diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/App.vue b/apps/desktop/src/App.vue
index de4388b8f0..ff78d004cc 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/App.vue
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/App.vue
@@ -140,6 +140,7 @@ import { Input } from "@/components/ui/input";
 import { SearchableSelect } from "@/components/ui/searchable-select";
 import type { HistoryEntry } from "@/lib/backend/tauri";
 import { resolveDefaultAiSchema, type AiAction } from "@/lib/ai/ai";
+import { useBackgroundImage } from "@/composables/useBackgroundImage";
 import ExternalSqlFileChangeDialog from "@/components/editor/ExternalSqlFileChangeDialog.vue";
 import { resolveWindowContext } from "@/lib/app/windowContext";
 import { openDetachedTabWindow } from "@/lib/app/detachedTabWindow";
@@ -172,6 +173,7 @@ const { t } = useI18n();
 const connectionStore = useConnectionStore();
 const queryStore = useQueryStore();
 const settingsStore = useSettingsStore();
+const { active: appBackgroundActive, backgroundObjectUrl: appBackgroundObjectUrl, backgroundImageStyle: appBackgroundImageStyle } = useBackgroundImage(settingsStore);
 const { uiFontFamilyPreview } = useUiFontFamilyPreview();
 const savedSqlStore = useSavedSqlStore();
 const promptTemplateStore = usePromptTemplateStore();
@@ -3386,6 +3388,9 @@ onUnmounted(() => {
 <template>
   <LoginPage v-if="setupRequired || (needsAuth && !authenticated)" :setup-mode="setupRequired" @authenticated="onLoginSuccess" />
   <div v-show="!setupRequired && (!needsAuth || authenticated)" class="fixed inset-0 h-screen w-screen overflow-hidden">
+    <div v-if="appBackgroundActive && appBackgroundObjectUrl" data-app-background class="pointer-events-none fixed inset-0 -z-10 overflow-hidden">
+      <div class="h-full w-full" :style="appBackgroundImageStyle"></div>
+    </div>
     <TooltipProvider :delay-duration="300">
       <div class="h-screen w-screen max-w-full min-w-[760px] min-h-[600px] flex flex-col bg-background text-foreground overflow-hidden" :class="{ 'dbx-desktop-window-frame': drawDesktopWindowFrame }" :style="appUiFontFamilyStyle">
         <AppToolbar
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/editor/EditorSettingsDialog.vue b/apps/desktop/src/components/editor/EditorSettingsDialog.vue
index 52477a5044..e3e89ec3cd 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/editor/EditorSettingsDialog.vue
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/editor/EditorSettingsDialog.vue
@@ -131,6 +131,9 @@ import {
   forgetWebdavSyncSecretsPassphrase,
   forgetWebdavSavedPassword,
   getAppSupportInfo,
+  checkBackgroundImage,
+  clearBackgroundImage,
+  saveBackgroundImage,
   loadMaxAgentTurns,
   saveMaxAgentTurns,
   loadMaxRetries,
@@ -194,6 +197,7 @@ import McpAuthorizationStepper from "@/components/settings/McpAuthorizationStepp
 import ScheduledDatabaseBackupSettings from "@/components/backup/ScheduledDatabaseBackupSettings.vue";
 import SqlFormatterSettingsPanel from "./SqlFormatterSettingsPanel.vue";
 import { APP_CUSTOM_UI_COLOR_DEFS, APP_THEME_PALETTES, type AppCornerStyle, type AppCustomUiColors, type AppThemeAppearance, type AppThemeMode, type AppThemePalette } from "@/lib/app/appTheme";
+import { BACKGROUND_IMAGE_DISPLAY_MODES, BACKGROUND_IMAGE_STORAGE_LIMIT_BYTES, defaultBackgroundImageSettings, normalizeBackgroundImageDisplayMode, type BackgroundImageSettings } from "@/lib/app/appBackgroundImage";
 import {
   editorSettingsDraftChanged,
   editorSettingsDraftFromSettings,
@@ -420,6 +424,12 @@ const editTableFontFamily = ref(settingsStore.editorSettings.tableFontFamily);
 const editUiFontFamily = ref(settingsStore.editorSettings.uiFontFamily);
 const editUiScale = ref(settingsStore.editorSettings.uiScale);
 const editTheme = ref(settingsStore.editorSettings.theme);
+const editBackgroundImage = ref<BackgroundImageSettings>(cloneBackgroundImageDraft(settingsStore.editorSettings.backgroundImage));
+const backgroundImageTransparencyPercent = computed(() => Math.round((1 - editBackgroundImage.value.opacity) * 100));
+const backgroundImageFileMissing = ref(false);
+// Set when the draft clears a configured image; the stored copy is only
+// deleted once the change is actually applied.
+let pendingBackgroundImageCleanup: string | null = null;
 const editCustomThemes = ref<CustomTheme[]>([...settingsStore.editorSettings.customThemes]);
 const editActiveCustomThemeId = ref(settingsStore.editorSettings.activeCustomThemeId);
 const editDataGridTypeColorSchemes = ref<DataGridTypeColorScheme[]>(cloneDataGridTypeColorSchemes(settingsStore.editorSettings.dataGridTypeColorSchemes));
@@ -664,6 +674,7 @@ function currentEditorSettingsDraft(): EditorSettingsDraft {
     uiFontFamily: editUiFontFamily.value,
     uiScale: editUiScale.value,
     theme: editTheme.value,
+    backgroundImage: editBackgroundImage.value,
     customThemes: editCustomThemes.value,
     activeCustomThemeId: editActiveCustomThemeId.value,
     executeMode: editExecuteMode.value,
@@ -766,6 +777,86 @@ function currentEditorSettingsDraft(): EditorSettingsDraft {
 const editEditorSettingsBase = ref<EditorSettingsDraft>(editorSettingsDraftFromSettings(settingsStore.editorSettings));
 const hasEditorDraftChanges = computed(() => editorSettingsDraftChanged(currentEditorSettingsDraft(), editEditorSettingsBase.value));
 
+// --- Background image draft state ---
+function cloneBackgroundImageDraft(settings: BackgroundImageSettings): BackgroundImageSettings {
+  return JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(settings)) as BackgroundImageSettings;
+}
+
+async function checkBackgroundImageFileExists() {
+  const filePath = editBackgroundImage.value.filePath;
+  if (!filePath) {
+    backgroundImageFileMissing.value = false;
+    return;
+  }
+  try {
+    backgroundImageFileMissing.value = !(await checkBackgroundImage(filePath));
+  } catch {
+    backgroundImageFileMissing.value = true;
+  }
+}
+
+async function pickBackgroundImage() {
+  try {
+    const { open } = await import("@tauri-apps/plugin-dialog");
+    const selected = await open({
+      multiple: false,
+      filters: [{ name: t("settings.backgroundImageFilterName"), extensions: ["png", "jpg", "jpeg", "webp", "bmp", "gif"] }],
+    });
+    if (Array.isArray(selected) || typeof selected !== "string" || !selected) return;
+    try {
+      const { stat } = await import("@tauri-apps/plugin-fs");
+      const metadata = await stat(selected);
+      if (metadata.size > BACKGROUND_IMAGE_STORAGE_LIMIT_BYTES) {
+        toast(t("settings.backgroundImageTooLarge"), 4000);
+        return;
+      }
+    } catch {
+      // The Rust command re-validates; keep going so it can produce the error.
+    }
+    const info = await saveBackgroundImage(selected);
+    editBackgroundImage.value = {
+      ...defaultBackgroundImageSettings(),
+      opacity: editBackgroundImage.value.opacity,
+      blur: editBackgroundImage.value.blur,
+      displayMode: editBackgroundImage.value.displayMode,
+      filePath: info.storedPath,
+      fileName: info.fileName,
+    };
+    backgroundImageFileMissing.value = false;
+  } catch (error) {
+    // Surface every failure (missing command in a stale binary, fs scope, copy
+    // errors): Tauri rejections are plain strings, so String() keeps the detail.
+    console.error("[dbx] background image selection failed", error);
+    toast(`${t("settings.backgroundImageSaveFailed")}: ${error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)}`, 6000);
+  }
+}
+
+function clearBackgroundImageDraft() {
+  const previousPath = editBackgroundImage.value.filePath;
+  editBackgroundImage.value = {
+    ...defaultBackgroundImageSettings(),
+    opacity: editBackgroundImage.value.opacity,
+    blur: editBackgroundImage.value.blur,
+    displayMode: editBackgroundImage.value.displayMode,
+  };
+  backgroundImageFileMissing.value = false;
+  if (previousPath) pendingBackgroundImageCleanup = previousPath;
+}
+
+function updateBackgroundImageDisplayMode(mode: unknown) {
+  editBackgroundImage.value = { ...editBackgroundImage.value, displayMode: normalizeBackgroundImageDisplayMode(mode) };
+}
+
+// Slider shows surface transparency (100% = wallpaper most visible); the stored
+// field stays surface opacity, so the value is inverted on the way in/out.
+function updateBackgroundImageTransparency(transparencyPercent: number) {
+  editBackgroundImage.value = { ...editBackgroundImage.value, opacity: Math.min(1, Math.max(0.05, 1 - transparencyPercent / 100)) };
+}
+
+function updateBackgroundImageBlur(value: number) {
+  editBackgroundImage.value = { ...editBackgroundImage.value, blur: Math.min(20, Math.max(0, Math.round(value))) };
+}
+
 const snippetDialogOpen = ref(false);
 const snippetEditingId = ref<string | null>(null);
 const snippetForm = ref({ label: "", prefix: "", body: "" });
@@ -1077,6 +1168,8 @@ function syncEditorSettingsDraftFromStore() {
   editUiFontFamily.value = settingsStore.editorSettings.uiFontFamily;
   editUiScale.value = settingsStore.editorSettings.uiScale;
   editTheme.value = settingsStore.editorSettings.theme;
+  editBackgroundImage.value = cloneBackgroundImageDraft(settingsStore.editorSettings.backgroundImage);
+  pendingBackgroundImageCleanup = null;
   editCustomThemes.value = [...settingsStore.editorSettings.customThemes];
   editActiveCustomThemeId.value = settingsStore.editorSettings.activeCustomThemeId;
   editExecuteMode.value = settingsStore.editorSettings.executeMode;
@@ -1499,6 +1592,9 @@ function applyEditorSettingsKeysToRefs(draft: EditorSettingsDraft, keys: readonl
       case "defaultTransactionMode":
         editDefaultTransactionMode.value = draft.defaultTransactionMode;
         break;
+      case "backgroundImage":
+        editBackgroundImage.value = cloneBackgroundImageDraft(draft.backgroundImage);
+        break;
       default: {
         // Compile-time exhaustiveness over EDITOR_SETTINGS_DRAFT_KEYS: adding a
         // draft key without a ref assignment fails the build here.
