Have you ever wanted your desktop background to change randomly? For you Linux users out there I have just the program. It is called Wallpaper Tray and as the name suggests, its a little utility that runs in the notification area. This program allows you to have your desktop wallpaper change randomly. You can specify what folder/pictures to use, how often the wallpaper changes, the order in which it changes, as well as a few other options. The best part of this little program is it is available in the default Ubuntu repositories.

To install the Wallpaper Tray, simply type the following command into the terminal:

sudo apt-get install wallpaper-tray

You can also install this program using the Synaptic Package Manager. You should not need to add any additional repositories. If you install it using the Synaptic Package Manager, search for ‘wallpaper-tray.’

To run this program, press Alt+F2 and type ‘wallpaper-tray’. This should bring up a notification telling you that no wallpapers were found. The wallpaper-tray should now be running in the notification area (located near the clock).

In order to configure the Wallpaper Tray, right click on the wallpaper-tray icon and select Configuration. This will bring up a window like the one shown below.

Here you can choose the directory that contains the different wallpapers you would like to use. To do this, click Add and then navigate to the correct directory.

If you click the ‘More Options’ tab located at the top of the window, you can configure how often the wallpaper changes, in what order it changes, and how the wallpaper is displayed.

In order for the wallpaper to change randomly, you must select ‘Timed Wallpaper Change.’

If you want this program to start when you login, be sure to add it to your Sessions. To do this click ‘System‘ then ‘Preferences‘ and then select ‘Sessions.’ Next, click ‘New‘ and give the program a name (wallpaper tray). Then, for the command type ‘wallpaper-tray’. Click ‘OK’ to add this to your sessions. Be sure that the program is enabled. Now, the next time you login, Wallpaper Tray should automatically run and change your desktop wallpaper based on your options.

If you want to select a random wallpaper manually, simply left-click on the wallpaper-tray icon in the notification area.

You can also find more information on the Wallpaper Tray at the Ubuntu Community Docs.