Free Beach Pictures: 40 Beach Photos & Backgrounds

Looking for beach pictures you can actually use? Here are 40 beach photos from the BigFoto library: sandy beaches in Australia, Israel and Florida, chalk cliffs and rock arches, pebble beaches on the Adriatic, and close-ups of sand and shells that work as backgrounds. All of them come from BigFoto’s own galleries.

How to download: click a photo to open the full-size file, then save it. The originals are about 1200 × 800 pixels: right for blog posts, slides, social media, school projects and video call backgrounds. For a full-screen desktop wallpaper on a large monitor they will look soft.

Sandy beaches

Wide sandy beaches from the Mediterranean, the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic: empty stretches of sand, busy summer days and a lighthouse at the end of the bay.

White sand and the lighthouse on Rottnest Island, Western Australia

Sandstone cliffs meet a sandy beach on the coast of Israel — White sand and the lighthouse on Rottnest Island, Western Australia

Coasts, cliffs and bays

When the beach is only part of the view: chalk cliffs, a rock arch, rocky shores with surf and green headlands above a curved bay.

A round bay below green cliffs — A natural rock arch above a sandy beach

Pebble beaches and clear water

Typical of the Adriatic and much of the Mediterranean: small pebbles instead of sand, very clear water and pine trees right down to the shore.

Clear shallow water and a sailing boat offshore — The long pebble beach at Bol, Croatia

Beach textures for backgrounds

Close-ups that work behind text, on slides or as a website background: rippled sand, shells and stones.

Mussel shells scattered on the sand — Rippled sand, a plain beach background

Beach life

People, palm trees and the things that happen on a beach day.

Cafes and palm trees along the beach road, Fort Myers Beach, Florida

Palm trees in front of a beach house, Florida — Cafes and palm trees along the beach road, Fort Myers Beach, Florida

Where these photos were taken

Most of these photos come from larger galleries. If you need more pictures of the same place, start there:

Questions about using these beach photos

Can I use these beach pictures commercially?

Yes. You can use them on commercial websites, in marketing and in products. We only ask for a link back to BigFoto.com.

Do I need to credit BigFoto?

A link to BigFoto.com is the only thing we ask. On a website or blog, a link near the photo or in the footer is enough; without a website, a link on social media is fine.

Can I use them as a Zoom or Teams background?

Yes. Most video call apps accept JPG images of this size. Calm photos with an open horizon, such as the empty sandy beaches above, work best behind a person.