@@ -1632,6 +1728,11 @@ async function persistSettings() {
     await settingsStore.persistEditorSettings();
     editEditorSettingsBase.value = editorSettingsDraftFromSettings(settingsStore.editorSettings);
   }
+  if (pendingBackgroundImageCleanup) {
+    const cleanupPath = pendingBackgroundImageCleanup;
+    pendingBackgroundImageCleanup = null;
+    void clearBackgroundImage(cleanupPath).catch(() => {});
+  }
   const metadataCacheMaxMemoryMb = normalizeMetadataCacheMemoryMb(editMetadataCacheMaxMemoryMb.value);
   await settingsStore.updateDesktopSettings({
     show_tray_icon: editShowTrayIcon.value,
@@ -3757,6 +3858,7 @@ onMounted(() => {
   void refreshWebDavPasswordStatus();
   checkLayoutDescTruncation();
   initTruncationObservers();
+  void checkBackgroundImageFileExists();
 });
 
 onUnmounted(() => {
@@ -6124,6 +6226,55 @@ onUnmounted(() => {
                 </div>
               </div>
 
+              <div v-if="!isWeb" class="settings-appearance-group" data-background-image-settings>
+                <Label>{{ t("settings.backgroundImage") }}</Label>
+                <p class="text-xs text-muted-foreground">{{ t("settings.backgroundImageDescription") }}</p>
+                <div class="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-2">
+                  <Button type="button" variant="outline" size="sm" class="h-8" @click="pickBackgroundImage">
+                    {{ t("settings.backgroundImageChoose") }}
+                  </Button>
+                  <Button v-if="editBackgroundImage.filePath" type="button" variant="outline" size="sm" class="h-8" @click="clearBackgroundImageDraft">
+                    {{ t("settings.backgroundImageClear") }}
+                  </Button>
+                  <span v-if="editBackgroundImage.fileName" class="min-w-0 truncate text-xs text-muted-foreground" :title="editBackgroundImage.fileName">
+                    {{ editBackgroundImage.fileName }}
+                  </span>
+                  <span v-else class="text-xs text-muted-foreground">{{ t("settings.backgroundImageNone") }}</span>
+                </div>
+                <p v-if="backgroundImageFileMissing" class="text-xs text-destructive">
+                  {{ t("settings.backgroundImageMissing") }}
+                </p>
+                <div class="space-y-1">
+                  <Label for="background-image-display-mode">{{ t("settings.backgroundImageDisplayMode") }}</Label>
+                  <Select :model-value="editBackgroundImage.displayMode" @update:model-value="updateBackgroundImageDisplayMode">
+                    <SelectTrigger id="background-image-display-mode" class="h-8 w-48">
+                      <SelectValue />
+                    </SelectTrigger>
+                    <SelectContent>
+                      <SelectItem v-for="mode in BACKGROUND_IMAGE_DISPLAY_MODES" :key="mode" :value="mode">
+                        {{ t(`settings.backgroundImageMode${mode.charAt(0).toUpperCase()}${mode.slice(1)}`) }}
+                      </SelectItem>
+                    </SelectContent>
+                  </Select>
+                </div>
+                <div class="grid gap-3 sm:grid-cols-2">
+                  <div class="space-y-1">
+                    <div class="flex items-center justify-between gap-2">
+                      <Label for="background-image-transparency" class="text-xs text-muted-foreground">{{ t("settings.backgroundImageTransparency") }}</Label>
+                      <span class="text-xs text-muted-foreground">{{ backgroundImageTransparencyPercent }}%</span>
+                    </div>
+                    <input id="background-image-transparency" type="range" min="0" max="95" step="1" :value="backgroundImageTransparencyPercent" class="w-full accent-primary" @input="updateBackgroundImageTransparency(Number(($event.target as HTMLInputElement).value))" />
+                  </div>
+                  <div class="space-y-1">
+                    <div class="flex items-center justify-between gap-2">
+                      <Label for="background-image-blur" class="text-xs text-muted-foreground">{{ t("settings.backgroundImageBlur") }}</Label>
+                      <span class="text-xs text-muted-foreground">{{ editBackgroundImage.blur }}px</span>
+                    </div>
+                    <input id="background-image-blur" type="range" min="0" max="20" step="1" :value="editBackgroundImage.blur" class="w-full accent-primary" @input="updateBackgroundImageBlur(Number(($event.target as HTMLInputElement).value))" />
+                  </div>
+                </div>
+              </div>
+
               <Separator />
 
               <div class="space-y-2">
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/editor/__tests__/backgroundImageWiring.spec.ts b/apps/desktop/src/components/editor/__tests__/backgroundImageWiring.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c38aaf7b57
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/editor/__tests__/backgroundImageWiring.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+import { readFileSync } from "node:fs";
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+
+const appSource = readFileSync(new URL("../../../App.vue", import.meta.url), "utf8");
+const composableSource = readFileSync(new URL("../../../composables/useBackgroundImage.ts", import.meta.url), "utf8");
+const globalsCss = readFileSync(new URL("../../../../src/styles/globals.css", import.meta.url), "utf8");
+const queryEditorSource = readFileSync(new URL("../QueryEditor.vue", import.meta.url), "utf8");
+const welcomeScreenSource = readFileSync(new URL("../../layout/WelcomeScreen.vue", import.meta.url), "utf8");
+
+describe("global background image wiring", () => {
+  it("mounts a single app-level background layer behind all content", () => {
+    expect(appSource).toContain("data-app-background");
+    expect(appSource).toMatch(/pointer-events-none fixed inset-0 -z-10/);
+    expect(appSource).toContain("useBackgroundImage(settingsStore)");
+  });
+
+  it("toggles the wallpaper class on <html> and clears CodeMirror backgrounds app-wide", () => {
+    expect(composableSource).toContain('BACKGROUND_IMAGE_ACTIVE_CLASS = "dbx-bg-active"');
+    expect(globalsCss).toContain("html.dbx-bg-active .cm-editor");
+    expect(globalsCss).toContain("html.dbx-bg-active .cm-gutters");
+  });
+
+  it("keeps card and popover surfaces opaque (readability contract)", () => {
+    expect(composableSource).toContain("BACKGROUND_IMAGE_SURFACE_VARS");
+    const appBackground = readFileSync(new URL("../../../lib/app/appBackgroundImage.ts", import.meta.url), "utf8");
+    expect(appBackground).toContain('"--background"');
+    expect(appBackground).toContain('"--sidebar"');
+    expect(appBackground).not.toMatch(/"--card"|"--popover"/);
+  });
+
+  it("removed the scoped per-area mode (editor/welcome no longer render their own layers)", () => {
+    for (const source of [queryEditorSource, welcomeScreenSource]) {
+      expect(source).not.toContain("useBackgroundImage");
+      expect(source).not.toContain("data-query-editor-bg");
+      expect(source).not.toContain("data-welcome-bg");
+    }
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/composables/__tests__/useBackgroundImage.spec.ts b/apps/desktop/src/composables/__tests__/useBackgroundImage.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..53465c204b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/composables/__tests__/useBackgroundImage.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+// @vitest-environment happy-dom
+import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { reactive } from "vue";
+import { BACKGROUND_IMAGE_ACTIVE_CLASS, useBackgroundImage } from "@/composables/useBackgroundImage";
+import { useTheme } from "@/composables/useTheme";
+import { defaultBackgroundImageSettings, type BackgroundImageSettings } from "@/lib/app/appBackgroundImage";
+
+const readBackgroundImageMock = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn());
+
+vi.mock("@/lib/backend/api", () => ({
+  readBackgroundImage: readBackgroundImageMock,
+}));
+
+vi.mock("@/lib/backend/tauriRuntime", () => ({ isTauriRuntime: () => false }));
+
+function settingsWith(overrides: Partial<BackgroundImageSettings>) {
+  const base = defaultBackgroundImageSettings();
+  return { editorSettings: reactive({ backgroundImage: { ...base, ...overrides } }) } as Parameters<typeof useBackgroundImage>[0];
+}
+
+describe("useBackgroundImage", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.resetModules();
+    readBackgroundImageMock.mockReset();
+    (globalThis as Record<string, unknown>).__TAURI_INTERNALS__ = {};
+    document.documentElement.className = "";
+    document.documentElement.removeAttribute("style");
+  });
+
+  it("reports no active background without a configured file", () => {
+    const bg = useBackgroundImage(settingsWith({}));
+    expect(bg.backgroundObjectUrl.value).toBeNull();
+    expect(bg.active.value).toBe(false);
+    expect(document.documentElement.classList.contains(BACKGROUND_IMAGE_ACTIVE_CLASS)).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("loads the configured file into an object URL and toggles the global wallpaper class", async () => {
+    const createObjectURL = vi.fn(() => "blob:bg-1");
+    const revokeObjectURL = vi.fn();
+    Object.defineProperty(URL, "createObjectURL", { value: createObjectURL, configurable: true, writable: true });
+    Object.defineProperty(URL, "revokeObjectURL", { value: revokeObjectURL, configurable: true, writable: true });
+    readBackgroundImageMock.mockResolvedValue("aGVsbG8=");
+
+    const bg = useBackgroundImage(settingsWith({ filePath: "/data/background-image.png", fileName: "wall.png" }));
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(bg.backgroundObjectUrl.value).toBe("blob:bg-1"));
+    expect(bg.active.value).toBe(true);
+    expect(document.documentElement.classList.contains(BACKGROUND_IMAGE_ACTIVE_CLASS)).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("falls back to no background when the file cannot be read", async () => {
+    readBackgroundImageMock.mockRejectedValue(new Error("gone"));
+    const warnSpy = vi.spyOn(console, "warn").mockImplementation(() => {});
+
+    const bg = useBackgroundImage(settingsWith({ filePath: "/data/background-image.png" }));
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(readBackgroundImageMock).toHaveBeenCalled());
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    expect(bg.backgroundObjectUrl.value).toBeNull();
+    expect(bg.active.value).toBe(false);
+    expect(document.documentElement.classList.contains(BACKGROUND_IMAGE_ACTIVE_CLASS)).toBe(false);
+    expect(warnSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    warnSpy.mockRestore();
+  });
+
+  it("tints custom palette surface colors from the custom color settings while active", async () => {
+    const theme = useTheme();
+    const originalMode = theme.themeMode.value;
+    const originalPalette = theme.themePalette.value;
+    const originalColors = { ...theme.customUiColors.value };
+    theme.setThemeMode("light");
+    theme.setCustomUiColors({ ...originalColors, background: "#123456", sidebar: "#654321" });
+    theme.setThemePalette("custom");
+    const createObjectURL = vi.fn(() => "blob:bg-custom");
+    Object.defineProperty(URL, "createObjectURL", { value: createObjectURL, configurable: true, writable: true });
+    readBackgroundImageMock.mockResolvedValue("aGVsbG8=");
+    try {
+      const bg = useBackgroundImage(settingsWith({ filePath: "/data/background-image.png", opacity: 0.5 }));
+      await vi.waitFor(() => expect(bg.active.value).toBe(true));
+      await vi.waitFor(() => {
+        expect(document.documentElement.style.getPropertyValue("--background")).toBe("rgb(18 52 86 / 0.5)");
+        expect(document.documentElement.style.getPropertyValue("--sidebar")).toBe("rgb(101 67 33 / 0.5)");
+      });
+    } finally {
+      theme.setCustomUiColors(originalColors);
+      theme.setThemeMode(originalMode);
+      theme.setThemePalette(originalPalette);
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("re-emits custom palette inline surface colors when the wallpaper is inactive", async () => {
+    const theme = useTheme();
+    const originalMode = theme.themeMode.value;
+    const originalPalette = theme.themePalette.value;
+    const originalColors = { ...theme.customUiColors.value };
+    theme.setThemeMode("light");
+    theme.setCustomUiColors({ ...originalColors, background: "#123456", sidebar: "#654321" });
+    theme.setThemePalette("custom");
+    try {
+      // applyCustomUiColors has just written these inline values for the custom palette.
