Lockscreen Gif
A simple application to set your windows lockscreen to a video or a GIF image.
You cannot set a GIF as a lockscreen using the normal windows settings even when using file extension spoofing but with some Windows system image cache modifications you can trick Windows into using a GIF on your lockscreen.
Video file input demo
Video.Example.mp4
Gif file input demo
Lockscreen.Gif.demo.mp4
Notes
ONLY real .GIF files are supported.
Videos cannot work and will never work directly, please use the video option to dynamically create a gif to use.
GIFs created through the video option are created with FFMPEG and Gifski to produce high quality, video like gifs.
Windows 10 offers a range of customization options to enhance your overall user experience. One such feature is the ability to set a live wallpaper on your lock screen. Live wallpapers are dynamic and visually pleasing, allowing you to add a touch of personalization to your Windows 10 lock screen. If you’re wondering how to set a live wallpaper on your lock screen in Windows 10, follow the steps below:
Step 1: Open the Microsoft Store on your Windows 10 device.
Step 2: Search for «Live Wallpapers» in the store’s search bar.
Step 3: Browse through the available live wallpaper apps and select the one you prefer.
Step 4: Click on the app to view its details and features.
Step 5: Click on the «Get» or «Install» button to download and install the app on your device.
Step 6: Once the app is installed, launch it and explore the available live wallpaper options.
Step 7: Select the live wallpaper you want to set as your lock screen background and follow the app’s instructions to apply it.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
1. Adds visual appeal and personalization to your lock screen. | 1. Some live wallpaper apps may contain ads or require in-app purchases for additional features. |
2. Offers a wide range of dynamic and interactive wallpapers to choose from. | 2. Live wallpapers may utilize system resources and affect battery life on laptops and tablets. |
3. Easy to download, install, and customize according to your preferences. | 3. Limited options for customization compared to desktop wallpapers. |
Setting a live wallpaper on your lock screen in Windows 10 adds a touch of personality and liveliness to your device. Explore the Microsoft Store and find the perfect live wallpaper app that matches your style and preferences. Customize your lock screen with vibrant visuals that bring your Windows 10 experience to life.
Video Tutorial:Why won t my live wallpaper play on my Lock screen?
Can you set a video as a screensaver Windows?
Certainly! Setting a video as a screensaver in Windows can be done by following these steps:
1. Make sure the video you want to use as a screensaver is saved on your computer.
2. Right-click on an empty area on your desktop and select «Personalize» from the context menu.
3. In the Personalization settings, click on «Lock screen» in the left-hand sidebar.
4. Scroll down and click on «Screen saver settings» located under the «Screen saver» section.
5. In the Screen Saver Settings window that appears, select a screensaver from the drop-down menu. Choose «None» if you want a blank screen.
6. Click on the «Settings» button next to the screensaver drop-down menu.
7. In the Screensaver Settings dialog box, click the «Browse» button and navigate to the location where you have saved your video file.
8. Select the video file and click «OK» or «Apply» to save the changes.
9. Set the desired wait time before the screensaver starts using the «Wait» option.
10. Click «OK» or «Apply» again to exit the Screensaver Settings.
11. Finally, close the Personalization settings window.
Now, when your computer is idle for the specified time, your selected video will be played as the screensaver. Remember, it’s important to choose a video format that is supported by Windows for optimal compatibility.
Please note that the provided steps are based on the assumption of the Windows version and functionality available as of 2023. Different versions of Windows may have slight variations in the steps or options available.
Setting a live wallpaper on the lock screen of your iPhone can add some dynamic and visually appealing elements to your device. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it:
1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone. This can be done by tapping the «Settings» icon on your home screen.
2. Scroll down and tap on «Wallpaper.» It is usually located in the list of options between «Control Center» and «Siri & Search.«
3. In the Wallpaper settings, tap on «Choose a New Wallpaper.«
4. You will see three options: «Dynamic,» «Stills,» and «Live.» Select the «Live» option.
5. Browse through the available live wallpapers and choose the one that you like by tapping on it. You can swipe left or right to see more options.
