One of the simplest and easiest ways to customize a cell phone is to replace the default wallpaper with something new. There are many places to find free cell phone backgrounds for download, providing everything from video game-themed wallpapers to visually stunning abstract art and seasonal designs.
Four Places to Find Free Phone Backgrounds
It's easy - and free - to to change your cell phone wallpaper periodically to suit upcoming holidays or special events, as well as simply to change the look of your phone from time to time.
1. Zedge.net
Zedge.net has grown to become one of the most popular sites offering free mobile phone backgrounds, as well as other mobile content including ringtones and themes. The Zedge wallpaper gallery contains a wide range of cell phone backgrounds. Some of the most popular offerings are 3D renderings inspired by popular culture, including unique takes on comic book and cartoon characters.
It is possible to narrow down your wallpaper search based on your device. When you find the wallpaper image you want to use, you can choose to download the file locally or have it sent to you via email. Registration is available, but is not required in order to download a wallpaper file. If you wish to have the file sent via email, however, you must register.
2. Mobile9
Not unlike Zedge.net, Mobile9 also offers a wealth of free mobile content to download. Wallpaper options include several breathtaking scenery photographs from all around the world, as well as images that include inspirational sayings. A good deal of hand-drawn art is also available.
You can narrow down the results by the particular device that you have, helping to ensure that you are downloading the right size, resolution and aspect ratio for your particular cell phone model. There are three download options: download locally, send to device (registration required), or QR code scan. By registering for a free account, you are also able to skip the approximately 10 second delay that occurs when downloading locally.
3. Mob.org
A variety of cell phone backgrounds are available for download through Mob.org, many of which have a softened airbrush-like appearance to them. The wallpapers are listed under several categories, like nature and sports, and the resulting list can be further narrowed down by keyword and color. There is also a range of sexy wallpapers offered on the site.
In addition to providing the option to search by specific phone, this site also allows users to select cell phone backgrounds based on screen size. The most popular sizes are listed, but it is also possible to put in a specific pixel resolution.
The site also has a built-in utility that allows users to create their own wallpapers too, either from locally uploaded files or from image URLs.
4. Cellsea
Cellsea offers a wide range of cell phone backgrounds. While the site has a number of image categories, like animals and landscapes, some of its most downloaded wallpapers feature abstract art with brilliant colors.
The site allows for three different download options. Registration is required for the direct "send to phone" option, but it is not needed for a local PC download or for access via the mobile web. For the latter option, users are directed to a mobile site where they can enter a wallpaper-specific download code. This is a free download, but like all other mobile web services on a cell phone, the carrier may charge for text or data usage.
Considerations for Adding Wallpaper
The exact process for adding wallpaper to a cell phone will vary from device to device and it is important to keep the optimal resolution in mind when downloading new mobile phone backgrounds too. In particular, the aspect ratio of the image should be considered; otherwise, portions of the wallpaper image will either be cropped or stretched to fit the screen of the phone. That being said, many modern smartphone platforms, like Google Android, allow for the cropping and resizing of background images right from the smartphone itself. Armed with this knowledge, it becomes quite easy to add new backgrounds to your phone.