+      document.documentElement.style.setProperty("--background", "rgb(18 52 86)");
+      document.documentElement.style.setProperty("--sidebar", "rgb(101 67 33)");
+
+      const bg = useBackgroundImage(settingsWith({}));
+      await vi.waitFor(() => {
+        expect(document.documentElement.style.getPropertyValue("--background")).toBe("rgb(18 52 86)");
+        expect(document.documentElement.style.getPropertyValue("--sidebar")).toBe("rgb(101 67 33)");
+      });
+      expect(bg.active.value).toBe(false);
+    } finally {
+      theme.setCustomUiColors(originalColors);
+      theme.setThemeMode(originalMode);
+      theme.setThemePalette(originalPalette);
+    }
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/composables/useBackgroundImage.ts b/apps/desktop/src/composables/useBackgroundImage.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c2f55bbb85
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/composables/useBackgroundImage.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,140 @@
+import { computed, ref, watch, watchPostEffect, type ComputedRef, type Ref } from "vue";
+import { BACKGROUND_IMAGE_SURFACE_VARS, backgroundImageStyle, backgroundImageSurfaceAlpha, surfaceColorWithAlpha, type BackgroundImageSettings } from "@/lib/app/appBackgroundImage";
+import { APP_CUSTOM_UI_COLOR_DEFS, appCustomUiColorValue, deriveCustomUiColors } from "@/lib/app/appTheme";
+import { readBackgroundImage } from "@/lib/backend/api";
+import { useTheme } from "@/composables/useTheme";
+import type { EditorSettings } from "@/stores/settingsStore";
+
+type SettingsStoreLike = { editorSettings: EditorSettings };
+
+export const BACKGROUND_IMAGE_ACTIVE_CLASS = "dbx-bg-active";
+
+const SURFACE_VAR_NAMES = new Set<string>(BACKGROUND_IMAGE_SURFACE_VARS);
+
+const backgroundObjectUrl = ref<string | null>(null);
+let loadedFilePath: string | null = null;
+let loadEpoch = 0;
+let warnedOnce = false;
+
+function base64ToBlob(base64: string): Blob {
+  const binary = atob(base64);
+  const bytes = new Uint8Array(binary.length);
+  for (let index = 0; index < binary.length; index += 1) {
+    bytes[index] = binary.charCodeAt(index);
+  }
+  return new Blob([bytes]);
+}
+
+async function loadBackgroundObjectUrl(settingsStore: SettingsStoreLike) {
+  const filePath = settingsStore.editorSettings.backgroundImage.filePath;
+  if (!filePath) {
+    loadedFilePath = filePath;
+    setAndRevokeObjectUrl(null);
+    return;
+  }
+  const epoch = ++loadEpoch;
+  try {
+    const base64 = await readBackgroundImage(filePath);
+    if (epoch !== loadEpoch) return;
+    loadedFilePath = filePath;
+    setAndRevokeObjectUrl(URL.createObjectURL(base64ToBlob(base64)));
+  } catch (error) {
+    if (epoch !== loadEpoch) return;
+    loadedFilePath = filePath;
+    setAndRevokeObjectUrl(null);
+    if (!warnedOnce) {
+      warnedOnce = true;
+      console.warn("[dbx] failed to load background image; falling back to plain surfaces", error);
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+function setAndRevokeObjectUrl(next: string | null) {
+  if (backgroundObjectUrl.value && backgroundObjectUrl.value !== next) {
+    URL.revokeObjectURL(backgroundObjectUrl.value);
+  }
+  backgroundObjectUrl.value = next;
+}
+
+export interface BackgroundImageComposable {
+  backgroundObjectUrl: Ref<string | null>;
+  backgroundSettings: ComputedRef<BackgroundImageSettings>;
+  active: ComputedRef<boolean>;
+  backgroundImageStyle: ComputedRef<Record<string, string>>;
+}
+
+export function useBackgroundImage(settingsStore: SettingsStoreLike): BackgroundImageComposable {
+  const backgroundSettings = computed(() => settingsStore.editorSettings.backgroundImage);
+  const { isDark, themePalette, activeCustomUiColors, cornerStyle } = useTheme();
+
+  void loadBackgroundObjectUrl(settingsStore);
+  watch(
+    () => backgroundSettings.value.filePath,
+    (filePath) => {
+      if (filePath === loadedFilePath) return;
+      void loadBackgroundObjectUrl(settingsStore);
+    },
+  );
+
+  const active = computed(() => Boolean(backgroundObjectUrl.value));
+
+  // Keeps the palette surface colors in sync while the wallpaper is active:
+  // clear the inline overrides first so the computed values below come from
+  // the freshly applied palette classes, then re-emit them with alpha. The
+  // theme refs read below are the reactive deps: any palette / mode / custom
+  // color change re-runs this effect right after applyTheme rewrote the
+  // class-based (and custom-palette inline) variables. Custom palettes own
+  // every surface variable as an inline style, so clearing them would fall
+  // back to the palette class colors; their base values are resolved from the
+  // custom color settings instead of the computed style.
+  const customSurfaceBaseColors = (): Map<string, string> => {
+    const base = new Map<string, string>();
+    if (themePalette.value !== "custom") return base;
+    const colors = activeCustomUiColors.value;
+    for (const def of APP_CUSTOM_UI_COLOR_DEFS) {
+      if (SURFACE_VAR_NAMES.has(def.varName)) {
+        base.set(def.varName, appCustomUiColorValue(colors[def.key]).color);
+      }
+    }
+    for (const [name, value] of Object.entries(deriveCustomUiColors(colors))) {
+      if (SURFACE_VAR_NAMES.has(name)) base.set(name, value);
+    }
+    return base;
+  };
+
+  watchPostEffect(() => {
+    if (typeof document === "undefined") return;
+    void isDark.value;
+    void themePalette.value;
+    void activeCustomUiColors.value;
+    void cornerStyle.value;
+    const doc = document.documentElement;
+    const alpha = backgroundImageSurfaceAlpha(backgroundSettings.value);
+    const isActive = active.value;
+    const customBase = customSurfaceBaseColors();
+    for (const varName of BACKGROUND_IMAGE_SURFACE_VARS) {
+      doc.style.removeProperty(varName);
+    }
+    doc.classList.toggle(BACKGROUND_IMAGE_ACTIVE_CLASS, isActive);
+    if (!isActive) {
+      // Re-emit the custom palette values the clear above removed.
