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Every year around the first snow I change my phone background to something that feels like Christmas. It is a tiny thing, but seeing a red barn or a mug of cocoa every time I check the weather makes the whole season feel a little cozier.
So I went looking for the prettiest free Christmas wallpaper I could find. Here are 24 ideas, from snowy cabins and red barns to gingerbread, plaid and old fashioned postcards that are more than a hundred years old. Each one tells you where it came from, and every one is free to download from the page linked in its credit. If you are decorating the real house too, our Christmas tree ideas and front porch Christmas decor ideas are full of the same farmhouse looks.
1. Red cabin in deep snow
SaveCredit: Gabrielle Arruda
A little red cabin tucked under snowy pines is the wallpaper I keep coming back to. It looks like the kind of place you would drive out to for a quiet Christmas weekend.
The white snow and green trees leave plenty of calm space at the top for your clock. Gabrielle Arruda shares this one in her free Christmas wallpaper set, so you can save it straight to your phone.
2. Red barn and silo after the first snow
SaveCredit: Pexels
Nothing says country Christmas to me like a red barn with a dusting of snow on the roof. This one has a tall old silo beside it, and it reminds me of the farms we pass on the way to town.
The photo is free on Pexels in full size. Set it as your lock screen so the barn sits low and the sky holds your time and date.
3. Little red truck carrying a tree
SaveCredit: Pexels
The little red truck hauling home a Christmas tree is a farmhouse favorite for good reason. Here it is parked in a tiny forest of bottle brush trees with snow falling.
It is bright and cheerful without being busy. Pexels has it free to download, and it looks sweet on a home screen behind your apps.
4. Hot cocoa and a cozy knit
SaveCredit: Gabrielle Arruda
A mug of hot cocoa piled with marshmallows, a chunky knit sweater and cinnamon sticks make this one feel like a snow day. It is the wallpaper for anyone who lives in their warmest sweater all December.
The warm browns and creams match almost any phone case. It comes from the same free Christmas set by Gabrielle Arruda.
5. Tangerines, candle and red plaid
SaveCredit: Pexels
Tangerines, pinecones, a glowing candle and a red plaid cloth are exactly how my table looks the week before Christmas. This photo captures that bright, homey feeling.
The orange and red colors pop on a phone screen. Download it free from Pexels and crop it a little if you want the candle in the middle.
6. Wreath on a dark front door
SaveCredit: Gabrielle Arruda
A simple greenery wreath with dried orange slices and a cinnamon bundle hangs on a deep navy door. It is classic and quiet, and the dark background makes your icons easy to read.
If you love a dark home screen, this is the one to pick. Find it free in the Gabrielle Arruda Christmas collection.
7. Snowy farm through the window
SaveCredit: Pexels
Looking out a farmhouse window at a snowy yard, a red barn and a snowman feels like Christmas morning. Little window stickers of a red car and snowflakes add a playful touch.
The frame of the window gives the picture a neat border for your clock. It is free to download on Pexels.
8. Gingerbread cookies and a candle
SaveCredit: Gabrielle Arruda
A bowl of iced gingerbread cookies, a candy cane and a lit candle on fresh pine is the next best thing to baking day. You can almost smell the molasses.
This one is busy, so it works best as a lock screen. It is part of the free set from Gabrielle Arruda, and if it makes you hungry, our Christmas cookies recipe is a good next stop.
9. Knit stockings on the mantel
SaveCredit: Gabrielle Arruda
Two cable knit stockings, one green and one cream, hang from a mantel lined with garland and warm light. It is soft, quiet and cozy.
The dark top half is a perfect spot for the time. Gabrielle Arruda includes it in her free Christmas wallpapers for iPhone.
10. Golden Christmas tree lights
SaveCredit: Pexels
Soft focus tree lights turn into glowing gold circles in this photo. It is the easiest way to get a little sparkle on your phone without any clutter.
Because the picture is blurry on purpose, your apps stay easy to see on top of it. Download it free from Pexels.
11. Evergreen at the tree farm
SaveCredit: Pexels
One full, fresh evergreen standing in the snow at a tree farm, still wearing its price tag. It brings back the cold morning when we walk the rows and pick ours.
It is natural and green, a nice break from all the red. Pexels has it free in full size.
12. Berry garland on old wood
SaveCredit: Gabrielle Arruda
A single strand of pine and red berries laid across warm wood boards is about as rustic as a wallpaper gets. It looks like a farmhouse table set for the holidays.
The plain wood above and below leaves lots of room for the clock and widgets. It is free in the Gabrielle Arruda collection.
13. Gingerbread men and candy canes on red
SaveCredit: Pexels
Iced gingerbread men, stars, trees and candy canes spread on a bright red background make a happy, playful screen. Kids and grown ups both love this one.
The bold red is great if you like a colorful phone. It is free to download from Pexels.
14. Victorian children with holly
SaveCredit: Missouri History Museum
This old postcard shows a boy carrying his little sister and an armful of holly through the snow, framed in a holly border. It was printed by Raphael Tuck and Sons over a hundred years ago.