6. Once you’ve chosen a live wallpaper, you can preview how it will look on your lock screen. To do this, press and hold the screen to see the animation.
7. If you’re happy with the preview, tap on «Set» at the bottom of the screen.
8. You will be presented with three options: «Set Lock Screen,» «Set Home Screen,» or «Set Both.» Choose «Set Lock Screen» to set the live wallpaper only on your lock screen.
9. The live wallpaper will be applied to your lock screen, and you can exit the settings app to see the changes.
That’s it! You have successfully set a live wallpaper on your lock screen. Enjoy the dynamic visuals every time you wake up your iPhone.
Note: Live wallpapers are available on certain iPhone models with compatible software versions. Make sure your device supports live wallpapers and you have updated to the latest iOS version.
Can you have animated lock screen Windows 10?
Yes, it is possible to have an animated lock screen on Windows 10. Here’s how you can set it up:
1. Open the Settings app by clicking on the Start button and then selecting the gear-shaped icon.
2. In the Settings app, click on the «Personalization» category.
3. In the left sidebar, click on «Lock screen.«
4. On the right side, under the «Background» section, choose the «Slideshow» option from the drop-down menu.
5. Click on the «+ Add a folder» button to select a folder containing the animated images or videos you want to use for your lock screen.
6. Once you’ve added the folder, you can customize how your lock screen slideshow behaves by adjusting the settings below, such as the frequency of image changes and whether to shuffle the images or videos.
7. Optionally, you can enable the «Play a slide show on the lock screen» toggle switch to start the slideshow immediately when your screen is locked.
8. Close the Settings app, and now you should have an animated lock screen on Windows 10.
Please keep in mind that the folder you choose should only contain files with supported formats, such as images in JPEG, PNG, or GIF formats, and videos in MP4 or WMV formats. Additionally, animated lock screens may slightly impact system performance, so it’s recommended to use them on capable hardware for the best experience.
How do I set a GIF as my lock screen Windows?
To set a GIF as your lock screen in Windows, follow these steps:
1. Find the GIF: First, you need to have a GIF file that you want to set as your lock screen. Make sure it is saved on your computer.
2. Convert the GIF to a video format: Windows doesn’t directly support GIFs as lock screen wallpapers, so you’ll need to convert the GIF file to a video format like MP4 or WMV. There are many online tools and software available that can help you convert GIF to video. Choose a reliable one and convert your GIF file to the desired video format.
3. Open Windows Settings: Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings app.
4. Go to Personalization: In the Settings app, click on «Personalization.«
5. Select the Lock screen tab: On the left sidebar, click on «Lock screen.«
6. Choose a Background: Under the «Background» section, click on the drop-down menu and choose «Slideshow.«
7. Add your converted GIF video: Click on the «+ Add a folder» button to add the folder where you have saved your converted GIF video.
8. Customize slideshow settings: If needed, you can adjust the settings like frequency, shuffle, or slideshow order. You can also select multiple folders with different GIFs for a dynamic lock screen experience.
9. Save your settings: Once you’ve added the folder and customized the slideshow settings, close the Settings app. Your GIF video will now be set as the lock screen wallpaper.
10. Test it out: Lock your computer screen, and you should now see your GIF video playing as the lock screen wallpaper.
Remember, these steps may vary slightly depending on the version of Windows you are using.
How do I set a GIF as my lock screen Windows 10?
To set a GIF as your lock screen in Windows 10, follow these steps:
1. Find the GIF: Start by locating the GIF you want to use as your lock screen. You can either download a GIF from a website or create your own using various online GIF generators.
2. Convert GIF to MP4: To set a GIF as your lock screen, you’ll need to convert it to MP4 format since Windows 10 doesn’t directly support GIFs for lock screen backgrounds. You can use online tools like EZGIF or CloudConvert to convert the GIF to MP4. Make sure to keep the duration of the MP4 short to prevent excessive battery drain.
3. Rename the MP4 file: Once the GIF is converted to MP4, rename the file extension from «.mp4» to «.gif.» Although the file format is still MP4, this trick will allow Windows to recognize and use it as a lock screen background.
