Jump to information on macOS Catalina 10.15

Jump to information on macOS Mojave 10.14

IMPORTANT: set-desktop-catalina.sh has been tested using macOS Catalina Beta [ Build 19A487l ]

Set a user's Desktop image in macOS Catalina 10.15 from the command line. See Limitations

An explanation of how Desktop images 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 the Catalina Beta, the majority is still relevant to 10.15.

[bash] /path/to/set-desktop-catalina.sh <desktop image>

[bash] /path/to/set-desktop-catalina.sh catalina

[bash] /path/to/set-desktop-catalina.sh light

[bash] /path/to/set-desktop-catalina.sh dark

[bash] /path/to/set-desktop-catalina.sh mojave

[bash] /path/to/set-desktop-catalina.sh mojave-light

[bash] /path/to/set-desktop-catalina.sh mojave-dark

[bash] /path/to/set-desktop-catalina.sh solar

[bash] /path/to/set-desktop-catalina.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/High Sierra.jpg"

[bash] /path/to/set-desktop-catalina.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Ink Cloud.jpg"

[bash] /path/to/set-desktop-catalina.sh default

ERROR: For use with macOS Catalina 10.15.x only.

ERROR: No image was specified.

ERROR: '/path/to/desktop/image.jpg' doesn't exist.

ERROR: 'option' is not a valid option.

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

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

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

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.

Set a user's Desktop image in macOS Mojave 10.14 from the command line. See Limitations

An explanation for why this script does what it does can be found at Setting the Desktop Image in macOS Mojave From the Command Line

[bash] /path/to/set-desktop-mojave.sh <desktop image>

[bash] /path/to/set-desktop-mojave.sh mojave

[bash] /path/to/set-desktop-mojave.sh light

[bash] /path/to/set-desktop-mojave.sh dark

[bash] /path/to/set-desktop-mojave.sh solar

[bash] /path/to/set-desktop-mojave.sh "/Library/Desktop Pictures/High Sierra.jpg"

[bash] /path/to/set-desktop-mojave.sh "/Library/Desktop Pictures/Ink Cloud.jpg"

[bash] /path/to/set-desktop-mojave.sh default

ERROR: For use with macOS Mojave 10.14.x only.

ERROR: No image was specified.

ERROR: '/path/to/desktop/image.jpg' doesn't exist.

ERROR: 'option' is not a valid option.

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

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

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

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.