)

./set-desktop.sh monterey-graphic-dark

Big Sur Dynamic ¹

./set-desktop.sh big-sur

Big Sur Light (Still) ¹

./set-desktop.sh big-sur-light

Big Sur Dark (Still) ¹

./set-desktop.sh big-sur-dark

Catalina Dynamic ¹

./set-desktop.sh catalina

Catalina Light (Still) ¹

./set-desktop.sh catalina-light

Catalina Dark (Still) ¹

./set-desktop.sh catalina-dark

The Cliffs Dynamic ¹

./set-desktop.sh cliffs

The Cliffs Light (Still) ¹

./set-desktop.sh cliffs-light

The Cliffs Dark (Still) ¹

./set-desktop.sh cliffs-dark

The Lake Dynamic ¹

./set-desktop.sh lake

The Lake Light (Still) ¹

./set-desktop.sh lake-light

The Lake Dark (Still) ¹

./set-desktop.sh lake-dark

The Desert Dynamic ¹

./set-desktop.sh desert

The Desert Light (Still) ¹

./set-desktop.sh desert-light

The Desert Dark (Still) ¹

./set-desktop.sh desert-dark

The Beach Dynamic ¹

./set-desktop.sh beach

The Beach Light (Still) ¹

./set-desktop.sh beach-light

The Beach Dark (Still) ¹

./set-desktop.sh beach-dark

Solar Gradients ¹

./set-desktop.sh solar

Light & Dark Desktop

Setting the wallpaper to Automatic (e.g. Peak Automatic) ensures it conforms to the Light, Dark or Auto setting in System Settings > Appearance.

Hello Green Automatic

./set-desktop.sh green

Hello Green Light (Still)

./set-desktop.sh green-light

Hello Green Dark (Still)

./set-desktop.sh green-dark

Hello Yellow Automatic

./set-desktop.sh yellow

Hello Yellow Light (Still)

./set-desktop.sh yellow-light

Hello Yellow Dark (Still)

./set-desktop.sh yellow-dark

Hello Orange Automatic

./set-desktop.sh orange

Hello Orange Light (Still)

./set-desktop.sh orange-light

Hello Orange Dark (Still)

./set-desktop.sh orange-dark

Hello Pink Automatic

./set-desktop.sh pink

Hello Pink Light (Still)

./set-desktop.sh pink-light

Hello Pink Dark (Still)

./set-desktop.sh pink-dark

Hello Purple Automatic

./set-desktop.sh purple

Hello Purple Light (Still)

./set-desktop.sh purple-light

Hello Purple Dark (Still)

./set-desktop.sh purple-dark

Hello Blue Automatic

./set-desktop.sh blue

Hello Blue Light (Still)

./set-desktop.sh blue-light

Hello Blue Dark (Still)

./set-desktop.sh blue-dark

Hello Silver Automatic

./set-desktop.sh silver

Hello Silver Light (Still)

./set-desktop.sh silver-light

Hello Silver Dark (Still)

./set-desktop.sh silver-dark

Big Sur Graphic Automatic

./set-desktop.sh big-sur-graphic

Big Sur Graphic Light (Still)

./set-desktop.sh big-sur-graphic-light

Big Sur Graphic Dark (Still)

./set-desktop.sh big-sur-graphic-dark

Peak Automatic ¹

./set-desktop.sh peak

Peak Light (Still) ¹

./set-desktop.sh peak-light

Peak Dark (Still) ¹

./set-desktop.sh peak-dark

Tree Automatic ¹

./set-desktop.sh tree

Tree Light (Still) ¹

./set-desktop.sh tree-light

Tree Dark (Still) ¹

./set-desktop.sh tree-dark

Valley Automatic ¹

./set-desktop.sh valley

Valley Light (Still) ¹

./set-desktop.sh valley-light

Valley Dark (Still) ¹

./set-desktop.sh valley-dark

Dome Automatic ¹

./set-desktop.sh dome

Dome Light (Still) ¹

./set-desktop.sh dome-light

Dome Dark (Still) ¹

./set-desktop.sh dome-dark

Chroma Red Automatic

./set-desktop.sh chroma-red

Chroma Red Light (Still)

./set-desktop.sh chroma-red-light

Chroma Red Dark (Still)

./set-desktop.sh chroma-red-dark

Chroma Blue Automatic

./set-desktop.sh chroma-blue

Chroma Blue Light (Still)

./set-desktop.sh chroma-blue-light

Chroma Blue Dark (Still)

./set-desktop.sh chroma-blue-dark

Iridescence Automatic ¹

./set-desktop.sh iridescence

Iridescence Light (Still) ¹

./set-desktop.sh iridescence-light

Iridescence Dark (Still) ¹

./set-desktop.sh iridescence-dark

Motion Blue Automatic

./set-desktop.sh motion-blue

Motion Blue Light (Still)

./set-desktop.sh motion-blue-light

Motion Blue Dark (Still)