4. Copy the MP4 (renamed as GIF) to a specific folder: Navigate to the following path on your PC: «C:\Windows\Web\Screen.» Create a new folder within the «Screen» folder and give it a name (e.g., «GIF Lock Screen«).
5. Place the MP4 (renamed as GIF) in the new folder: Move the renamed MP4 file into the new folder you just created.
6. Set the GIF as your lock screen: Right-click on an empty space on your desktop and select «Personalize» from the context menu. In the left sidebar, click on «Lock screen.» Under the «Background» drop-down menu, choose «Slideshow.«
7. Configure slideshow settings: Click on the «Browse» button to locate the new folder you created in step 4 («GIF Lock Screen«). Select the folder and click «Choose this folder.» Finally, ensure that the «Change picture every» drop-down menu is set to «1 minute» to ensure smooth GIF animation playback.
That’s it! You’ve successfully set a GIF as your lock screen in Windows 10. Now, each time you lock your computer, you’ll see the animated GIF in action.
Two GIF Background programs to get you started
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Table of Contents
- How to use BioniX
- GIF Background on BioniX
- BioniX Continued
- PUSH Video Wallpaper
- How to use PUSH Video Wallpaper
- GIFs in PUSH Wallpaper
Fed up of your old static background and want something a little more jazzy to see when you boot up your PC? Or when you post a picture of your epic ‘battle station on Reddit for all those zesty upvotes?
There’s no actual way to set an animated GIF as a background in Windows 10, as you’ll find it’ll be a very awkwardly pixelated still frame from the animation. To get the GIF moving you’ll need to use a third-party program and we’re going to take you through a few in this guide so you can find the one that suits you best.
The first choice is BioniX, a freeware program that can easily – if a bit clumsily – apply a moving GIF to your Windows desktop. I say clumsily because, during our process for getting screenshots and creating GIFs for this article, the program would regularly throw up errors and inform us that an obvious interaction has yet to be implemented.
Once you get over these issues, the program is quite functional and quietly does its job, taking up only around 150MB of RAM while in use. However, if you close BioniX, it will revert back to the last static background you set through it.
How to use BioniX
When you first load up the program, it’ll ask if you want to link any folders or download images from BioniX, which I turn off and I recommend changing the skin to the default Windows one, as the others are a little unclear to navigate.
GIF Background on BioniX
When you first load up the program, it’ll ask if you want to link any folders or download images from BioniX, which I turn off and I recommend changing the skin to the default Windows one, as the others are a little unclear to navigate.
BioniX Continued
You can import images by simply dragging them from your folder to the application, then right-click the image to apply it to the monitor you want.
There are also settings to change if you want it stretched or tiled across the screen, as well as booting at startup. If you have a ‘playlist’, you’ll also find options for how fast you want it to cycle through them too.
This is where we ran into issues, as the GIF files pop up an error stating that the function of dragging and dropping in the interface is coming, meaning we couldn’t get it – even after altering the settings – to apply to the second monitor. We could however get the static images to work across both.
If you’re on a single monitor though, this is probably a great application to get into. The only real issue is that it feels held together with duct tape.
PUSH Video Wallpaper
There are better options out there, but some of them do require payment.
The best options we found were PUSH Video Wallpaper, which is for sale in a bundle of other software or standalone for £7.95, and Wallpaper Engine via Steam, which is currently $3.99/£2.99.
We’ll cover Wallpaper Engine in another article, as it is far more in-depth than either of the other two options.
Push is incredibly simple and can even stream YouTube live streams to your desktop, as well as GIFs. It can start to eat up RAM and resources because it is literally bringing a live stream to you, so bear that in mind if you decide to go with a video option. It’ll also play the video’s audio too, which you can mute.
How to use PUSH Video Wallpaper
When PUSH is first installed, you’ll notice immediately that it loads up whatever demo videos and GIFs it has available. I got rid of these with the big minus button and began adding in my own things. While the app does have a ‘free’ mode, it’s simply a trial and will display a big fat watermark over anything that isn’t obviously a white background.
