It is trite, but true. The small things in life can bring us oversized joy: a kid’s first steps, a perfectly cooked steak, or the sight of a new, beautiful image as your computer’s desktop background. Amirite?
While there are plenty of ways that you may set your own Windows 10 desktop background to rotate wallpapers via a series of pictures, there is really just 1 option to change your Windows 10 wallpaper automatically using RSS feed: John’s Background Switcher.
John’s Background Switcher
John’s Background Switcher (JBS) is the brainchild of John Conners, applications developer and photographer in Scotland. Conners has been encouraging and advancing JBS because he created the program back in 2004.
Conners states,”Over the years I have expanded the functionality from the many suggestions I’ve had from people using it and now you may choose photos from many different sites like Flickr, Google Photos, smugmug, Dropbox, Unsplash, OneDrive, Vladstudio and RSS feeds in addition to your regional machine.”
It is apparent the JBS is a labour of love to get Conners. Really, this is free software development at its best. Conners saw a need, wrote an app to fill the gap, and always responds to consumer feedback. If you use JBS, throw the man a bone. (Side note: Conners’ bit about the passing of his mom ? OMG, is someone cutting onions?)
How to Use John’s Background Switcher
Below, we’ll walk you through the steps to install JBS, subscribe to some media RSS feed, and start enjoying beautiful backgrounds on your Windows 10 device.
- Begin by downloading JBS here.
- Launch the executable file and proceed through the setup wizard.
- Check the box allowing JBS to run upon completion of the installation.
- After the JBS program has opened, select the Add button.
- Select RSS photo feed.
- Input the URL of the image RSS feed from that you want to pull images.
- Select the Test button, and JBS will inform you if it can validate the feed.
- Choose the OK button.
- That’ll bring you back to the main JBS dashboard. Select OK to shut the window.
Presto! Your Windows 10 desktop background will cycle through images from the RSS feed you additional. If you include multiple RSS feeds, JBS will pull images from all of them.
Other Settings in John’s Background Switcher
JBS includes several configurations to configure when and how fresh background pictures will look. On the main JBS dashboard, look for Shifting Choices.
- Under Change every, choose how often you need JBS to rotate background pictures as your desktop background. Time periods range from 1 moment to seven days.
- Under Picture style , select how you want pictures to be exhibited. Conners has given us a wide variety of options here, such as different strategies to scale and crop pictures, a thumbnail mosaic, a four-picture montage, a collage, a polaroid heap and a postcard pile. You can also choose to randomize the picture mode.
- Underneath Multiple screens , select how JBS will handle your own multiple-monitor setup.
- Past the settings under Switching Options, JBS supplies a metric ton of different choices. Choose the More button on the JBS dashboard, and you’ll be presented with settings for practically any aspect you can imagine
Here’s an abbreviated list of items you can change via More Settings:
- Start automatically when starting Windows
- Display picture information such as the image’s date if accessible
- tug a calendar onto the desktop
- Enable keyboard shortcuts
- Cease switching when running over remote desktop
- Control the snapshot size in montages
- Display caption or title on polaroids or postcards
- Employ a background effect (such as grayscale or sepia) to all images
- Enable no draw zones for areas of the screen where you don’t want the background image to be attracted
- Stop switching background images when a specific program is running
In case you decide you do not have to acquire your desktop background images via RSS, JBS will connect directly to other photo sources such as images already on your pc or picture sources such as Flickr, Google Photos, Pixabay, or Unsplash, just to name a few.
Another nifty little feature is the JBS icon at the system tray turns green if it’s working, so you know for sure that it’s working on whatever you told it to.
Right-click the system tray icon to get more controls such as skipping to the next or previous picture, telling JBS never to display a specific picture again, check for upgrades to JBS, or send a picture to a person via Twitter or email.
And to get back to the primary JBS dashboard from the system tray icon, pick Settings…
Where to Find Image RSS Feeds
On the lookout for picture, RSS feeds to subscribe to? To get you started, we’ve compiled a quick list of picture feeds. Try these for some inspiration:
- NASA’s Image of the Day
- Street Hunters
- The Wandering Lens
- Carl Bovis Nature Photography
- Monochromia
- Underwater Photography Guide
- Time Lapse Network
Other Ways to Change Your Windows 10 Desktop Background
Evidently, RSS is not the only way to rotate through multiple wallpapers on your PC. Learn how to use a video as your wallpaper on Windows 10, go all-out with some 4K backgrounds, or embrace a less-is-more mentality using these minimalist wallpapers for less diversion. Whichever way you use, your desktop background can bring you pleasure.
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