This past week, I learned the macOS Sequoia Beta has a new wallpaper and screensaver that features the look of the original classic Mac. I discovered this from David Sparks, who released a video demonstrating it to MacSparky Labs members. Even though I have the beta installed on my laptop, I wasn’t aware of this new wallpaper.
Of course, this caught my attention big time. As writer of the ‘Original Mac Guy’ blog, this discovery was particularly exciting for me, given my long-standing affection for Apple’s iconic design.
My journey with Macs began in 1984 with an original 128K machine. The intuitive WYSIWYG interface and the mouse’s ease of use were game-changers compared to the clunky IBM PCs I had used. Within minutes of first holding a mouse, I was being productive.
The new wallpaper beautifully captures scenes from the original Mac’s control panel, MacWrite, classic icons, and more. The screensaver adds a dynamic touch with animated sliders, changing mouse speeds, and a blinking cursor.
To find the new wallpaper in the macOS Sequoia Beta, go to “System Settings,” “Wallpaper.” Click on “Macintosh” in the row of macOS wallpapers. There are settings to pick whether the wallpaper is automatic and follows whatever the system setting is, or is always light, or is always dark. You can also choose the color of the wallpaper. Such selections include accent, green, yellow, orange, etc. I’ve chosen blue as my primary color.
You also have two toggles. One is to use the wallpaper also as a screensaver. I like the screensaver feature because it animates the screen with classic Mac screens. You can also show and use the wallpaper in all spaces.
This wallpaper brings back fond memories of my first Mac and showcases how far the technology has come. I highly recommend trying it out if you have the macOS Sequoia Beta. It might just bring a smile to your face too!
I suggest you look at it if you have the macOS Sequoia Beta installed. If you don’t have the Beta installed, download wallpaper samples at Basic Apple Guy. It doesn’t include the screensaver, so you’ll miss out on the motion features, but at least you’ll get an idea of what it looks like. Download the wallpapers, go to the Wallpaper system setting, and select “Add photo” or “Add folder or album.” Navigate to your downloaded wallpapers. The wallpapers will appear at the bottom of the wallpaper display.