I thought this was going to be easy! I want a plain (as in no pattern
at all) wallpaper and it's proving very difficult to find how to do it.
I can probably create an image file using drawing programs on my
desktop computer, that's easy. I can see that Android can accept a
number of image types, do I just create a file of the same size as the
screen resolution of my phone and use that?
I thought this was going to be easy! I want a plain (as in no pattern
at all) wallpaper and it's proving very difficult to find how to do it.
I can probably create an image file using drawing programs on my
desktop computer, that's easy. I can see that Android can accept a
number of image types, do I just create a file of the same size as the
screen resolution of my phone and use that?
On 2/16/26 6:09 AM, Chris Green wrote:
I thought this was going to be easy! I want a plain (as in no pattern
at all) wallpaper and it's proving very difficult to find how to do it.
I can probably create an image file using drawing programs on my
desktop computer, that's easy. I can see that Android can accept a
number of image types, do I just create a file of the same size as the >screen resolution of my phone and use that?
I prefer a black background for my phone and tablets home screen so I hold a finger over the camera lens and take a picture. Then I use the resulting black photo. If you want a slightly red tint on the photo put a bright
light behind your finger while it's over the lens and your blood will
nicely (gruesomely?) shade the photo...
I thought this was going to be easy! I want a plain (as in no pattern
at all) wallpaper and it's proving very difficult to find how to do it.
I can probably create an image file using drawing programs on my
desktop computer, that's easy. I can see that Android can accept a
number of image types, do I just create a file of the same size as the
screen resolution of my phone and use that?
I thought this was going to be easy! I want a plain (as in no pattern
at all) wallpaper and it's proving very difficult to find how to do it.
I can probably create an image file using drawing programs on my
desktop computer, that's easy. I can see that Android can accept a
number of image types, do I just create a file of the same size as the
screen resolution of my phone and use that?
On 2026-02-16 05:09, Chris Green wrote:
I thought this was going to be easy! I want a plain (as in no pattern
at all) wallpaper and it's proving very difficult to find how to do it.
I can probably create an image file using drawing programs on my
desktop computer, that's easy. I can see that Android can accept a
number of image types, do I just create a file of the same size as the screen resolution of my phone and use that?
You mean you can't just select a solid colour from Android's settings?
Seriously?
Alan <nuh-uh@nope.com> wrote:
On 2026-02-16 05:09, Chris Green wrote:
I thought this was going to be easy! I want a plain (as in no pattern
at all) wallpaper and it's proving very difficult to find how to do it.
I can probably create an image file using drawing programs on my
desktop computer, that's easy. I can see that Android can accept a
number of image types, do I just create a file of the same size as the
screen resolution of my phone and use that?
You mean you can't just select a solid colour from Android's settings?
Seriously?
That was my reaction too! All I'm offered by the Wallpaper selector is
half a dozen rather complicated designs that make actually finding
things more difficult than it should be.
Carlos E. R. wrote:
You mean you can't just select a solid colour from Android's settings? >>>>
Seriously?
That was my reaction too! All I'm offered by the Wallpaper selector is
half a dozen rather complicated designs that make actually finding
things more difficult than it should be.
Indeed.
I can choose a photo, visual effects, or dynamic.
I would create a black picture with gimp. A very dark photo with the
camera doesn't really have a flat colour in al pixels.
This thread never needed to be asked if the OP read the tutorials written
on this subject,
ÿSettings -> Wallpaper -> Add New Wallpaper -> Color (18 exist)
ÿIt doesn't seem like there are any others though, than those 18.
ÿHowever you can slide a bar below them to change the brightness.
On 2026-02-16 05:09, Chris Green wrote:
I thought this was going to be easy! I want a plain (as in no pattern
at all) wallpaper and it's proving very difficult to find how to do it.
I can probably create an image file using drawing programs on my
desktop computer, that's easy. I can see that Android can accept a
number of image types, do I just create a file of the same size as the
screen resolution of my phone and use that?
You mean you can't just select a solid colour from Android's settings?
Seriously?