GIFs in PUSH Wallpaper
In ‘Main’ you can set the resolution of the video or GIF in the background, although I don’t recommend you go higher than 720p due to resource hogging concerns. The big Plus and Minus buttons do exactly what you expect, removing items you’ve added into the program and in the top corner, if you want it to switch between backgrounds, you’re able to shuffle or loop and can set the amount of time you want them to switch over.
Customization has always been the hallmark of the Windows operating system. Windows 10 carries this legacy forward by allowing you to customize the Lock Screen, colors, background and windows themselves.
Nothing quite like the yesteryear of Windows XP, but there is a fair bit of personalization on offer in the latest version of Windows 10 that allow you to design the experience to your liking.
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In this guide, we’ll be walking you through the steps necessary to customize the Lock Screen on your device and get the most of it in terms of form and functionality. We’ll also take a look at if it’s possible to bring some animation to your Lock Screen, as well as elements like widgets.
Let’s dive in.
A look at the Lock Screen
The Lock Screen is what you always see before signing into your account in Windows 10. It not only allows you to login into your system, but also provides a range of useful functionalities even before you access the desktop.
Not only will you see the current date and time on your Lock Screen, you’ll also find your calendar events and notifications from other apps. It’s possible to interact with Cortana here, and you can also showcase your favorite images and personal photos, even wallpapers from Bing on the Lock Screen.
We’ll also take a look at the additional bells and whistles available that you can use to further customize the Lock Screen, including whether it is possible to have animated Lock Screen backgrounds, widgets, as well as a closer look at the very popular Windows Spotlight service.
How to customize the Background in the Lock Screen
Windows 10 lets you customize the look of the Lock Screen a number of ways. These range from using the Windows Spotlight service that beams in new images regularly to your device, or using a single picture for the background. You can also showcase a collection of your photos, as images from one or multiple folders can be put to good use here.
Using Windows Spotlight
Windows Spotlight is a neat little feature that Microsoft has integrated into the modern Windows OS. This is a service that automatically connects to Bing to download new background images. Basically, this keeps your experience fresh every time you sign into Windows 10.
You can enable Windows Spotlight using the following steps:
- Open Settings.
- Go to Personalization.
- Click or tap on Lock screen.
- In the Background dropdown menu, select the Windows Spotlight option to let Lock Screen use fresh new images from the service.
Completing the above steps will now have the Lock Screen use a new image every time you sign into your account. These are often some stunning photos taken from around the world, though Microsoft often curates some seasonal and promotional images into the mix, too.
Using a Single Image
Have a particular wallpaper or image that you want to use on the Lock Screen? Well, you’re in the right place. The operating system lets you set a single photo, which comes in really handy if you want an undistracted experience or want your company logo up here.
Follow these steps to customize the Lock Screen to display a single image:
- Fire up Settings.
- Go to Personalization.
- Now, click on Lock screen.
- Select the Picture option in the Background dropdown menu.
- Click the Browse button below the thumbnails to locate the image you want to use, and then select it to set it as the new background.
While you’re here, you might also want to turn off the Get fun facts, tips, and more from Windows and Cortana on your lock screen toggle switch for a cleaner experience.
Using an Image collection
Alternatively, if you have your own wallpaper collection, or a set of photos that you want displayed on the Lock Screen, you also have that option. Windows 10 lets you showcase a collection of images from one or multiple folders.
This is how you can display an image collection as a slideshow on the Lock Screen:
- Open the Settings
- Click on Personalization.
- Click on Lock screen.
- Use the Background dropdown menu to select the Slideshow
- Select the Pictures
- Click Remove.
- Now, click on the Add a folder This option lets you add one or more folders that contain your chosen images.
- Browse to the location of the folder with images that you want to showcase as a slideshow on the Lock Screen, and then select the folder.
- Click the Choose this folder
This will set up a slideshow with the images you want up there.
If you want to further customize the experience, the handily placed Advanced slideshow settings option lets you do that. Click on it, and then enable or disable the options you want to use while Windows 10 shows your collection of photos on the Lock Screen.
The options provided are:
- Include Camera Roll folders from this PC and OneDrive: Toggling this switch will have the Lock Screen also display images stored in two other locations, in addition to the folders you already selected. These being, Camera Roll and OneDrive Camera Roll folders, which usually include the photos that you take from your phone and other devices.
