Wallpaper Design Guidelines
Best practices for designing effective, on-brand desktop wallpapers in Ambient.
Last updated: February 22, 2026
Well-designed wallpapers communicate clearly without distracting users from their work. This guide covers the design standards and best practices for Ambient wallpapers.
Canvas Dimensions
| Platform | Resolution | Aspect Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | 1920×1080 | 16:9 |
| Multi-monitor | 3840×1080 | 32:9 |
| 4K | 3840×2160 | 16:9 |
Design at 1920×1080 as your base. The Ambient agent scales wallpapers to fit the target display.
Safe Zones
Avoid placing critical content in these areas:
- Bottom 80px: Windows taskbar (default position)
- Top 30px: macOS menu bar
- Edges (30px): Window chrome and snap zones
Keep primary messages in the centre-left or lower-third of the canvas.
Typography
- Minimum font size: 24px for body text, 36px+ for headings.
- Contrast ratio: 4.5:1 minimum against the background (WCAG AA).
- Use bold for critical information — users glance at their wallpaper briefly.
- Limit to 2 font families maximum.
- Prefer sans-serif fonts for digital displays (Inter, DM Sans, Poppins).
Colour
- Use your brand colour palette. Avoid pure white backgrounds — they fatigue eyes on long sessions.
- Dark backgrounds (charcoal, navy, deep teal) work well as they frame content naturally.
- Test your design in both light and dark environments.
Brand Elements
- Place your logo in the top-left or bottom-right corner.
- Logo should be at least 120px wide for legibility.
- Include your tagline or campaign message as a secondary element.
- Avoid cluttering — a clean wallpaper is more effective than a busy one.
Supported File Formats
When importing background images:
| Format | Max Size | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| PNG | 10 MB | Logos, graphics, transparency |
| JPG/JPEG | 10 MB | Photographs |
| SVG | 2 MB | Vector icons and shapes |
| WebP | 10 MB | Compressed photos |
Content Restrictions
- No third-party logos without authorisation.
- No offensive, discriminatory, or inappropriate imagery.
- Emergency wallpapers (broadcast) must comply with the Ambient emergency content policy.
Accessibility
- Ensure text is readable for users with colour-vision deficiencies — avoid red/green contrast-only information.
- Use pattern or shape differentiation in addition to colour for status indicators.