I thought this was going to be easy! I want a plain (as in no pattern
at all) wallpaper and it's proving very difficult to find how to do it.
I can probably create an image file using drawing programs on my
desktop computer, that's easy. I can see that Android can accept a
number of image types, do I just create a file of the same size as the
screen resolution of my phone and use that?
Carlos E. R. wrote:
ÿ?Settings -> Wallpaper -> Add New Wallpaper -> Color (18 exist)
ÿ?It doesn't seem like there are any others though, than those 18.
ÿ?However you can slide a bar below them to change the brightness.
No such thing in mine.
That was for iOS because the Alan Baker troll was clearly trying to
If people can't search before they ask a question, I'm not their customer support guy unless they search first and then ask NEW questions which we haven't covered already a thousand times in extremely gory details.
Back to the topic since we've covered that the OP is trolling us, to add technical value since each Android phone does it differently due to the launcher involved, the *simplest* way to set a solid color is perhaps <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details? id=com.google.android.apps.wallpaper>
It's anathema for me because it requires GSF, but since I test most of my suggestions, I just installed it for the team where yo9u have to allow
access to "styles" on Android 13, and then you pick "Solid colors".
Mine showed 26 solid colors (about 1-1/2 times the solid colors of iOS for the Alan Baker troll to revel in) including black and white (yes, I know, they're not colors per se).
When you pick a color in Google Wallpaper, you get the choice of
Home screen
Lock screen
Home screen and lock screen
If Chris Green had run a search before trolling us, he'd have known that.
Note that there is a privacy element inherent in setting unique wallpapers, which we've covered in gory detail, but which only one out of a million people has an clue even exists. But that's for another thread altogether.
Chris Green, 2026-02-16 14:09:
I thought this was going to be easy! I want a plain (as in no pattern
at all) wallpaper and it's proving very difficult to find how to do it.
I can probably create an image file using drawing programs on my
desktop computer, that's easy. I can see that Android can accept a
number of image types, do I just create a file of the same size as the
screen resolution of my phone and use that?
Yes, you can just to that - create a file with the screen resolution and
a single color and copy that to your phone.
And why didn't you just try that before asking here? You would be
surprised how easy it is ;-)
A solid colour, when selected in a computer, uses far less resources
than a picture, even if it is a solid colour picture. A solid colour
picture still has to be drawn pixel by pixel. No solid fill function!
Carlos E. R., 2026-02-17 11:30:
[...]
A solid colour, when selected in a computer, uses far less resources
than a picture, even if it is a solid colour picture. A solid colour
picture still has to be drawn pixel by pixel. No solid fill function!
A solid color JPEG is very efficient - since JPEG does not store single pixels but the mathematical description how to construct the content. In
the end, the device will also just draw a black rectangle, when you
create JPEG with just black in it. There is no "pixel by pixel" in this
case. PNG should also be very efficient in this case, even though it is lossless compression.
I thought this was going to be easy! I want a plain (as in no pattern
at all) wallpaper and it's proving very difficult to find how to do it.
I can probably create an image file using drawing programs on my
desktop computer, that's easy. I can see that Android can accept a
number of image types, do I just create a file of the same size as the
screen resolution of my phone and use that?
Carlos E. R. wrote:
On 2026-02-16 23:21, Maria Sophia wrote:
Carlos E. R. wrote:
ÿ?Settings -> Wallpaper -> Add New Wallpaper -> Color (18 exist)
ÿ?It doesn't seem like there are any others though, than those 18.
ÿ?However you can slide a bar below them to change the brightness.
No such thing in mine.
That was for iOS because the Alan Baker troll was clearly trying to
trolling and egomania removed.
Hi Carlos,
As a respectful aside, I thank you (and Lawrence) for all the effort you
put in for the team to prove the CF HTML Fragment issues on your X11 box.
With all these threads about trolling on this newsgroup, it's important for me to point out that Alan Baker's "mock surprise" was similar to Frank Slootweg's "mock surprise", which is a classic trolling technique.
