'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean?
ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.
When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.
ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form.
Android 14's AI-generated wallpapers are super fun. Here's how to create them
When Google announced Android 14, one of the biggest developments was the addition of a brand-new generative AI wallpaper tool. Like just about any other AI image creator, users feed in a set of words or prompts, and the AI whips up a completely unique image based on the input.
Review: Google Pixel 8 Pro: This phone sold me on an AI-powered future
While this feature is exclusive to the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro at first, it will be coming to all Android devices soon. In the meantime, who's to stop you from using a third-party image generator to make a wallpaper for your phone? It probably won't be as cool as Android's built-in service, but should be just as practical.
As for the one that comes with Android 14, the process is rather simple and actually a little fun. While you are limited to certain themes and keywords -- you can't generate an image with your own words, there are enough options for near-endless choices, and even entering the exact same prompt twice in a row will create unique wallpapers.
Here's how to use Android 14's AI wallpaper generator.
How to generate AI wallpapers on Android 14
What you'll need: For now, a Google Pixel 8 or Google Pixel 8 Pro running on Android 14. But ultimately, any device running Android 14.
1. Access your "Wallpaper & style" settings
To generate an AI wallpaper, head to your "Wallpaper & style" settings. You can get to this either through the Settings app or by tapping and holding on your wallpaper.
2. Tap on "More wallpapers" and select "AI wallpaper"
You'll see the basic wallpaper options here, but you'll want to go beyond the preset offerings. Tap "More wallpapers." There's a "Create a Wallpaper" option at the top. Tap "AI wallpaper" under that.
Also: The first thing you should do after upgrading to Android 14
3. Choose a theme
You'll have to give the AI a starting point. Choose one of the preset themes like mineral, imaginary, texture, painting, or x-ray. This sets the overall tone for your wallpaper. If you want to change it at any point, tap the drop-down menu at the top.
In just a few steps, Android 14 gives you an AI-created wallpaper that's totally unique.
4. Add keywords
The image generator will now give you a huge list of keywords you can add -- everything from "spaceship" to "castle" to "flower". The keywords are limited to each theme, so you will see certain keywords on one theme that you won't see on another. You can also change the overall color scheme here.
5. Tap "Create Wallpaper"
Once you have the keywords you want, tap "Create wallpaper". The AI will take a few seconds to present your options.
Also: 3 ways Android 14 breathed new life into my Pixel 6
6. Choose your wallpaper
You'll be given four different options based on the keywords and theme you entered. You can swipe to see them all, and if there's one you like, tap the checkmark on the top right to automatically make it your wallpaper, lock screen, or both.
The color pallet for your phone will automatically adjust to the wallpaper you select. If you don't like any of the creations, start over. Even if you enter the exact same prompts, you'll get different images.
7. Use "Inspire me" to generate a random wallpaper
If you're not feeling too creative or just want to trust the AI gods to pick your wallpaper for you, click "Inspire me." When you choose that option, AI will generate a wallpaper completely at random.
FAQs
Are AI wallpapers on Android 14 completely customizable?
Unlike other AI image creators, you don't have the option to enter your own phrases and keywords. Android 14 offers about a dozen themes to start, and once you've selected one, a large list of keywords to appear in the image. While it's not 100% customizable, there are more than enough options to keep everyone intrigued.
What Android devices support the AI wallpaper feature?
To start, Google is limiting the AI wallpaper generation feature to the new Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro phones. But the feature will be rolling out to other devices over time, and ultimately should be available on any device operating Android 14.