Vintage Christmas postcards like this one are in the public domain, so you can download the full scan free from Wikimedia Commons. It comes from the Missouri History Museum collection.
15. Vintage Christmas bells
SaveCredit: Missouri History Museum
Three shiny bells tied with a pink ribbon and holly, with the words May your Christmas be happy. The gold and blue colors are rich and old fashioned.
This postcard scan is public domain and comes from the Missouri History Museum. Crop a little off the bottom if you want the bells to fill your screen.
16. Robin on a holly branch
SaveCredit: Newberry Library
A plump robin sits on a holly branch under a hazy winter sun. It is gentle and a little nostalgic, perfect for anyone who loves watching birds at the feeder all winter.
The postcard is from the Newberry Library collection and is free to use. The soft green background makes a calm lock screen.
17. Snowy farmhouse postcard
SaveCredit: Wikimedia Commons
A tiny farm scene sits inside a frame of pine and pinecones, with a snowy house, a fence and a deer in the field. It is the most homestead looking vintage card I found.
The white border keeps it clean and bright. Download the full scan free on Wikimedia Commons.
18. Old village Christmas shopping
SaveCredit: Wikimedia Commons
A family in long coats and muffs carries packages through a snowy village of crooked houses. The colors are cheerful and the whole card feels like a storybook.
This old Dutch postcard says Vrolijk Kerstfeest, which means Merry Christmas. It is free and public domain on Wikimedia Commons.
19. Winter walk with red flowers
SaveCredit: Newberry Library
Two figures walk home through the snow at dusk while bright red flowers bloom along the edge. Happy Christmas to you is written across the top in gold.
The quiet colors look lovely behind white app icons. It is a public domain scan from the Newberry Library.
20. Vintage nativity scene
SaveCredit: Missouri History Museum
Mary holds the baby Jesus while Joseph and the shepherds kneel, with a beam of light pouring down from the star. It is a beautiful reminder of what the season is about.
The rich gold frame looks lovely on a lock screen. This postcard is public domain from the Missouri History Museum.
21. Glass ornament on a pine branch
SaveCredit: Pexels
A single red and green glass ornament hangs from a fresh pine branch with a soft blur behind it. It reminds me of the old ornaments in my grandma’s box.
Simple photos like this make the cleanest phone backgrounds. It is free to download from Pexels.
22. Lamp post in the snowy woods
SaveCredit: Pexels
A warm lamp post glows in a quiet forest of tall pines after a fresh snow. It feels a little magical, like the woods are waiting for someone to walk by.
The dark trees make your white icons stand out. Pexels has this one free in full size.
23. Red and black plaid with a bow
SaveCredit: Gabrielle Arruda
Red and black plaid with a big red bow in the corner looks like a wrapped present. It is bold, cheerful and pure farmhouse.
A pattern like this hides your apps less than a busy photo. It is a free download from Gabrielle Arruda.
24. Simple herb wreath on a white wall
SaveCredit: Gabrielle Arruda
A loose, homemade looking wreath of greenery hangs from a string on a plain white wall. It is minimal and natural, a nice pick if you like a clean phone.
The open white space works on both your lock screen and home screen. You can find it free in the Gabrielle Arruda set.
How to set a Christmas wallpaper on your phone
On an iPhone, save the image to Photos, open it, tap the share button and choose Use as Wallpaper. Pinch to move it until the part you love sits below the clock, then pick the lock screen, the home screen or both.
On an Android phone, save the image, open it in your gallery, tap the three dots and choose Set as wallpaper. Most phones let you pick a different picture for the lock screen and the home screen.
Tall pictures fit best. If a photo is wide, zoom in on the prettiest part, like the barn or the candle, and let the edges fall away.
Tips for picking a wallpaper you will love
Use a busy picture on the lock screen and a calm one on the home screen. A plaid, a blurry light photo or a plain wood board keeps your apps easy to read.
Match your mood to the month. I like bright reds and gingerbread in early December and switch to a quiet snowy scene or a nativity closer to Christmas Eve.
Old postcards are a fun choice because they are in the public domain. Libraries and museums have shared thousands of them, so if you like the vintage ones here, there are plenty more to find.
Christmas wallpaper FAQ
Where can I get free Christmas wallpaper? Every picture on this list is free to download from the page in its credit. Pexels has free Christmas photos, and Wikimedia Commons has old public domain Christmas postcards from museums and libraries.
What size should a phone wallpaper be? A tall picture works best, roughly twice as tall as it is wide. Most of the ideas here are portrait photos or postcards that fill the screen with little cropping.
Can I use a different wallpaper on my lock screen and home screen? Yes. Both iPhone and Android let you choose a separate picture for each, so you can pair a busy scene with a plain pattern.
When should I put up my Christmas wallpaper? Whenever you are ready for Christmas. I switch mine the weekend after Thanksgiving, right when the tree goes up.