It's especially important to point out Alan Baker's incessant trolling becuase not only has Alan Baker never in his entire life ever even owned an Android phone, but I consider "Chris Green" a troll and one of the reasons (since I use Occam's Razor so it's never based on only one datum) is that
he instantly amplified Alan Baker's trolls, which only trolls do.
If you call "me" a troll, you must first take in the datapoint that I never respond to Alan Baker or Joeorg Lorenz, which, had I wanted to be a
troll, I could easily have done so.
Hence, IMHO, my response was NOT a troll.
It was an attempt to get people to NOT respond to Alan Baker's trolls
(and, to some extent, to Chris Green's trolls).
Alan, 2026-02-16 21:43:
On 2026-02-16 05:09, Chris Green wrote:
I thought this was going to be easy! I want a plain (as in no pattern
at all) wallpaper and it's proving very difficult to find how to do it.
I can probably create an image file using drawing programs on my
desktop computer, that's easy. I can see that Android can accept a
number of image types, do I just create a file of the same size as the
screen resolution of my phone and use that?
You mean you can't just select a solid colour from Android's settings?
Seriously?
Yes. There is no option to choose a color *instead* of a wallpaper.
On 2026-02-17 00:47, Arno Welzel wrote:
Alan, 2026-02-16 21:43:
On 2026-02-16 05:09, Chris Green wrote:
I thought this was going to be easy! I want a plain (as in no pattern
at all) wallpaper and it's proving very difficult to find how to do it. >>>>
I can probably create an image file using drawing programs on my
desktop computer, that's easy. I can see that Android can accept a
number of image types, do I just create a file of the same size as the >>>> screen resolution of my phone and use that?
You mean you can't just select a solid colour from Android's settings?
Seriously?
Yes. There is no option to choose a color *instead* of a wallpaper.
Wow. How stupid is that?!?
?Pick a wallpaper ? system derives harmonious colors?
On 2026-02-17 21:30, Alan wrote:
On 2026-02-17 00:47, Arno Welzel wrote:
Alan, 2026-02-16 21:43:
On 2026-02-16 05:09, Chris Green wrote:
I thought this was going to be easy! I want a plain (as in no pattern >>>>> at all) wallpaper and it's proving very difficult to find how to do >>>>> it.
I can probably create an image file using drawing programs on my
desktop computer, that's easy. I can see that Android can accept a
number of image types, do I just create a file of the same size as the >>>>> screen resolution of my phone and use that?
You mean you can't just select a solid colour from Android's settings? >>>>
Seriously?
Yes. There is no option to choose a color *instead* of a wallpaper.
Wow. How stupid is that?!?
We don't know what is the reasoning for this decision.
I asked ChatGPT. Here goes the blurb:
You?re right: **stock Android doesn?t offer a built-in ?pick any RGB
color? wallpaper option**. You can set photos, live wallpapers, or
curated color/material themes ? but not just open a color picker and say ?make it #1A73E8?.
There isn?t a single official statement from Google explaining this, but there are some likely design and product reasons.
---
## 1?? Android?s design philosophy (Material You)
Since Android 12, Android uses **Material You (Monet)**. The idea is:
* The **wallpaper drives the color palette**
* The system extracts dominant colors
* UI elements adapt automatically
So Google?s model is:
?Pick a wallpaper ? system derives harmonious colors?
If you could directly choose any arbitrary RGB color as wallpaper, it
would partly bypass that curated color-extraction model. They prefer a **visually guided experience** rather than a technical color picker.
---
## 2?? UX simplicity (avoid overwhelming most users)
A full RGB/HEX color picker:
* Adds UI complexity
* Serves a niche audience
* Can easily produce poor contrast combinations (accessibility issues)
Most users:
* Use photos
* Use pre-made solid wallpapers
* Use theme packs
So from a UX perspective, it?s likely considered unnecessary complexity
for mainstream users.
---
## 3?? Accessibility & contrast concerns
Android enforces contrast rules for:
* Lock screen clock
* Notifications
* Quick settings
* Icons
If a user picks, say:
* Pure white background + white clock
* Neon green + low-contrast text
It could create unreadable UI combinations. When Android controls the
color pipeline (via wallpaper extraction), it can ensure contrast ratios remain compliant.
