These wintery wallpapers for Windows 10 will get you ready for the holidays

Microsoft Hot Chocolate
Microsoft Hot Chocolate (Image credit: Microsoft)

What you need to know

  • Microsoft has several wintery wallpapers available for free.
  • Designs include snowmen, snow-covered trees, and hot chocolate by the fire.
  • You can grab all of the wallpapers for free through the Microsoft Store.

Microsoft often adds seasonal wallpapers to the Microsoft Store, and this holiday 2020 season is no exception. You can grab several wintery themes right now for free from Microsoft. The Microsoft Store highlights eight wintery themes, but remember that each theme includes several images, so you actually have quite a few holiday photos to choose from.

My favorite theme out of the set is "A Moment of Hygge." It includes 16 4K images inside a relaxing holiday home. One image features a cat curled up in a bed, and several shots are by a lovely little fireplace. One photo has two cups of hot chocolate filled with marshmallows in front of a fire. My wife loves hot chocolate, and we have it frequently during the holidays, so I'll probably set my PC background to that image.

If you're more of an outdoorsy person, the "Ski Paradise" theme has 16 images showing off stunning slopes covered in snow. There are photos of calm and rolling bunny slopes and steep black diamond runs. One image is of a striking shot of clouds covering a steep mountainside.

No collection of Microsoft wallpapers would be complete without a set of furry friends. In addition to the cat featured in the "A Moment of Hygge" set, there's an entire collection called "Dogs in Winter." This set includes dogs covered in and playing in snow in various ways and one cute pup who looks tuckered out after a day in the snow who is sleeping by the fire.

Sean Endicott
News Writer and apps editor

Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He's covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean's journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.