+      for (const [varName, color] of customBase) {
+        doc.style.setProperty(varName, color);
+      }
+      return;
+    }
+    const computedStyle = getComputedStyle(doc);
+    for (const varName of BACKGROUND_IMAGE_SURFACE_VARS) {
+      const base = customBase.get(varName) ?? computedStyle.getPropertyValue(varName);
+      const tinted = surfaceColorWithAlpha(base, alpha);
+      if (tinted) doc.style.setProperty(varName, tinted);
+    }
+  });
+
+  return {
+    backgroundObjectUrl,
+    backgroundSettings,
+    active,
+    backgroundImageStyle: computed(() => backgroundImageStyle(backgroundSettings.value, backgroundObjectUrl.value)),
+  };
+}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/en.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/en.ts
index 84e433d47d..1c15b0185a 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/en.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/en.ts
@@ -6592,6 +6592,23 @@ export default {
     uiScaleDescription: "Scale the entire desktop UI for high-DPI displays. Changes apply immediately and are restored on next launch.",
     theme: "Theme",
     cornerStyle: "Corner style",
+    backgroundImage: "Background image",
+    backgroundImageDescription: "Set an image behind the whole app. Cards and dialogs stay opaque for readability.",
+    backgroundImageChoose: "Choose image…",
+    backgroundImageClear: "Clear",
+    backgroundImageNone: "No image set",
+    backgroundImageTransparency: "Transparency",
+    backgroundImageDisplayMode: "Display mode",
+    backgroundImageModeFill: "Fill",
+    backgroundImageModeFit: "Fit",
+    backgroundImageModeStretch: "Stretch",
+    backgroundImageModeCenter: "Center",
+    backgroundImageModeTile: "Tile",
+    backgroundImageBlur: "Blur",
+    backgroundImageMissing: "The image file no longer exists. Please choose it again.",
+    backgroundImageTooLarge: "The image exceeds the 20 MB size limit.",
+    backgroundImageSaveFailed: "Failed to save the background image.",
+    backgroundImageFilterName: "Image",
     cornerStyleNone: "Square",
     cornerStyleSmall: "Small",
     cornerStyleLarge: "Large",
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/es.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/es.ts
index 4d1cb9d38a..1cbf3f3886 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/es.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/es.ts
@@ -6183,6 +6183,23 @@ export default withEnglishFallback({
     uiScaleDescription: "Escala toda la interfaz de escritorio para pantallas de alta densidad. Los cambios se aplican al instante y se restauran al volver a abrir.",
     theme: "Tema",
     cornerStyle: "Estilo de esquinas",
+    backgroundImage: "Imagen de fondo",
+    backgroundImageDescription: "Establece una imagen detrás de toda la aplicación. Las tarjetas y diálogos permanecen opacos para facilitar la lectura.",
+    backgroundImageChoose: "Elegir imagen…",
+    backgroundImageClear: "Quitar",
+    backgroundImageNone: "Sin imagen",
+    backgroundImageTransparency: "Transparencia",
+    backgroundImageDisplayMode: "Modo de visualización",
+    backgroundImageModeFill: "Rellenar",
+    backgroundImageModeFit: "Ajustar",
+    backgroundImageModeStretch: "Estirar",
+    backgroundImageModeCenter: "Centrar",
+    backgroundImageModeTile: "Mosaico",
+    backgroundImageBlur: "Desenfoque",
+    backgroundImageMissing: "El archivo de imagen ya no existe. Selecciónalo de nuevo.",
+    backgroundImageTooLarge: "La imagen supera el límite de 20 MB.",
+    backgroundImageSaveFailed: "No se pudo guardar la imagen de fondo.",
+    backgroundImageFilterName: "Imagen",
     cornerStyleNone: "Sin redondeo",
     cornerStyleSmall: "Pequeñas",
     cornerStyleLarge: "Grandes",
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/it.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/it.ts
index d3f88b2064..b9fc7c2720 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/it.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/it.ts
@@ -6183,6 +6183,23 @@ export default withEnglishFallback({
     uiScaleDescription: "Scala l'intera interfaccia utente desktop per display ad alta densità (High-DPI). Le modifiche si applicano immediatamente e vengono ripristinate al prossimo avvio.",
     theme: "Tema",
     cornerStyle: "Stile degli angoli",
+    backgroundImage: "Immagine di sfondo",
+    backgroundImageDescription: "Imposta un immagine dietro all'intera app. Le schede e le finestre di dialogo restano opache per leggibilità.",
+    backgroundImageChoose: "Scegli immagine…",
+    backgroundImageClear: "Rimuovi",
+    backgroundImageNone: "Nessuna immagine impostata",
+    backgroundImageTransparency: "Trasparenza",
+    backgroundImageDisplayMode: "Modalità di visualizzazione",
+    backgroundImageModeFill: "Riempi",
+    backgroundImageModeFit: "Adatta",
+    backgroundImageModeStretch: "Stira",
+    backgroundImageModeCenter: "Al centro",
+    backgroundImageModeTile: "Affianca",
+    backgroundImageBlur: "Sfocatura",
+    backgroundImageMissing: "Il file immagine non esiste più. Selezionalo di nuovo.",
+    backgroundImageTooLarge: "L'immagine supera il limite di 20 MB.",
+    backgroundImageSaveFailed: "Salvataggio dell'immagine di sfondo non riuscito.",
+    backgroundImageFilterName: "Immagine",
     cornerStyleNone: "Senza arrotondamento",
     cornerStyleSmall: "Piccoli",
     cornerStyleLarge: "Grandi",
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/ja.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/ja.ts
index a8986bf3fa..2741a4753d 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/ja.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/ja.ts
@@ -6221,6 +6221,23 @@ export default withEnglishFallback({
     uiScaleDescription: "高DPIディスプレイ向けにデスクトップUI全体をスケーリングします。変更は即座に適用され、次回起動時に復元されます。",
     theme: "テーマ",
     cornerStyle: "角の丸み",
+    backgroundImage: "背景画像",
+    backgroundImageDescription: "アプリ全体の背景に画像を設定します。カードとダイアログは読みやすさのため不透明のままです。",
+    backgroundImageChoose: "画像を選択…",
+    backgroundImageClear: "クリア",
+    backgroundImageNone: "画像未設定",
+    backgroundImageTransparency: "透明度",
+    backgroundImageDisplayMode: "表示方法",
+    backgroundImageModeFill: "フィル",
+    backgroundImageModeFit: "合わせる",
+    backgroundImageModeStretch: "引き伸ばし",
+    backgroundImageModeCenter: "中央",
+    backgroundImageModeTile: "タイル",
+    backgroundImageBlur: "ぼかし",
+    backgroundImageMissing: "画像ファイルが見つかりません。再度選択してください。",
+    backgroundImageTooLarge: "画像が 20MB のサイズ制限を超えています。",
+    backgroundImageSaveFailed: "背景画像の保存に失敗しました。",
+    backgroundImageFilterName: "画像",
     cornerStyleNone: "なし",
     cornerStyleSmall: "小",
     cornerStyleLarge: "大",
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/ko.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/ko.ts
index 5ab3b98e7a..e20eaa9986 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/ko.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/ko.ts
@@ -5918,6 +5918,23 @@ export default withEnglishFallback({
     uiScaleDescription: "고해상도 디스플레이를 위해 전체 데스크톱 UI를 확장합니다. 변경 사항은 즉시 적용되며 다음 실행 시 복원됩니다.",
     theme: "테마",
     cornerStyle: "모서리 스타일",
+    backgroundImage: "배경 이미지",
+    backgroundImageDescription: "앱 전체 배경에 이미지를 설정합니다. 카드와 대화상자는 가독성을 위해 불투명하게 유지됩니다.",
+    backgroundImageChoose: "이미지 선택…",
+    backgroundImageClear: "지우기",
+    backgroundImageNone: "이미지 없음",
+    backgroundImageTransparency: "투명도",
+    backgroundImageDisplayMode: "디스플레이 모드",
+    backgroundImageModeFill: "채우기",
+    backgroundImageModeFit: "맞춤",
+    backgroundImageModeStretch: "늘리기",
+    backgroundImageModeCenter: "가운데",
+    backgroundImageModeTile: "타일",
+    backgroundImageBlur: "흐림",
+    backgroundImageMissing: "이미지 파일이 더 이상 존재하지 않습니다. 다시 선택해 주세요.",
+    backgroundImageTooLarge: "이미지가 20MB 크기 제한을 초과합니다.",
+    backgroundImageSaveFailed: "배경 이미지를 저장하지 못했습니다.",
+    backgroundImageFilterName: "이미지",
     cornerStyleNone: "각형",
     cornerStyleSmall: "작게",
     cornerStyleLarge: "크게",
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/pt-BR.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/pt-BR.ts
index 2c9bb5bafa..c8a4efe3b7 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/pt-BR.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/pt-BR.ts
@@ -6185,6 +6185,23 @@ export default withEnglishFallback({
     uiScaleDescription: "Dimensione toda a UI do desktop para telas de alta resolução (high-DPI). As alterações são aplicadas imediatamente e restauradas na próxima inicialização.",
     theme: "Tema",
     cornerStyle: "Estilo dos cantos",
+    backgroundImage: "Imagem de fundo",
+    backgroundImageDescription: "Define uma imagem atrás de todo o aplicativo. Cartões e diálogos permanecem opacos para legibilidade.",
+    backgroundImageChoose: "Escolher imagem…",
+    backgroundImageClear: "Limpar",
+    backgroundImageNone: "Nenhuma imagem definida",
+    backgroundImageTransparency: "Transparência",
+    backgroundImageDisplayMode: "Modo de exibição",
+    backgroundImageModeFill: "Preencher",
+    backgroundImageModeFit: "Ajustar",
+    backgroundImageModeStretch: "Esticar",
+    backgroundImageModeCenter: "Centralizar",
+    backgroundImageModeTile: "Lado a lado",
+    backgroundImageBlur: "Desfoque",
+    backgroundImageMissing: "O arquivo de imagem não existe mais. Selecione-o novamente.",
+    backgroundImageTooLarge: "A imagem excede o limite de 20 MB.",
+    backgroundImageSaveFailed: "Falha ao salvar a imagem de fundo.",
+    backgroundImageFilterName: "Imagem",
     cornerStyleNone: "Sem arredondamento",
     cornerStyleSmall: "Pequenos",
     cornerStyleLarge: "Grandes",
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/tr.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/tr.ts
index 0920462b88..837b8968c6 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/tr.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/tr.ts
@@ -6487,6 +6487,23 @@ export default withEnglishFallback({
     uiScaleDescription: "Yüksek DPI ekranlar için tüm masaüstü arayüzünü ölçekleyin. Değişiklikler hemen uygulanır ve sonraki açılışta geri yüklenir.",
     theme: "Tema",
     cornerStyle: "Köşe biçemi",
+    backgroundImage: "Arka plan resmi",
+    backgroundImageDescription: "Tüm uygulamanın arkasına bir resim ayarlar. Kartlar ve iletişim kutuları okunabilirlik için opak kalır.",
+    backgroundImageChoose: "Resim seç…",
+    backgroundImageClear: "Temizle",
+    backgroundImageNone: "Resim ayarlanmadı",
+    backgroundImageTransparency: "Şeffaflık",
+    backgroundImageDisplayMode: "Görüntü modu",
+    backgroundImageModeFill: "Doldur",
+    backgroundImageModeFit: "Sığdır",
+    backgroundImageModeStretch: "Uzat",
+    backgroundImageModeCenter: "Ortala",
+    backgroundImageModeTile: "Döşe",
+    backgroundImageBlur: "Bulanıklık",
+    backgroundImageMissing: "Resim dosyası artık mevcut değil. Lütfen yeniden seçin.",