---
## 4?? Technical reason (minor but real)
A ?solid color wallpaper? is technically trivial ? it?s just a bitmap.
But Android?s wallpaper system is image-based. Adding a color picker means:
* New UI
* Color management logic
* Theme interaction rules
* Accessibility handling
* Testing across OEM skins
For something users can already achieve in 5 seconds by generating a
solid image, Google may consider it redundant.
---
## 5?? OEM skins sometimes allow it
Some manufacturers do allow it through themes or UI layers:
* Samsung (One UI theme store / Good Lock modules)
* Xiaomi (MIUI themes)
* Huawei (EMUI themes)
They integrate color selection more deeply into their theming engines.
---
## 6?? The ?hidden compromise? in modern Android
In newer versions (Android 13+), you *can*:
* Choose from several suggested color palettes
* Pick basic tone variations
But:
* It?s still derived from a wallpaper
* You don?t get arbitrary RGB freedom
---
## ? Most likely real reason?
It?s probably not technical limitation.
It?s a **design choice aligned with Google?s philosophy**:
* Curated personalization
* Reduced complexity
* Controlled contrast & accessibility
* Minimal UI clutter
---
If you?d like, I can also explain why iOS behaves similarly (it also
doesn?t expose a raw RGB wallpaper picker in the main UI), and how both ecosystems think about ?controlled personalization? vs ?full
customization.?
On 2026-02-17 12:54, Arno Welzel wrote:
Carlos E. R., 2026-02-17 11:30:
[...]
A solid colour, when selected in a computer, uses far less resources
than a picture, even if it is a solid colour picture. A solid colour
picture still has to be drawn pixel by pixel. No solid fill function!
A solid color JPEG is very efficient - since JPEG does not store single
pixels but the mathematical description how to construct the content. In
the end, the device will also just draw a black rectangle, when you
create JPEG with just black in it. There is no "pixel by pixel" in this
case. PNG should also be very efficient in this case, even though it is
lossless compression.
It is still a picture, it has to be drawn pixel by picture. The CPU
doesn't know that all the pixels are the same colour.
On 2026-02-17 12:46, Carlos E. R. wrote:
On 2026-02-17 21:30, Alan wrote:
On 2026-02-17 00:47, Arno Welzel wrote:
Alan, 2026-02-16 21:43:
On 2026-02-16 05:09, Chris Green wrote:
I thought this was going to be easy! I want a plain (as in no pattern >>>>>> at all) wallpaper and it's proving very difficult to find how to
do it.
I can probably create an image file using drawing programs on my
desktop computer, that's easy. I can see that Android can accept a >>>>>> number of image types, do I just create a file of the same size as >>>>>> the
screen resolution of my phone and use that?
You mean you can't just select a solid colour from Android's settings? >>>>>
Seriously?
Yes. There is no option to choose a color *instead* of a wallpaper.
Wow. How stupid is that?!?
We don't know what is the reasoning for this decision.
All the following is interesting, but for the whole "we have lots of
choice that Apple doesn't allow you, neener-neener!" crowd, it seems a little ironic, don't you think?
:-)
...
I asked ChatGPT
If you?d like, I can also explain why iOS behaves similarly (it also
doesn?t expose a raw RGB wallpaper picker in the main UI), and how
both ecosystems think about ?controlled personalization? vs ?full
customization.?
Carlos E. R., 2026-02-17 13:44:
On 2026-02-17 12:54, Arno Welzel wrote:
Carlos E. R., 2026-02-17 11:30:
[...]
A solid colour, when selected in a computer, uses far less resources
than a picture, even if it is a solid colour picture. A solid colour
picture still has to be drawn pixel by pixel. No solid fill function!
A solid color JPEG is very efficient - since JPEG does not store single
pixels but the mathematical description how to construct the content. In >>> the end, the device will also just draw a black rectangle, when you
create JPEG with just black in it. There is no "pixel by pixel" in this
case. PNG should also be very efficient in this case, even though it is
lossless compression.
