Biome backgrounds are images that appear behind objects and blocks in each biome. Each biome has its own set of backgrounds that usually show a landscape of the biome. In a world, each biome is randomly assigned a background from its own set, and can be changed by using a World Globe. Backgrounds can also be overridden using monoliths.

Biomes on the Surface layer include Forests, Deserts, the Snow biome, the Jungle, the Dungeon, the Evil biome (either the Corruption or the Crimson), and at the far ends of the world, the two Oceans. These Surface biomes extend into the Underground layer. Going any deeper, the player will find unique subterranean variants of most of these.