Whistler

Whistler is the codename of Windows XP. This page lists images from both before and after Whistler was renamed, for the sake of convenience, but does not list final image sets. Note that this wiki will refer to Whistler as the codename alone rather than "Windows Whistler", due to that phrasing not being used by Microsoft.

Build 2416 and earlier
Until build 2416, Whistler did not feature many new wallpapers. All of its wallpapers were reused from Windows 2000, due to it being fairly early in development. However, build 2264 introduced a new wallpaper titled Watercolor, although it was not set as default until build 2410; every build of Windows in general has a default wallpaper from this point onwards.

Builds 2419 to 2464
While build 2264 introduced the Watercolor wallpaper (default in build 2410 to 2419), build 2419 introduced a small selection of the wallpapers that would feature in the final release of XP, while removing all of Windows 2000's wallpapers; Windows Me's branding wallpaper were also added, but is oddly filenamed. Build 2423 changed the default wallpaper to Red moon desert, which would remain until build 2465. Testers allegedly compared Red moon desert's appearance to buttocks, although it was more likely that the wallpaper was set as a decoy and that Bliss was intended as the default wallpaper from the beginning, rather than the complaints forcing the design team to change it.

The installation of Lab06 build 2415 shown at CES 2001 shows Bliss set as the wallpaper. As this build has not been leaked, it is unknown whether it was the default wallpaper in this build or not. If so, it could imply that Microsoft's design team was still trying to choose between Bliss and Red moon desert, or that the latter was just a placeholder, despite Raymond Chen's claims that testers were not happy with it. However, the color scheme of the default Luna theme was likely designed to match with Bliss, giving further evidence that Bliss may have been intended as the default wallpaper all along.

Build 2465 onwards
Build 2465 introduced all of the wallpapers that appear in the final release of XP. Bliss became the new default wallpaper. It also introduced a branding wallpaper, featuring a blue-white radial gradient background with the XP logo in the center. Unlike the rest it is at 1024x768 as opposed to 800x600. Starting with build 2485, the branding wallpaper was replaced with one featuring a CGI Windows logo. Between this build and 2532, it was set as the default wallpaper; however, builds 2535 onwards revert it back to Bliss. This could imply that Microsoft had second thoughts about using Bliss as the default wallpaper.

A similar wallpaper is featured in a screenshot of build 2446 by Paul Thurrott. This one features a smaller logo with a transparent skewed “xp” in the center behind the logo, while the radial gradient is in the center left and the background is overall darker compared to the wallpaper introduced in build 2465. However, this wallpaper is not known to actually appear in any build, making it most likely that it was a promotional wallpaper Microsoft provided Thurrott themselves, although the file has surfaced, meaning it was either publically available or it leaked.

Another version of this wallpaper, with the same gradient as Thurrott's screenshot but with the logo being a similar size to the wallpaper in builds, is shown in screenshots on Microsoft's website and showcased at an event on February 28, 2001 at the Westin Seattle hotel (where the 2001 Nisqually earthquake interrupted the event), and the Windows XP Expert Zone event.

Sample pictures
Five sample pictures at 480x336 were added in build 2474, with Orange canyon (which was at 336x480 instead) being replaced with Sail in build 2481. With the exception of Winter forest (renamed to Winter), none of these were included in builds 2486 onwards, where sample pictures are at 800x600 instead.

All of the sample pictures here (except Sail, which was introduced later) appear on the Plus! My Pictures screensaver graphic shown in Microsoft Plus! for Windows XP's launcher. Additionally a dog picture is shown, which is currently not known to have appeared in any builds. No information regarding the original image has been found, although it was likely licensed from Corbis like the rest here.

User account pictures
Build 2419 introduced a small selection of user account pictures, compared to the final release. At this point, none of them are licensed from PhotoDisc; ones with known origins are licensed from Corbis, making it likely the unknown ones came from there too.

Setup backgrounds
The setup background varies depending on edition.