+    backgroundImageTooLarge: "Resim 20 MB boyut sınırını aşıyor.",
+    backgroundImageSaveFailed: "Arka plan resmi kaydedilemedi.",
+    backgroundImageFilterName: "Resim",
     cornerStyleNone: "Köşeli",
     cornerStyleSmall: "Küçük",
     cornerStyleLarge: "Büyük",
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/zh-CN.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/zh-CN.ts
index d5dd800696..0e453ac454 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/zh-CN.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/zh-CN.ts
@@ -6575,6 +6575,23 @@ export default withEnglishFallback({
     uiScaleDescription: "按比例缩放整个桌面端界面，适合高清屏；修改后立即生效，并在下次启动时恢复。",
     theme: "主题",
     cornerStyle: "圆角样式",
+    backgroundImage: "背景图片",
+    backgroundImageDescription: "为整个应用设置背景图片。卡片和对话框保持不透明以保证可读性。",
+    backgroundImageChoose: "选择图片…",
+    backgroundImageClear: "清除",
+    backgroundImageNone: "未设置图片",
+    backgroundImageTransparency: "透明度",
+    backgroundImageDisplayMode: "显示方式",
+    backgroundImageModeFill: "填充",
+    backgroundImageModeFit: "适应",
+    backgroundImageModeStretch: "拉伸",
+    backgroundImageModeCenter: "居中",
+    backgroundImageModeTile: "平铺",
+    backgroundImageBlur: "模糊",
+    backgroundImageMissing: "图片文件已不存在，请重新选择。",
+    backgroundImageTooLarge: "图片超过 20MB 大小限制。",
+    backgroundImageSaveFailed: "保存背景图片失败。",
+    backgroundImageFilterName: "图片",
     cornerStyleNone: "无圆角",
     cornerStyleSmall: "小圆角",
     cornerStyleLarge: "大圆角",
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/zh-TW.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/zh-TW.ts
index b3920c9e09..c1eb8385df 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/zh-TW.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/locales/zh-TW.ts
@@ -5502,6 +5502,23 @@ export default withEnglishFallback({
     uiScaleDescription: "按比例縮放整個桌面端介面，適合高 DPI 螢幕；修改後立即生效，並在下次啟動時復原。",
     theme: "主題",
     cornerStyle: "圓角樣式",
+    backgroundImage: "背景图片",
+    backgroundImageDescription: "為整個應用設定背景圖片。卡片和對話框保持不透明以確保可讀性。",
+    backgroundImageChoose: "選擇圖片…",
+    backgroundImageClear: "清除",
+    backgroundImageNone: "未設定圖片",
+    backgroundImageTransparency: "透明度",
+    backgroundImageDisplayMode: "顯示方式",
+    backgroundImageModeFill: "填充",
+    backgroundImageModeFit: "適應",
+    backgroundImageModeStretch: "拉伸",
+    backgroundImageModeCenter: "置中",
+    backgroundImageModeTile: "平鋪",
+    backgroundImageBlur: "模糊",
+    backgroundImageMissing: "圖片檔案已不存在，請重新選擇。",
+    backgroundImageTooLarge: "圖片超過 20MB 大小限制。",
+    backgroundImageSaveFailed: "儲存背景圖片失敗。",
+    backgroundImageFilterName: "圖片",
     cornerStyleNone: "無圓角",
     cornerStyleSmall: "小圓角",
     cornerStyleLarge: "大圓角",
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/lib/app/__tests__/appBackgroundImage.spec.ts b/apps/desktop/src/lib/app/__tests__/appBackgroundImage.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6d9aab479e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/lib/app/__tests__/appBackgroundImage.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,156 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import {
+  BACKGROUND_IMAGE_FILE_EXTENSIONS,
+  BACKGROUND_IMAGE_STORAGE_LIMIT_BYTES,
+  BACKGROUND_IMAGE_SURFACE_VARS,
+  backgroundImageFileExtension,
+  backgroundImageStyle,
+  backgroundImageSurfaceAlpha,
+  defaultBackgroundImageSettings,
+  normalizeBackgroundImageSettings,
+  parseCssColorTriplet,
+  surfaceColorWithAlpha,
+} from "@/lib/app/appBackgroundImage";
+
+describe("backgroundImageFileExtension", () => {
+  it("extracts supported extensions case-insensitively", () => {
+    expect(backgroundImageFileExtension("wallpaper.PNG")).toBe("png");
+    expect(backgroundImageFileExtension("photo.Jpeg")).toBe("jpeg");
+    expect(backgroundImageFileExtension("/path/to/image.webp")).toBe("webp");
+  });
+
+  it("returns null for unsupported or missing extensions", () => {
+    expect(backgroundImageFileExtension("vector.svg")).toBeNull();
+    expect(backgroundImageFileExtension("no-extension")).toBeNull();
+    expect(backgroundImageFileExtension("")).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("exposes the dialog filter extension list", () => {
+    expect(BACKGROUND_IMAGE_FILE_EXTENSIONS).toContain("png");
+    expect(BACKGROUND_IMAGE_FILE_EXTENSIONS).toContain("gif");
+  });
+});
+
+describe("normalizeBackgroundImageSettings", () => {
+  it("falls back to defaults for missing or invalid fields", () => {
+    expect(normalizeBackgroundImageSettings(undefined)).toEqual(defaultBackgroundImageSettings());
+    expect(normalizeBackgroundImageSettings(null)).toEqual(defaultBackgroundImageSettings());
+    expect(normalizeBackgroundImageSettings({})).toEqual(defaultBackgroundImageSettings());
+  });
+
+  it("keeps valid values and clamps out-of-range numbers", () => {
+    const settings = normalizeBackgroundImageSettings({
+      filePath: "/data/background-image.png",
+      fileName: "wall.png",
+      opacity: 0.75,
+      blur: 8,
+      displayMode: "tile",
+    });
+    expect(settings).toEqual({ filePath: "/data/background-image.png", fileName: "wall.png", opacity: 0.75, blur: 8, displayMode: "tile" });
+
+    const clamped = normalizeBackgroundImageSettings({ opacity: 5, blur: -3 });
+    expect(clamped.opacity).toBe(1);
+    expect(clamped.blur).toBe(0);
+
+    const belowMin = normalizeBackgroundImageSettings({ opacity: 0.001, blur: 99 });
+    expect(belowMin.opacity).toBe(0.05);
+    expect(belowMin.blur).toBe(20);
+  });
+
+  it("falls back to the default display mode for unknown values", () => {
+    expect(normalizeBackgroundImageSettings({ displayMode: "diagonal" }).displayMode).toBe("fill");
+    expect(normalizeBackgroundImageSettings({ displayMode: 42 }).displayMode).toBe("fill");
+    expect(normalizeBackgroundImageSettings({ displayMode: "tile" }).displayMode).toBe("tile");
+  });
+
+  it("treats blank or non-string paths as unset", () => {
+    expect(normalizeBackgroundImageSettings({ filePath: "  " }).filePath).toBeNull();
+    expect(normalizeBackgroundImageSettings({ filePath: 42 }).filePath).toBeNull();
+    expect(normalizeBackgroundImageSettings({ fileName: "" }).fileName).toBeNull();
+  });
+});
+
+describe("backgroundImageStyle", () => {
+  const url = "blob:http://localhost/abc";
+
+  it("emits nothing without an object URL", () => {
+    expect(backgroundImageStyle({ displayMode: "fill", blur: 0 }, null)).toEqual({});
+  });
+
+  it("paints fill mode as cover by default", () => {
+    expect(backgroundImageStyle({ displayMode: "fill", blur: 0 }, url)).toEqual({
+      backgroundImage: `url("${url}")`,
+      backgroundSize: "cover",
+      backgroundPosition: "center",
+      backgroundRepeat: "no-repeat",
+    });
+    expect(backgroundImageStyle({ displayMode: "nonsense" as never, blur: 0 }, url).backgroundSize).toBe("cover");
+  });
+
+  it("maps the other display modes to their background properties", () => {
+    expect(backgroundImageStyle({ displayMode: "fit", blur: 0 }, url)).toMatchObject({ backgroundSize: "contain", backgroundRepeat: "no-repeat" });
+    expect(backgroundImageStyle({ displayMode: "stretch", blur: 0 }, url)).toMatchObject({ backgroundSize: "100% 100%" });
+    expect(backgroundImageStyle({ displayMode: "center", blur: 0 }, url)).not.toHaveProperty("backgroundSize");
+    expect(backgroundImageStyle({ displayMode: "tile", blur: 0 }, url)).toMatchObject({ backgroundRepeat: "repeat" });
+  });
+
+  it("adds blur and a slight scale to hide transparent blur edges", () => {
+    expect(backgroundImageStyle({ displayMode: "fill", blur: 12 }, url)).toMatchObject({
+      filter: "blur(12px)",
+      transform: "scale(1.06)",
+    });
+  });
+});
+
+describe("backgroundImageSurfaceAlpha", () => {
+  it("maps the surface-opacity setting 1:1 and clamps", () => {
+    expect(backgroundImageSurfaceAlpha({ opacity: 0.8 })).toBe(0.8);
+    expect(backgroundImageSurfaceAlpha({ opacity: 3 })).toBe(1);
+    expect(backgroundImageSurfaceAlpha({ opacity: -1 })).toBe(0.05);
+  });
+
+  it("exposes the root surface variables that go translucent", () => {
+    expect(BACKGROUND_IMAGE_SURFACE_VARS).toContain("--background");
+    expect(BACKGROUND_IMAGE_SURFACE_VARS).toContain("--sidebar");
+    expect(BACKGROUND_IMAGE_SURFACE_VARS).not.toContain("--card");
+    expect(BACKGROUND_IMAGE_SURFACE_VARS).not.toContain("--popover");
+  });
+});
+
+describe("parseCssColorTriplet", () => {
+  it("parses rgb and hex forms, dropping any alpha", () => {
+    expect(parseCssColorTriplet("rgb(17 18 20)")).toEqual([17, 18, 20]);
+    expect(parseCssColorTriplet("rgb(17, 18, 20)")).toEqual([17, 18, 20]);
+    expect(parseCssColorTriplet("rgb(17 18 20 / 0.8)")).toEqual([17, 18, 20]);
+    expect(parseCssColorTriplet("#131416")).toEqual([19, 20, 22]);
+    expect(parseCssColorTriplet("#fff")).toEqual([255, 255, 255]);
+  });
+
+  it("returns null for unparsable input", () => {
+    expect(parseCssColorTriplet("")).toBeNull();
+    expect(parseCssColorTriplet("red")).toBeNull();
+    expect(parseCssColorTriplet("#12345")).toBeNull();
+  });
+});
+
+describe("surfaceColorWithAlpha", () => {
+  it("re-emits a color with the requested alpha", () => {
+    expect(surfaceColorWithAlpha("rgb(19 20 22)", 0.8)).toBe("rgb(19 20 22 / 0.8)");
+    expect(surfaceColorWithAlpha("#131416", 0.5)).toBe("rgb(19 20 22 / 0.5)");
+    expect(surfaceColorWithAlpha("nope", 0.5)).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("keeps wide-gamut and hsl notations instead of converting to rgb", () => {
+    expect(surfaceColorWithAlpha("oklch(0.19 0.004 285)", 0.43)).toBe("oklch(0.19 0.004 285 / 0.43)");
+    expect(surfaceColorWithAlpha("oklch(0.19 0.004 285 / 0.9)", 0.2)).toBe("oklch(0.19 0.004 285 / 0.2)");
+    expect(surfaceColorWithAlpha("hsl(240 10% 3.9%)", 0.6)).toBe("hsl(240 10% 3.9% / 0.6)");
+    expect(surfaceColorWithAlpha("hsl(240, 10%, 3.9%)", 0.6)).toBe("hsl(240, 10%, 3.9%, 0.6)");
+    expect(surfaceColorWithAlpha("240 10% 3.9%", 0.6)).toBe("hsl(240 10% 3.9% / 0.6)");
+  });
+});
+
+describe("BACKGROUND_IMAGE_STORAGE_LIMIT_BYTES", () => {
+  it("is 20 MB", () => {
+    expect(BACKGROUND_IMAGE_STORAGE_LIMIT_BYTES).toBe(20 * 1024 * 1024);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/lib/app/appBackgroundImage.ts b/apps/desktop/src/lib/app/appBackgroundImage.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..35e093d281
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/lib/app/appBackgroundImage.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,176 @@
+export const BACKGROUND_IMAGE_STORAGE_LIMIT_BYTES = 20 * 1024 * 1024;
+
+export const BACKGROUND_IMAGE_MIN_OPACITY = 0.05;
+export const BACKGROUND_IMAGE_MAX_OPACITY = 1;
+// Surface opacity: how opaque the app surfaces render over the wallpaper.
