A week or so ago we mentioned a neat Bing Wallpaper changer extension for GNOME — and boy did you make it known that Bing isn’t your preferred source of desktop wallpapers!
And so we’re back for another stab at satisfying your want for fuss-free, auto-changing desktop backgrounds — and we’ve found a doozy.
Random Wallpaper GNOME Extension
Random Wallpaper is an open-source GNOME extension that (shock) will fetch a random wallpaper from an online source and set it as your desktop background (and, optionally, the GNOME lock screen background too).
Unlike the Bing wallpaper extension Random Wallpaper supports multiple source backends, many of which you name checked in response to our Bing post.
Wallpaper sources this add-on can fetch wallpapers from are desktopper.co (default), wallheaven.cc and unsplash.com.
The backend you opt to use will affect the kind of controls and filters you have over images which are fetched. Specifically:
Desktopper has the smallest set of filters, letting you opt in to not safe for work (NSFW) images.
Wallheaven options allows you to fetch wallpapers based on specific keywords, screen resolutions, and/or from certain categories. You can also choose to only have wallpapers that are safe for work (SFW) or on the cusp of safe for work (Sketchy).
Unsplash has advanced options to only fetch wallpapers from specific users and/or specific tags and/or specific sizes.
Helpfully, the extension keeps a small history of recently detached wallpapers so that you can re-set a particular favourite again, with ease. You can configure the length of this history through the extension’s setting. It’s here that you’ll also find ‘auto fetch’ settings.
The developer says he’s open to adding more online sources (reputable ones), adding extra features, and so on. As this open-source you’re welcome to spend a wet weekend contributing to it.
If you like the idea of an extension to download high-quality wallpaper (with some degree of control from you) then this extension is worth checking out.
It’s available to install on GNOME 3.20 and up from the GNOME Extensions website.
Earlier in the year we looked at Desk Changer, a wallpaper slideshow extension that shuffles through pictures you have soared locally. If that sounds more your bag, do check it out too.