On Windows 11, you can set live wallpapers on the desktop, but not officially. If you ever wanted to use a live background on Windows 11 similar to those animated wallpapers on Android, you can use the “Lively Wallpaper” app from the Microsoft Store.
Lively Wallpaper is an open-source application that allows you to set videos, webpages, and GIFs images as desktop wallpapers and screensavers. The application offers a library with several live wallpapers that you can set as background on Windows 11, but you can always add custom ones.
In this guide, you will learn the steps to set live wallpapers on Windows 11.
Set live desktop wallpaper on Windows 11
If you want to set moving desktop wallpapers on Windows 11, you first need to install the Lively app and then select the animation.
Install Lively Wallpaper app
To install the Lively Wallpaper app, use these steps:
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Open Lively Wallpaper app on the Microsoft Store.
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Click the Get button.
Once you complete the steps, you can use the app to set living wallpapers on your desktop.
Set live wallpaper
To set a live wallpaper as a background on the Windows 11 desktop, use these steps:
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Open Lively Wallpaper app.
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Click on Library.
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Select a live wallpaper.
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Click the menu (three-dotted) button and select the Set as Wallpaper option.
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(Optional) Click the Customize option to adjust the different settings depending on the wallpaper features.
After you complete the steps, the live wallpaper will apply to the desktop. Also, depending on the animation, you may get some interactions. For example, if you set the “Fluids” option, the desktop will react to the system volume and cursor. And the “Periodic Table” option highlights each element, and you move the cursor over the table.
The app also comes with a “Gallery” section, but it doesn’t offer anything at this time. In the Settings page, you will be able to control the startup behavior, and rules to minimize performance impact, and there’s even an option to control the Taskbar theme to make it blurry, fully transparent, and more. You can learn more about this project on GitHub.
Lively Wallpaper settings
Since these wallpapers are animated images, they will require extra system resources. However, when using an app or game on full screen or accessing the device through Remote Desktop, the wallpaper will pause automatically. And you can set a rule to stop the animation when running on battery.
The application also includes support for multi-monitor setups. You can span a single wallpaper across all the monitors or duplicate the same one across the displays. Also, HiDPI and Ultrawide resolutions are supported.