It is still a picture, it has to be drawn pixel by picture. The CPU
doesn't know that all the pixels are the same colour.
Wrong - the CPU *does* know that, since the compression algorithm tells
the CPU "this is a big black rectangle".
Carlos E. R., 2026-02-17 13:44:Well first of all, the CPU never "knows" anything.
On 2026-02-17 12:54, Arno Welzel wrote:
Carlos E. R., 2026-02-17 11:30:
[...]
A solid colour, when selected in a computer, uses far less resources
than a picture, even if it is a solid colour picture. A solid colour
picture still has to be drawn pixel by pixel. No solid fill function!
A solid color JPEG is very efficient - since JPEG does not store single
pixels but the mathematical description how to construct the content. In >>> the end, the device will also just draw a black rectangle, when you
create JPEG with just black in it. There is no "pixel by pixel" in this
case. PNG should also be very efficient in this case, even though it is
lossless compression.
It is still a picture, it has to be drawn pixel by picture. The CPU
doesn't know that all the pixels are the same colour.
Wrong - the CPU *does* know that, since the compression algorithm tells
the CPU "this is a big black rectangle".
On 2026-02-17 23:32, Alan wrote:
On 2026-02-17 12:46, Carlos E. R. wrote:
On 2026-02-17 21:30, Alan wrote:
On 2026-02-17 00:47, Arno Welzel wrote:
Alan, 2026-02-16 21:43:
On 2026-02-16 05:09, Chris Green wrote:
I thought this was going to be easy! I want a plain (as in no
pattern
at all) wallpaper and it's proving very difficult to find how to >>>>>>> do it.
I can probably create an image file using drawing programs on my >>>>>>> desktop computer, that's easy. I can see that Android can accept a >>>>>>> number of image types, do I just create a file of the same size >>>>>>> as the
screen resolution of my phone and use that?
You mean you can't just select a solid colour from Android's
settings?
Seriously?
Yes. There is no option to choose a color *instead* of a wallpaper.
Wow. How stupid is that?!?
We don't know what is the reasoning for this decision.
All the following is interesting, but for the whole "we have lots of
choice that Apple doesn't allow you, neener-neener!" crowd, it seems a
little ironic, don't you think?
:-)
Oh, I never listen to that :-)
Besides, ChatGpt said that iOS has the same method. :-p
Go to "Wallpapers" in settings....
I asked ChatGPT
If you?d like, I can also explain why iOS behaves similarly (it also
doesn?t expose a raw RGB wallpaper picker in the main UI), and how
both ecosystems think about ?controlled personalization? vs ?full
customization.?
On 2026-02-17 23:32, Arno Welzel wrote:Any other way would be insane.
Carlos E. R., 2026-02-17 13:44:
On 2026-02-17 12:54, Arno Welzel wrote:
Carlos E. R., 2026-02-17 11:30:
[...]
A solid colour, when selected in a computer, uses far less resources >>>>> than a picture, even if it is a solid colour picture. A solid colour >>>>> picture still has to be drawn pixel by pixel. No solid fill function! >>>>A solid color JPEG is very efficient - since JPEG does not store single >>>> pixels but the mathematical description how to construct the
content. In
the end, the device will also just draw a black rectangle, when you
create JPEG with just black in it. There is no "pixel by pixel" in this >>>> case. PNG should also be very efficient in this case, even though it is >>>> lossless compression.
It is still a picture, it has to be drawn pixel by picture. The CPU
doesn't know that all the pixels are the same colour.
Wrong - the CPU *does* know that, since the compression algorithm tells
the CPU "this is a big black rectangle".
Maybe, maybe not. That data is internal to the generic jpg library.
Probably the initial picture is decoded once and stored in bitmap form.
Carlos E. R. wrote:
Yes. There is no option to choose a color *instead* of a wallpaper.
Wow. How stupid is that?!?
We don't know what is the reasoning for this decision.
Read again what Arno wrote.
Alan Baker would never understand what Arno actually said.
But you should have understood it.
Read it again and only take from it what Arno actually said.
He explained it well.
