How to Use the New Stock Backgrounds in Squarespace
Squarespace has been rolling out updates like crazy lately, and this one is going to save you time and add instant style to your site. You can now add stock background images, patterns, and gradients directly to any section on your Squarespace site—no Canva, Photoshop, or external design tools needed.
This new feature gives you more built-in visual options than ever before, and it’s all tucked into the background settings of any section you’re working on.
Let’s take a look at how it works!
Watch the video
Check out the YouTube video below. 👇🏼
🎨 Where to Find Stock Backgrounds in Squarespace
To try it out:
Go into Edit mode on any page.
Hover over a section and click Edit Section.
Navigate to the Backgrounds tab.
Click the plus (+) icon to add a background.
You’ll now see a brand-new option: “Browse Backgrounds.”
From here, you can explore:
Images (like landscapes, abstract textures, nature scenes, etc.)
Patterns
Gradients
Squarespace has even started incorporating some AI-generated images, which is a cool bonus if you want something eye-catching and unique.
🛠️ Customizing the Look
Once you choose a background:
You can adjust the opacity to make sure your text stays legible.
Try layering a darker image with white text, or increase the transparency for a more subtle texture.
Preview it in full screen to see how it impacts your layout and color scheme.
This is a huge improvement over the old method, where you’d have to download a background from Unsplash or create one manually in Canva or Adobe Express.
✨ Why This Is a Game Changer
Makes design faster and easier
Keeps your workflow inside Squarespace
Adds a layer of professionalism and texture without custom code
Offers great flexibility with opacity and style choices
You can switch backgrounds any time with just a couple clicks. If you’re a designer or site owner looking to create something visually compelling without extra tools, you’re going to love this update.
If this tutorial helped you out, be sure to subscribe to my newsletter below for more Squarespace tips. And if you'd like help designing your site, get in touch here!
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Your Designer
I'm Bryan, a Squarespace web designer and founder of Abound Web Design. I have worked with all types of businesses and organizations from preschools to publishing companies to chiropractic clinics and everything in between. If you want to discuss a potential project, you can email me at bryan@aboundwebdesign or get in touch with me here. Alternatively, you can book in a free 15-minute consultation call here.