./set-desktop.sh motion-blue-dark

Motion Green Automatic

./set-desktop.sh motion-green

Motion Green Light (Still)

./set-desktop.sh motion-green-light

Motion Green Dark (Still)

./set-desktop.sh motion-green-dark

Motion Purple Automatic

./set-desktop.sh motion-purple

Motion Purple Light (Still)

./set-desktop.sh motion-purple-light

Motion Purple Dark (Still)

./set-desktop.sh motion-purple-dark

Motion Yellow Automatic

./set-desktop.sh motion-yellow

Motion Yellow Light (Still)

./set-desktop.sh motion-yellow-light

Motion Yellow Dark (Still)

./set-desktop.sh motion-yellow-dark

Desktop Pictures

Big Sur Mountains ¹

./set-desktop.sh mountains

Big Sur Aerial ¹

./set-desktop.sh aerial

Big Sur Horizon ¹

./set-desktop.sh horizon

Big Sur Coastline ¹

./set-desktop.sh coastline

Big Sur Shore Rocks ¹

./set-desktop.sh shore

Big Sur Water's Edge ¹

./set-desktop.sh edge

Big Sur Road ¹

./set-desktop.sh road

Big Sur Night Succulents ¹

./set-desktop.sh succulents

Big Sur Night Grasses ¹

./set-desktop.sh grasses

Catalina Coast ¹

./set-desktop.sh coast

Catalina Evening ¹

./set-desktop.sh evening

Catalina Rock ¹

./set-desktop.sh rock

Catalina Shoreline ¹

./set-desktop.sh shoreline

Catalina Clouds ¹

./set-desktop.sh clouds

Catalina Silhouette ¹

./set-desktop.sh silhouette

Catalina Sunset ¹

./set-desktop.sh sunset

Light Stream Red ¹

./set-desktop.sh stream-red

Light Stream Blue ¹

./set-desktop.sh stream-blue

Light Stream Pink ¹

./set-desktop.sh stream-pink

Light Stream Green ¹

./set-desktop.sh stream-green

Studio Color

./set-desktop.sh studio-color

Colors

Black

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Black.png"

Blue Violet

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Blue Violet.png"

Cyan

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Cyan.png"

Dusty Rose

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Dusty Rose.png"

Electric Blue

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Electric Blue.png"

Gold 2

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Gold 2.png"

Gold

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Gold.png"

Ocher

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Ocher.png"

Plum

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Plum.png"

Red Orange

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Red Orange.png"

Rose Gold

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Rose Gold.png"

Silver

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Silver.png"

Soft Pink

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Soft Pink.png"

Space Grey Pro

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Space Gray Pro.png"

Space Grey

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Space Gray.png"

Stone

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Stone.png"

Teal

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Teal.png"

Turquoise Green

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Turquoise Green.png"

Yellow

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Yellow.png"

¹ If the image file doesn't exist it will be downloaded to the $HOME/Library/Application Support/com.apple.mobileAssetDesktop/ directory first.

Other

Default

./set-desktop.sh default

General

./set-desktop.sh "/path/to/wallpaper/image.jpg"

Error Messages

Not running macOS 10.14 Mojave or later

ERROR: For use with macOS 10.14 Mojave or later.

The configuration file is missing

ERROR: Can't find configuration file 'options.json'.

No Desktop wallpaper passed on the command line

ERROR: No image was specified.

Supplied Desktop wallpaper is a file that doesn't exist

ERROR: </path/to/desktop/wallpaper.jpg> doesn't exist.

Invalid option passed on the command line

ERROR: <option> is not a valid option.

Attempt to reset a database other than desktoppicture.db to the default

ERROR: The 'default' option is only appropriate when the database is ~/Library/Application Support/Dock/desktoppicture.db

Possible dual-monitor environment detected

ERROR: This script should not be used in a dual-monitor environment.

Two or more Desktops (Spaces) detected

ERROR: This script should not be used when multiple Desktops (Spaces) are configured.

Limitations

Works only with a single Desktop (Space) in a single-display environment.

Not for use with multiple Desktops (Spaces) or in a dual-display environment.

Valid Options

All valid options and their corresponding data are stored in the file options.json. To list these options for Ventura use the following:

unsorted in the order they appear in options.json use ./options.py --version ventura
sorted by category use ./options.py --version ventura --sort category
sorted by name use ./options.py--version ventura --sort name
sorted by option use ./options.py --version ventura --sort option

Tests

The set-desktop-ventura-tests.sh script in the Ventura Tests directory executes set-desktop.sh a given number of times (the default is 5 if omitted), each time passing it an option or filename randomly selected from desktop-images.txt.

The intention is to document the state of the data and preferences tables in the desktoppicture.db database after each iteration. Output is written to set-desktop-ventura-tests.txt

To change the Desktop picture 100 times, cd into the Ventura Tests directory and type ./set-desktop-ventura-tests.sh 100

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Files

VENTURA.md

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