Carlos E. R. wrote:
Besides, ChatGpt said that iOS has the same method. :-p
Hi Carlos,
It's EXACTLY the same with iOS although IOS has fewer choices (based on
my comparison yesterday of my iOS device with my Android).
Carlos E. R. wrote:
It is still a picture, it has to be drawn pixel by picture. The CPU
doesn't know that all the pixels are the same colour.
Wrong - the CPU *does* know that, since the compression algorithm tells
the CPU "this is a big black rectangle".
Maybe, maybe not. That data is internal to the generic jpg library.
Probably the initial picture is decoded once and stored in bitmap form.
While you were discussing this (and while you were posting to troll threads that you, yourself authored and only trolls responded to), I purposefully helpfully invested my value added into writing up this PSA to help everyone set their background homescreen/lockscreen to ANY desired solid RGB color
on Windows, iOS and Android, simply using the web or any text editor.
Arno Welzel wrote:
You mean you can't just select a solid colour from Android's settings?
Seriously?
Yes. There is no option to choose a color *instead* of a wallpaper.
Hi Arno,
I'm not suggesting this app 'cuz it costs money, and the instant you pay a cent, you lose some privacy, but notice it can set Android colors by hex.
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tecdrop.rgbcolorwallpaperpro>
You give it a hex value, e.g., ABCDEF, and it creates a perfectly colored image and hands it to Android's normal wallpaper system for the wallpaper.
But another option, which is free, is to generate the image on the web.
<https://singlecolorimage.com/>
On 2026-02-17 23:32, Arno Welzel wrote:
Carlos E. R., 2026-02-17 13:44:
On 2026-02-17 12:54, Arno Welzel wrote:
Carlos E. R., 2026-02-17 11:30:
[...]
A solid colour, when selected in a computer, uses far less resources >>>>> than a picture, even if it is a solid colour picture. A solid colour >>>>> picture still has to be drawn pixel by pixel. No solid fill function! >>>>A solid color JPEG is very efficient - since JPEG does not store single >>>> pixels but the mathematical description how to construct the content. In >>>> the end, the device will also just draw a black rectangle, when you
create JPEG with just black in it. There is no "pixel by pixel" in this >>>> case. PNG should also be very efficient in this case, even though it is >>>> lossless compression.
It is still a picture, it has to be drawn pixel by picture. The CPU
doesn't know that all the pixels are the same colour.
Wrong - the CPU *does* know that, since the compression algorithm tells
the CPU "this is a big black rectangle".
Maybe, maybe not. That data is internal to the generic jpg library.
Probably the initial picture is decoded once and stored in bitmap form.
On 2026-02-17 14:32, Arno Welzel wrote:
Carlos E. R., 2026-02-17 13:44:Well first of all, the CPU never "knows" anything.
On 2026-02-17 12:54, Arno Welzel wrote:
Carlos E. R., 2026-02-17 11:30:
[...]
A solid colour, when selected in a computer, uses far less resources >>>>> than a picture, even if it is a solid colour picture. A solid colour >>>>> picture still has to be drawn pixel by pixel. No solid fill function! >>>>A solid color JPEG is very efficient - since JPEG does not store single >>>> pixels but the mathematical description how to construct the content. In >>>> the end, the device will also just draw a black rectangle, when you
create JPEG with just black in it. There is no "pixel by pixel" in this >>>> case. PNG should also be very efficient in this case, even though it is >>>> lossless compression.
It is still a picture, it has to be drawn pixel by picture. The CPU
doesn't know that all the pixels are the same colour.
Wrong - the CPU *does* know that, since the compression algorithm tells
the CPU "this is a big black rectangle".
What matters is the way that the CODE is written to go from having a
file in storage to the data in the buffer set up to be what is displayed
on the devices screen; essentially, how the HUMANS who wrote it made it work.
A JPEG of just black for my iPhone 16 at 2556x1179 can be pretty small
(as small as about 21KB)...
...but once it's been put into a buffer to be used whenever the screen redraws, well then it's going to be 2556*1179*24 bits of data (assuming
8 bits per colour for RGB. That's about 9MB.
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