Here’s another cool way to customise your Edge 800. This time, it’s your own personal background image.
In a previous post, I showed how you can display a personalised startup message on your edge 800. This is useful for displaying your name and contact details just in case you were to lose the unit and be fortunate enough to have it found by a decent sort who’d want to return it.
This little hack is more cosmetic, but could be implemented in the same way, depending on the type of image you wish to use.
How to customise your Garmin Edge 800 background wallpaper
#1 Create the image
The first step is to create an image which is the correct size. It should be 240 pixels high by 160 pixels wide. This will work for the Edge 800 and the Edge 810.
I’ve saved you some time here, and I’m offering two free downloads to help you out:
1st, I’ve made a photoshop template which is the correct size you can just drop your own images in there and save it out to a JPG. The template contains layers with 8 sample images.
2nd, I’ve exported the 8 sample images to individual JPG files for you, so you can just download a ZIP file with the ready-to-use images.
Here’s what the sample images look like. Download the files now
If you’d rather make your own images from scratch, just remember to create a canvas that’s 160 x 240 pixels. If you haven’t got photoshop, you could use something like the brilliantly amazing Stencil.
(Read my post about Stencil here, if you’re interested)
#2 Copy the image to the Garmin
OK, next step is to get your new image onto the Garmin itself:
Connect the Garmin to your computer via a USB cable.
Viewing the contents of the internal memory, go to the Garmin folder, then into the folder called Backgrounds.
Copy your new jpg image file into the Backgrounds folder.
Disconnect the USB cable.
#3 Activating the new background image
Tap the Menu button > Settings (spanner icon) > System > Display > Background
You should see the list of available backgrounds, so just tap the one you want to implement.
The instructions above were written based on the Edge 800, and I’m assuming the 810 won’t be too different. I’d appreciate it if someone could confirm it works (I don’t have an 810 to test it on).
UPDATE: I now think we’ve established that Garmin changed the 810 interface so that this is NOT possible on the Edge 810. Sorry 810 dudes!
That’s all there is to it. You can now show off your snazzy new Edge 800 background wallpapers.
That download link again –
No apparent Backgrounds folder on the Edge 810… bummer : ( Any other workaround or solution? I like the customization idea. Thanks.
Hi Bill, I don’t have an 810 to check, but I had come across other blog posts which had mentioned changing background images on the 800/810 in this way. Are you sure you’ve looked both on the internal memory and on the SD card?
Yeah i tried this today. I had to create a folder with my pic in and put it on both internal memory and card but wont work. There is no setting for changing backgrounds on the 810 so didnt think it would work.
I can confirm, the 810 does not allow for backgrounds. Here’s how I make my wallpapers, the same method you use.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_tqXVeUDg0
Nice video Evan!