+// 1 = solid surfaces (no image visible), 0.05 = strongest wallpaper.
+export const BACKGROUND_IMAGE_DEFAULT_OPACITY = 0.8;
+export const BACKGROUND_IMAGE_MAX_BLUR_PX = 20;
+export const BACKGROUND_IMAGE_DEFAULT_BLUR_PX = 0;
+
+export const BACKGROUND_IMAGE_FILE_EXTENSIONS = ["png", "jpg", "jpeg", "webp", "bmp", "gif"] as const;
+
+/** Classic desktop-wallpaper presets; default "fill" crops to cover the window. */
+export const BACKGROUND_IMAGE_DISPLAY_MODES = ["fill", "fit", "stretch", "center", "tile"] as const;
+export type BackgroundImageDisplayMode = (typeof BACKGROUND_IMAGE_DISPLAY_MODES)[number];
+export const BACKGROUND_IMAGE_DEFAULT_DISPLAY_MODE: BackgroundImageDisplayMode = "fill";
+
+export type BackgroundImageSettings = {
+  filePath: string | null;
+  fileName: string | null;
+  opacity: number;
+  blur: number;
+  displayMode: BackgroundImageDisplayMode;
+};
+
+export function defaultBackgroundImageSettings(): BackgroundImageSettings {
+  return {
+    filePath: null,
+    fileName: null,
+    opacity: BACKGROUND_IMAGE_DEFAULT_OPACITY,
+    blur: BACKGROUND_IMAGE_DEFAULT_BLUR_PX,
+    displayMode: BACKGROUND_IMAGE_DEFAULT_DISPLAY_MODE,
+  };
+}
+
+function clampNumber(value: unknown, min: number, max: number, fallback: number): number {
+  return typeof value === "number" && Number.isFinite(value) ? Math.min(max, Math.max(min, value)) : fallback;
+}
+
+function normalizeOptionalText(value: unknown): string | null {
+  if (typeof value !== "string") return null;
+  const trimmed = value.trim();
+  return trimmed.length > 0 ? trimmed : null;
+}
+
+export function normalizeBackgroundImageDisplayMode(value: unknown): BackgroundImageDisplayMode {
+  return (BACKGROUND_IMAGE_DISPLAY_MODES as readonly string[]).includes(value as string) ? (value as BackgroundImageDisplayMode) : BACKGROUND_IMAGE_DEFAULT_DISPLAY_MODE;
+}
+
+export function normalizeBackgroundImageSettings(value: unknown): BackgroundImageSettings {
+  const source = (value && typeof value === "object" ? value : {}) as Record<string, unknown>;
+  return {
+    filePath: normalizeOptionalText(source.filePath),
+    fileName: normalizeOptionalText(source.fileName),
+    opacity: clampNumber(source.opacity, BACKGROUND_IMAGE_MIN_OPACITY, BACKGROUND_IMAGE_MAX_OPACITY, BACKGROUND_IMAGE_DEFAULT_OPACITY),
+    blur: clampNumber(source.blur, 0, BACKGROUND_IMAGE_MAX_BLUR_PX, BACKGROUND_IMAGE_DEFAULT_BLUR_PX),
+    displayMode: normalizeBackgroundImageDisplayMode(source.displayMode),
+  };
+}
+
+/** Extension (lowercase, no dot) for dialog filters and stored-copy naming; null when the name has none. */
+export function backgroundImageFileExtension(fileName: string): string | null {
+  const match = /\.([a-z0-9]+)$/i.exec(fileName.trim());
+  if (!match) return null;
+  const extension = match[1].toLowerCase();
+  return (BACKGROUND_IMAGE_FILE_EXTENSIONS as readonly string[]).includes(extension) ? extension : null;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Paint style for the wallpaper layer. Modes follow the classic desktop
+ * wallpaper presets: fill/fit/stretch scale the image, center paints it at
+ * its natural size, tile repeats it. Blur always scales the layer slightly
+ * so blurred edges never reveal transparent margins.
+ */
+export function backgroundImageStyle(settings: Pick<BackgroundImageSettings, "displayMode" | "blur">, objectUrl: string | null): Record<string, string> {
+  if (!objectUrl) return {};
+  const style: Record<string, string> = { backgroundImage: `url("${objectUrl}")` };
+  switch (settings.displayMode) {
+    case "fit":
+      style.backgroundSize = "contain";
+      style.backgroundPosition = "center";
+      style.backgroundRepeat = "no-repeat";
+      break;
+    case "stretch":
+      style.backgroundSize = "100% 100%";
+      style.backgroundRepeat = "no-repeat";
+      break;
+    case "center":
+      style.backgroundPosition = "center";
+      style.backgroundRepeat = "no-repeat";
+      break;
+    case "tile":
+      style.backgroundRepeat = "repeat";
+      break;
+    case "fill":
+    default:
+      style.backgroundSize = "cover";
+      style.backgroundPosition = "center";
+      style.backgroundRepeat = "no-repeat";
+      break;
+  }
+  if (settings.blur > 0) {
+    style.filter = `blur(${settings.blur}px)`;
+    style.transform = "scale(1.06)";
+  }
+  return style;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Root surface variables that become translucent while a wallpaper is active.
+ * Card/popover/dialog surfaces stay opaque on purpose: floating panels keep
+ * their text readable regardless of what the wallpaper shows behind them.
+ */
+export const BACKGROUND_IMAGE_SURFACE_VARS = ["--background", "--sidebar", "--muted", "--secondary", "--accent", "--dbx-chrome", "--dbx-chrome-muted", "--dbx-content", "--dbx-editor-toolbar", "--dbx-gutter", "--dbx-sidebar-header"] as const;
+
+/** Alpha for the surface variables derived from the surface-opacity setting. */
+export function backgroundImageSurfaceAlpha(settings: Pick<BackgroundImageSettings, "opacity">): number {
+  return clampNumber(settings.opacity, BACKGROUND_IMAGE_MIN_OPACITY, BACKGROUND_IMAGE_MAX_OPACITY, BACKGROUND_IMAGE_DEFAULT_OPACITY);
+}
+
+/** Parses "#rgb", "#rrggbb", "rgb(r g b)", "rgb(r, g, b)" and "rgb(r g b / a)" into an rgb triplet; null when unparsable. */
+export function parseCssColorTriplet(value: string): [number, number, number] | null {
+  const trimmed = value.trim();
+  if (!trimmed) return null;
+  const rgbMatch = /^rgba?\((\d+)\s*,?\s+(\d+)\s*,?\s+(\d+)(?:\s*\/\s*[\d.]+)?\)$/i.exec(trimmed);
+  if (rgbMatch) return [Number(rgbMatch[1]), Number(rgbMatch[2]), Number(rgbMatch[3])];
+  const hex = trimmed.startsWith("#") ? trimmed.slice(1) : null;
+  if (hex && (hex.length === 3 || hex.length === 6)) {
+    const expand =
+      hex.length === 3
+        ? hex
+            .split("")
+            .map((char) => char + char)
+            .join("")
+        : hex;
+    return [parseInt(expand.slice(0, 2), 16), parseInt(expand.slice(2, 4), 16), parseInt(expand.slice(4, 6), 16)];
+  }
+  return null;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Re-emit a surface color with the given alpha, e.g. "rgb(17 18 20 / 0.8)".
+ * Keeps the source notation when possible: wide-gamut palettes declare their
+ * tokens in oklch (see the @supports block in globals.css) and converting them
+ * to rgb would clip them; hsl stays hsl, oklch stays oklch, hex/rgb become rgb.
+ * Also accepts raw "H S% L%" channel triplets as used by shadcn-style themes.
+ */
+export function surfaceColorWithAlpha(color: string, alpha: number): string | null {
+  const trimmed = color.trim();
+  if (!trimmed) return null;
+  const fnMatch = /^([a-zA-Z-]+)\(([^()]+)\)$/.exec(trimmed);
+  if (fnMatch) {
+    const fn = fnMatch[1].toLowerCase();
+    const inner = fnMatch[2].trim();
+    if (fn === "rgb" || fn === "rgba") {
+      const triplet = parseCssColorTriplet(trimmed);
+      return triplet ? `rgb(${triplet[0]} ${triplet[1]} ${triplet[2]} / ${alpha})` : null;
+    }
+    if (inner.includes(",")) {
+      const parts = inner.split(",").map((part) => part.trim());
+      if (parts.length !== 3 || parts.some((part) => !part)) return null;
+      return `${fn}(${parts[0]}, ${parts[1]}, ${parts[2]}, ${alpha})`;
+    }
+    const base = inner.split("/")[0].trim();
+    if (!base) return null;
+    return `${fn}(${base} / ${alpha})`;
+  }
+  if (trimmed.startsWith("#")) {
+    const triplet = parseCssColorTriplet(trimmed);
+    return triplet ? `rgb(${triplet[0]} ${triplet[1]} ${triplet[2]} / ${alpha})` : null;
+  }
+  if (/^[\d.]+%?\s+[\d.]+%?\s+[\d.]+%?$/.test(trimmed)) {
+    return `hsl(${trimmed} / ${alpha})`;
+  }
+  return null;
+}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/lib/backend/api.ts b/apps/desktop/src/lib/backend/api.ts
index 14da698426..f15f14f35d 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/lib/backend/api.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/lib/backend/api.ts
@@ -326,6 +326,10 @@ export const loadPinnedTreeNodeIds = forward("loadPinnedTreeNodeIds");
 export const savePinnedTreeNodeIds = forward("savePinnedTreeNodeIds");
 export const loadEditorSettings = forward("loadEditorSettings");
 export const saveEditorSettings = forward("saveEditorSettings");
+export const saveBackgroundImage = forward("saveBackgroundImage");
+export const clearBackgroundImage = forward("clearBackgroundImage");
+export const readBackgroundImage = forward("readBackgroundImage");
+export const checkBackgroundImage = forward("checkBackgroundImage");
 export const loadOpenTabsState = forward("loadOpenTabsState");
 export const saveOpenTabsState = forward("saveOpenTabsState");
 export const saveDetachedTabHandoff = forward("saveDetachedTabHandoff");
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/lib/backend/http.ts b/apps/desktop/src/lib/backend/http.ts
index 0d91be6710..3f62d926fb 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/lib/backend/http.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/lib/backend/http.ts
@@ -1881,6 +1881,28 @@ export async function saveEditorSettings(settings: unknown): Promise<void> {
   await saveBrowserAppState("editor_settings", settings);
 }
 
+// Background images are desktop-only: the web backend has no local data dir.
