Windows 10 Lock Screen Photo Site Becomes Travel Destination

The real-world location of the Windows 10 lock screen wallpaper, Wharariki Beach in New Zealand, has become a popular travel destination after a viral video by travel creators Sagar and Ami. The photo, taken by renowned photojournalist Steve McCurry, was commissioned by Microsoft for the 2015 release of Windows 10. The video, posted on Instagram, shows Ami's wonder at discovering the site, and they described the beach as feeling like another planet, with giant sea arches, wild dunes, and sea caves. They returned twice in one day to catch the sunset. The Windows 10 wallpaper is one of the most viewed images globally, and its location has become a meme. McCurry is famous for his iconic National Geographic cover 'Afghan Girl', shot in a refugee camp in Pakistan in December 1984. The Windows XP default wallpaper 'Bliss' by Charles O'Rear, depicting rolling green hills in Sonoma County, California, is often called the most-viewed photo of all time, seen by over one billion people since 2002. In 2024, Microsoft held a competition among seven photographers to feature their images on Surface devices. Photographer Chad Copeland was also commissioned for the Windows 10 photos, with retouching by Ekaterina Savtsova and additional editing by creative director Chris Raykovich.