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How Do I Delete Desktop Pictures I Don’t Want In Catalina?

I used to be able to delete any desktop pictures I don’t like but with Catalina there seems to be no way to do that.
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Jack Travis

Comments: 12 Responses to “How Do I Delete Desktop Pictures I Don’t Want In Catalina?”

    4 years ago

    You can't delete the default photos that come with Catalina. But you don't need to use them either. Just set the Desktop picture to what you want and forget about it.

    This is most likely because of a great new security feature in Catalina. The System is stored on a special read-only volume and cannot be tampered with. This is a great way to prevent security issues. Little things like not being able to delete default pictures are a small inconvenience.

    You never even see those pictures unless you go to change your Desktop background and look at them.

    Jack Travis
    4 years ago

    I want to delete pictures because I want to change pictures every 15 minutes and some of the pictures are not pleasant to me.

    4 years ago

    Jack: Just set up your own folder of pictures you want to be in the rotation. Then select that folder to be used in System Preferences. See https://macmost.com/using-your-own-photos-or-graphics-as-desktop-backgrounds.html

    Jack Travis
    4 years ago

    It worked !!! Thank you.

    DayOldPoi
    4 years ago

    I would like to combine some of Apple's desktop photos with my own, but cannot figure out how to get a copy of the Apple photos into a folder I create. Can this be done in Catalina?

    4 years ago

    DayOldPoi: Go to System Preferences, Desktop & Screen Saver and double-click on Desktop Pictures under Apple. This will open that folder. Now you can copy a file that is there and paste it into an accessible folder (like your Documents or Pictures folder, or the Desktop) to play with it.

    Jerry Ehr
    4 years ago

    Those unwanted images CAN be deleted.
    1- Use Recovery mode by rebooting while holding Command&R
    2- When the Utilities menu display choose Terminal
    3- Type cd /Volumes/10.13/System/Library/Desktop\ Pictures
    (Note:the volume name may be other than 10.13 such as "Macintosh HD")
    4- Delete unwanted files using the rm (remove) command.
    For example rm "Abstract 1.jpg"

    Rachel
    4 years ago

    Hi, I'm using my Pictures folder to rotate images on my desktop, but the Catalina stock image is in the mix and I want it out - can't figure put any way to do this, can anybody help? Many thanks!

    4 years ago

    Rachel: So you are looking in your Pictures folder, inside your Home folder, and you see a file containing the Catalina image? I don't see it there in my Pictures folder. Perhaps you are looking in another location? What is the exact path of this file?
    Either way, you can create your own folder, inside the Pictures folder, to use for special projects like this. Or, create a folder in the Documents folder.

    Rachel
    4 years ago

    Gary, it's in System Preferences, through the Desktop icon - I have my pictures folder ticked and the change picture box ticked and so the desktop rotates my pics. But the Apple Catalina image is coming up, though it doesn't appear in my Pictures folder and I've no idea how to get rid of it. It seems like a blip?...

    4 years ago

    Rachel: When does it come up? Randomly when it rotates through images? Or, do you mean on startup?
    Try creating a subfolder in your Pictures folder (or anywhere) and put the images you want to use in there. Then use the + button in System Preferences to select that folder instead of the whole Pictures folder.

    rachel
    4 years ago

    Gary, that's done it! Brilliant thank you : )

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