+export interface BackgroundImageInfo {
+  storedPath: string;
+  fileName: string;
+}
+
+export async function saveBackgroundImage(_sourcePath: string): Promise<BackgroundImageInfo> {
+  throw new Error("Background images are only supported in the desktop app");
+}
+
+export async function clearBackgroundImage(_storedPath: string): Promise<void> {
+  throw new Error("Background images are only supported in the desktop app");
+}
+
+export async function readBackgroundImage(_storedPath: string): Promise<string> {
+  throw new Error("Background images are only supported in the desktop app");
+}
+
+export async function checkBackgroundImage(_storedPath: string): Promise<boolean> {
+  throw new Error("Background images are only supported in the desktop app");
+}
+
 export async function loadOpenTabsState(): Promise<OpenTabsStatePayload | null> {
   const value = await loadBrowserAppState("open_tabs");
   if (!value || typeof value !== "object") return null;
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/lib/backend/tauri.ts b/apps/desktop/src/lib/backend/tauri.ts
index 5273362728..0eb8d93317 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/lib/backend/tauri.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/lib/backend/tauri.ts
@@ -740,6 +740,27 @@ export async function saveEditorSettings(settings: unknown): Promise<void> {
   return invoke("save_editor_settings", { settings });
 }
 
+export interface BackgroundImageInfo {
+  storedPath: string;
+  fileName: string;
+}
+
+export async function saveBackgroundImage(sourcePath: string): Promise<BackgroundImageInfo> {
+  return invoke("save_background_image", { sourcePath });
+}
+
+export async function clearBackgroundImage(storedPath: string): Promise<void> {
+  return invoke("clear_background_image", { storedPath });
+}
+
+export async function readBackgroundImage(storedPath: string): Promise<string> {
+  return invoke("read_background_image", { storedPath });
+}
+
+export async function checkBackgroundImage(storedPath: string): Promise<boolean> {
+  return invoke("check_background_image", { storedPath });
+}
+
 export async function loadOpenTabsState(): Promise<OpenTabsStatePayload | null> {
   return invoke("load_open_tabs_state");
 }
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/lib/settings/__tests__/settingsTransfer.spec.ts b/apps/desktop/src/lib/settings/__tests__/settingsTransfer.spec.ts
index f1db1b1ca3..be87fd843f 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/lib/settings/__tests__/settingsTransfer.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/lib/settings/__tests__/settingsTransfer.spec.ts
@@ -179,6 +179,18 @@ describe("settingsTransfer", () => {
     expect(transferCategoryForKey("notARealSetting")).toBeUndefined();
   });
 
+  it("round-trips the wallpaper settings under the appearance category", () => {
+    const settings: EditorSettings = {
+      ...DEFAULT_EDITOR_SETTINGS,
+      backgroundImage: { ...DEFAULT_EDITOR_SETTINGS.backgroundImage, filePath: "/data/background-image.png", fileName: "wall.png", opacity: 0.42 },
+    };
+    const result = parseSettingsTransferFile(serializeSettingsTransfer(settings));
+    expect(result.ok).toBe(true);
+    if (!result.ok) return;
+    expect(result.value.editorSettings.backgroundImage).toEqual(settings.backgroundImage);
+    expect(transferCategoryForKey("backgroundImage")).toBe("appearance");
+  });
+
   it("collects categories in display order without duplicates", () => {
     expect(collectTransferCategories(["snippets", "theme", "shortcuts", "fontFamily"])).toEqual(["appearance", "shortcuts", "snippets"]);
   });
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/lib/settings/editorSettingsDraft.ts b/apps/desktop/src/lib/settings/editorSettingsDraft.ts
index e9db1f9b0c..227afbb42c 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/lib/settings/editorSettingsDraft.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/lib/settings/editorSettingsDraft.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import type { EditorSettings } from "@/stores/settingsStore";
+import { normalizeBackgroundImageSettings } from "@/lib/app/appBackgroundImage";
 import { normalizeResultPageSize } from "@/lib/dataGrid/paginationPageSize";
 import { normalizeQueryResultMaxRows } from "@/lib/dataGrid/queryResultRowLimit";
 import { normalizeCompletionTriggerMode } from "@/lib/sql/sqlCompletionTriggerPolicy";
@@ -11,6 +12,7 @@ export const EDITOR_SETTINGS_DRAFT_KEYS = [
   "uiFontFamily",
   "uiScale",
   "theme",
+  "backgroundImage",
   "customThemes",
   "activeCustomThemeId",
   "executeMode",
@@ -131,6 +133,7 @@ function normalizedDraftValue(key: EditorSettingsDraftKey, value: unknown): unkn
   if (key === "queryResultMaxRows") return normalizeQueryResultMaxRowsDraft(value);
   if (key === "completionTriggerMode") return normalizeCompletionTriggerMode(value);
   if (key === "redisKeyTemplates") return normalizeRedisKeyTemplates(value);
+  if (key === "backgroundImage") return normalizeBackgroundImageSettings(value);
   return value;
 }
 
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/lib/settings/settingsTransfer.ts b/apps/desktop/src/lib/settings/settingsTransfer.ts
index 0c87dc388e..9d813596d5 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/lib/settings/settingsTransfer.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/lib/settings/settingsTransfer.ts
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ export function serializeSettingsTransfer(settings: EditorSettings, meta: Settin
 const SETTINGS_TRANSFER_CATEGORY_ORDER: readonly SettingsTransferCategoryId[] = ["appearance", "editor", "formatter", "navigation", "data", "shortcuts", "snippets", "other"];
 
 const SETTINGS_TRANSFER_CATEGORY_KEYS: Record<SettingsTransferCategoryId, readonly EditorSettingsDraftKey[]> = {
-  appearance: ["fontFamily", "fontSize", "tableFontFamily", "uiFontFamily", "uiScale", "theme", "customThemes", "activeCustomThemeId", "toolbarItems", "updateNotificationsEnabled"],
+  appearance: ["fontFamily", "fontSize", "tableFontFamily", "uiFontFamily", "uiScale", "theme", "customThemes", "activeCustomThemeId", "backgroundImage", "toolbarItems", "updateNotificationsEnabled"],
   editor: [
     "executeMode",
     "defaultTransactionMode",
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/stores/__tests__/settingsStore.backgroundImage.spec.ts b/apps/desktop/src/stores/__tests__/settingsStore.backgroundImage.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4c753059d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/stores/__tests__/settingsStore.backgroundImage.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { DEFAULT_EDITOR_SETTINGS, normalizeEditorSettings } from "@/stores/settingsStore";
+import { defaultBackgroundImageSettings } from "@/lib/app/appBackgroundImage";
+
+describe("normalizeEditorSettings backgroundImage", () => {
+  it("merges default background image settings for legacy configs missing the field", () => {
+    const normalized = normalizeEditorSettings({ fontFamily: "'Fira Code', monospace" } as never);
+    expect(normalized.backgroundImage).toEqual(defaultBackgroundImageSettings());
+    expect(normalized.fontFamily).toBe("'Fira Code', monospace");
+  });
+
+  it("keeps configured background image values and clamps invalid ones", () => {
+    const normalized = normalizeEditorSettings({
+      backgroundImage: { filePath: "/data/background-image.jpg", fileName: "a.jpg", opacity: 0.4, blur: 6, displayMode: "tile" },
+    } as never);
+    expect(normalized.backgroundImage).toEqual({ filePath: "/data/background-image.jpg", fileName: "a.jpg", opacity: 0.4, blur: 6, displayMode: "tile" });
+
+    const clamped = normalizeEditorSettings({ backgroundImage: { opacity: 12, blur: -1 } } as never);
+    expect(clamped.backgroundImage.opacity).toBe(1);
+    expect(clamped.backgroundImage.blur).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  it("drops unknown fields from stored settings (showOn* from the removed scoped mode)", () => {
+    const normalized = normalizeEditorSettings({
+      backgroundImage: { filePath: "/data/background-image.jpg", fileName: "a.jpg", opacity: 0.5, blur: 0, showOnWelcome: true, showOnEditor: true },
+    } as never);
+    expect(normalized.backgroundImage).toEqual({ filePath: "/data/background-image.jpg", fileName: "a.jpg", opacity: 0.5, blur: 0, displayMode: "fill" });
+  });
+
+  it("uses default settings for a brand-new store baseline", () => {
+    expect(DEFAULT_EDITOR_SETTINGS.backgroundImage).toEqual(defaultBackgroundImageSettings());
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/stores/settingsStore.ts b/apps/desktop/src/stores/settingsStore.ts
index 87e4f96b7d..96eeb877d3 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/stores/settingsStore.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/stores/settingsStore.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { defineStore } from "pinia";
 import { computed, ref } from "vue";
 import { aiConfigToItem, generateId, getConfigKey } from "@/lib/ai/aiConfigList";
 import { DEFAULT_DATA_GRID_FONT_FAMILY, DEFAULT_UI_FONT_FAMILY } from "@/lib/app/appFonts";
+import { defaultBackgroundImageSettings, normalizeBackgroundImageSettings, type BackgroundImageSettings } from "@/lib/app/appBackgroundImage";
 import * as api from "@/lib/backend/api";
 import { setDebugLoggingEnabled } from "@/lib/backend/debugLog";
 import { safeLocalStorageGet, safeLocalStorageRemove } from "@/lib/backend/safeStorage";
@@ -724,6 +725,7 @@ export interface EditorSettings {
   uiFontFamily: string;
   uiScale: number;
   theme: EditorTheme;
+  backgroundImage: BackgroundImageSettings;
   customThemeColors: CustomThemeColors;
   customThemes: CustomTheme[];
   activeCustomThemeId: string;
@@ -956,6 +958,7 @@ export const DEFAULT_EDITOR_SETTINGS: EditorSettings = {
   uiFontFamily: DEFAULT_UI_FONT_FAMILY,
   uiScale: 1,
   theme: "app",
+  backgroundImage: defaultBackgroundImageSettings(),
   customThemeColors: { ...DEFAULT_CUSTOM_THEME_COLORS },
   customThemes: [...DEFAULT_CUSTOM_THEMES],
   activeCustomThemeId: "default",
@@ -1586,6 +1589,7 @@ export function normalizeEditorSettings(settings: Partial<EditorSettings>, exist
     clickTableNavigationTarget: normalizeClickTableNavigationTarget(settings.clickTableNavigationTarget),
     completionTriggerMode: normalizeCompletionTriggerMode(settings.completionTriggerMode),
     defaultTransactionMode: normalizeDefaultTransactionMode(settings.defaultTransactionMode),
+    backgroundImage: normalizeBackgroundImageSettings(settings.backgroundImage),
   };
 }
 
@@ -2089,6 +2093,7 @@ export const useSettingsStore = defineStore("settings", () => {
     if (partial.fontSize !== undefined) editorSettings.value.fontSize = partial.fontSize;
     if (partial.uiFontFamily !== undefined) editorSettings.value.uiFontFamily = normalizeFontFamily(partial.uiFontFamily, DEFAULT_EDITOR_SETTINGS.uiFontFamily);
     if (partial.uiScale !== undefined) editorSettings.value.uiScale = normalizeUiScale(partial.uiScale);
+    if (partial.backgroundImage !== undefined) editorSettings.value.backgroundImage = normalizeBackgroundImageSettings(partial.backgroundImage);
     if (partial.theme !== undefined) editorSettings.value.theme = partial.theme;
     if (partial.customThemeColors !== undefined) {
       editorSettings.value.customThemeColors = {
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/styles/globals.css b/apps/desktop/src/styles/globals.css
index addedb324b..2ca411fc75 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/styles/globals.css
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/styles/globals.css
@@ -2762,3 +2762,13 @@ html.theme-vscode .app-tab-scroll.wrap-mode .app-tab-pill[data-active-tab="false
     background-color: color-mix(in oklab, var(--destructive) 30%, transparent);
   }
 }
+
+/* Wallpaper mode (html.dbx-bg-active is toggled by useBackgroundImage):
+   CodeMirror themes paint opaque editor backgrounds via EditorView.theme, so
+   clear them app-wide to let the background image show through. Active line,
+   selection, and search-highlight layers keep their own translucent colors
+   and stay readable on top. */
+html.dbx-bg-active .cm-editor,
+html.dbx-bg-active .cm-gutters {
+  background-color: transparent !important;
+}
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/commands/background_image.rs b/src-tauri/src/commands/background_image.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0fc36dc609
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src-tauri/src/commands/background_image.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,191 @@
+use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
+
+use base64::{engine::general_purpose::STANDARD as BASE64_STANDARD, Engine as _};
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+use tauri::{AppHandle, Manager};
+
+const BACKGROUND_IMAGE_BASE_NAME: &str = "background-image";
+pub(crate) const BACKGROUND_IMAGE_MAX_BYTES: u64 = 20 * 1024 * 1024;
+const SUPPORTED_EXTENSIONS: [&str; 6] = ["png", "jpg", "jpeg", "webp", "bmp", "gif"];
+
+#[derive(Debug, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[serde(rename_all = "camelCase")]
+pub struct BackgroundImageInfo {
+    pub stored_path: String,
+    pub file_name: String,
+}
+
+fn background_image_extension(source: &Path) -> Result<String, String> {
+    let extension = source
+        .extension()
+        .and_then(|value| value.to_str())
+        .map(|value| value.to_ascii_lowercase())
+        .ok_or_else(|| "unsupported background image: missing file extension".to_string())?;
+    if SUPPORTED_EXTENSIONS.contains(&extension.as_str()) {
+        Ok(extension)
+    } else {
+        Err(format!("unsupported background image extension: {extension} (allowed: png, jpg, jpeg, webp, bmp, gif)"))
+    }
+}
+
+fn background_image_path(data_dir: &Path, extension: &str) -> PathBuf {
+    data_dir.join(format!("{BACKGROUND_IMAGE_BASE_NAME}.{extension}"))
+}
+
+fn is_background_image_path(path: &Path) -> bool {
+    path.file_name().and_then(|value| value.to_str()).is_some_and(|name| name.starts_with(BACKGROUND_IMAGE_BASE_NAME))
+}
+
+fn remove_stale_background_images(data_dir: &Path, keep_extension: Option<&str>) {
+    for extension in SUPPORTED_EXTENSIONS {
+        if Some(extension) == keep_extension {
+            continue;
+        }
+        let candidate = background_image_path(data_dir, extension);
+        if candidate.exists() {
+            if let Err(error) = std::fs::remove_file(&candidate) {
+                log::warn!("Failed to remove stale background image {}: {error}", candidate.display());
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+fn copy_background_image_into(data_dir: &Path, source: &Path, extension: &str) -> Result<PathBuf, String> {
+    let metadata =
+        std::fs::metadata(source).map_err(|error| format!("failed to read background image metadata: {error}"))?;
+    if metadata.len() > BACKGROUND_IMAGE_MAX_BYTES {
+        return Err("background image exceeds the 20 MB size limit".to_string());
+    }
+    let target = background_image_path(data_dir, extension);
+    if let Some(parent) = target.parent() {
+        std::fs::create_dir_all(parent).map_err(|error| format!("failed to create data dir: {error}"))?;
+    }
+    std::fs::copy(source, &target).map_err(|error| format!("failed to copy background image: {error}"))?;
+    remove_stale_background_images(data_dir, Some(extension));
+    Ok(target)
+}
+
+/// Copies the picked image into the resolved data dir so the background
+/// survives the original file being moved or deleted. The data dir must be
+/// resolved here (portable mode / DBX_DATA_DIR override) — the frontend only
+/// knows the default app data dir.
+#[tauri::command]
+pub async fn save_background_image(app: AppHandle, source_path: String) -> Result<BackgroundImageInfo, String> {
+    let source = PathBuf::from(&source_path);
+    let extension = background_image_extension(&source)?;
+    let file_name = source.file_name().and_then(|value| value.to_str()).unwrap_or("background image").to_string();
+    let default_data_dir = app.path().app_data_dir().map_err(|error| error.to_string())?;
+    let data_dir = crate::data_dir::resolve_data_dir_with_mode(default_data_dir).data_dir;
+
+    let stored_path =
+        tauri::async_runtime::spawn_blocking(move || copy_background_image_into(&data_dir, &source, &extension))
+            .await
+            .map_err(|error| format!("background image copy task failed: {error}"))??;
+
+    Ok(BackgroundImageInfo { stored_path: stored_path.to_string_lossy().to_string(), file_name })
+}
+
+#[tauri::command]
+pub async fn clear_background_image(stored_path: String) -> Result<(), String> {
+    let path = PathBuf::from(&stored_path);
+    // The stored path always points at <data_dir>/background-image.<ext>; the
+    // file-name guard keeps a corrupted config from deleting arbitrary files.
+    if !is_background_image_path(&path) {
+        return Err("refusing to clear unexpected background image path".to_string());
+    }
+    if path.exists() {
+        std::fs::remove_file(&path).map_err(|error| format!("failed to remove background image: {error}"))?;
+    }
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+/// Returns the stored copy's bytes as base64. Reads go through an app command
+/// because the fs plugin's granted scopes don't reliably cover the resolved
+/// data dir (fs:allow-read-file ships without path scopes).
+#[tauri::command]
+pub async fn read_background_image(stored_path: String) -> Result<String, String> {
+    let path = PathBuf::from(&stored_path);
+    if !is_background_image_path(&path) {
+        return Err("refusing to read unexpected background image path".to_string());
+    }
+    tauri::async_runtime::spawn_blocking(move || {
+        let bytes = std::fs::read(&path).map_err(|error| format!("failed to read background image: {error}"))?;
+        Ok(BASE64_STANDARD.encode(bytes))
+    })
+    .await
+    .map_err(|error| format!("background image read task failed: {error}"))?
+}
+
+/// Existence probe for the settings dialog's stale-file hint.
+#[tauri::command]
+pub async fn check_background_image(stored_path: String) -> Result<bool, String> {
+    let path = PathBuf::from(&stored_path);
+    if !is_background_image_path(&path) {
+        return Ok(false);
+    }
+    Ok(path.is_file())
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    struct TempDir(PathBuf);
+
+    impl TempDir {
+        fn new(label: &str) -> Self {
+            let path = std::env::temp_dir().join(format!("dbx-tauri-{label}-{}", uuid::Uuid::new_v4()));
+            std::fs::create_dir_all(&path).unwrap();
+            Self(path)
+        }
+    }
+
+    impl Drop for TempDir {
+        fn drop(&mut self) {
+            let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&self.0);
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn background_image_extension_accepts_supported_and_rejects_others() {
+        assert_eq!(background_image_extension(Path::new("/tmp/wall.png")).unwrap(), "png");
+        assert_eq!(background_image_extension(Path::new("C:\\pic.JPG")).unwrap(), "jpg");
+        assert!(background_image_extension(Path::new("no-extension")).is_err());
+        assert!(background_image_extension(Path::new("vector.svg")).is_err());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn copy_keeps_current_extension_and_cleans_stale_copies() {
+        let temp = TempDir::new("background-image-copy");
+        let data_dir = temp.0.join("data");
+        std::fs::create_dir_all(&data_dir).unwrap();
+        std::fs::write(background_image_path(&data_dir, "png"), b"old").unwrap();
+        let source = temp.0.join("fresh.jpg");
+        std::fs::write(&source, b"new").unwrap();
+
+        let stored = copy_background_image_into(&data_dir, &source, "jpg").unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(stored, background_image_path(&data_dir, "jpg"));
+        assert!(stored.exists());
+        assert!(!background_image_path(&data_dir, "png").exists());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn copy_rejects_oversized_images() {
+        let temp = TempDir::new("background-image-size");
+        let source = temp.0.join("big.png");
+        std::fs::write(&source, vec![0u8; BACKGROUND_IMAGE_MAX_BYTES as usize + 1]).unwrap();
+
+        let error = copy_background_image_into(&temp.0, &source, "png").unwrap_err();
+
+        assert!(error.contains("20 MB"));
+        assert!(!background_image_path(&temp.0, "png").exists());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn clear_guard_rejects_unexpected_file_names() {
+        assert!(is_background_image_path(Path::new("/data/background-image.png")));
+        assert!(!is_background_image_path(Path::new("/data/important.db")));
+        assert!(!is_background_image_path(Path::new("/data/dbx.db")));
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/commands/mod.rs b/src-tauri/src/commands/mod.rs
index fbe40d017d..3e6a919ab5 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/commands/mod.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/commands/mod.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ pub mod agents;
 pub mod ai;
 pub mod ai_multi_config;
 pub mod app_settings;
+pub mod background_image;
 pub mod cloud_sync;
 pub mod config_cmd;
 pub mod connection;
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/lib.rs b/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
index d2637b9114..468df744b4 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
@@ -1736,6 +1736,10 @@ pub fn run() {
             commands::app_settings::save_pinned_tree_node_ids,
             commands::app_settings::load_mcp_global_policy,
             commands::app_settings::save_mcp_global_policy,
+            commands::background_image::save_background_image,
+            commands::background_image::clear_background_image,
+            commands::background_image::read_background_image,
+            commands::background_image::check_background_image,
             commands::mcp_http_server::load_mcp_http_server_settings,
             commands::mcp_http_server::save_mcp_http_server_settings,
             commands::mcp_http_server::mcp_http_server_status,