- Only use pictures that fit my screen: This one is pretty straightforward. Turning this switch on will only display images that fit the screen when displayed. Handy option to have, if you have multiple sizes of images in the folder, and only want to display big ones that fit your screen.
- When my PC is inactive, show lock screen instead of turning off the screen: Remember those fancy screensavers from the old days? This option is similar to those. You can set up a screensaver on Windows 10, which will be displayed instead of the screen being turned off. You can also use the dropdown below to specify when you want to turn off the screen, after a period of time.
Again, it’s a good idea to turn off the Get fun facts, tips, and more from Windows and Cortana on your lock screen toggle switch to keep the experience nice and clean.
How to disable the Lock Screen background in the sign-in screen
All this dynamic stuff not your cup of tea? You can also opt for a simpler sign-in screen by disabling the Lock Screen background there. In other words, the sign-in screen will no longer include the same image as the one that is used on the Lock Screen.
Here is how you can disable it:
- Open Settings.
- Click on Personalization.
- Go to Lock screen.
- Turn off the Show lock screen background picture on the sign-in screen toggle switch.
Completing these steps, the sign-in screen will no longer have the same image as the one you have set on the Lock Screen. Instead, a solid color background will be shown from the current scheme that you have configured in the Personalization settings.
How to customize the Lock Screen app notifications
The Windows 10 Lock Screen is also capable of showing notifications from certain apps like Mail, Calendar, Messaging, Xbox and Weather. This feature lets you set detailed notifications for a single app, or show quick notifications for multiple.
Setting app detailed status
If you want to display notifications with detailed information from a particular application, you will find the option listed above. Once set up, the information will appear at the bottom-left corner of the Lock Screen.
- Open Settings.
- Click on Personalization.
- Click or tap on Lock screen.
- Under the Choose an app to show detailed status section, click the Plus (+) button to select the app you want to see the information for. Using the None option disables this feature.
Setting app quick status
You can also set up a whole bunch of apps to show the number of unseen updates at once. This will display icons with badges that will let you know at a glance the number of unseen updates that are available for each application that you have configured to appear in the Lock Screen.
- Open Settings.
- Go to Personalization.
- Click on Lock screen.
- Under the Choose an app to show quick status section, click the Plus (+) button to add the app that you want to add to the experience. Using the None option removes it.
- Repeat the above step to configure quick notifications for additional applications.
How to set screen timeout in the Lock Screen
Have a habit of always locking their devices when they step out, either manually (by pressing the Windows + L key combination), or using Dynamic Lock? It is possible to set the time before the screen turns off automatically.
This is what you need to do:
- Open Settings.
- Click on Personalization.
- Click Lock screen.
- Click or tap on the Screen timeout settings
- You will be taken to the Power & sleep panel, where you can use the Screen dropdown menu to specify when your display should turn off when your device is plugged in. If you are changing these settings on a laptop, you will also see the option to adjust the screen settings when your computer is running on battery.
Once done, the screen will automatically turn off after the device is not active for the time you specified.
More customization options for the Lock Screen
Although Microsoft provides a handful of these above mentioned options for the Lock Screen, the thing about Windows is its enhanced customization potential, whether via personalization, hacks or even third-party software.
Let’s take a look at what additional options you have available for further customization.
Animated Lock Screen in Windows 10
Let us talk about whether it is possible to have an animated Lock Screen in Windows 10? As things stand right now, this is not possible on Windows 10. While there are several third-party software programs to make your wallpaper animated, true animation is not on right now.
Microsoft is preparing to bring animation to the Lock Screen in the near future, as part of the upcoming Windows Core OS and CShell. So far, it has only been shown on the Surface Hub 2. Still, there is a chance that the software titan will bring it to the operating system properly in due time.
For this to happen, some developer or a company will need to step up the game, if Microsoft doesn’t.
If you desperately want to add an animated wallpaper in Windows 10 as your lock screen wallpaper, you can convert the video or gif as wallpaper and set it. For that, you require a third-party application like Push Video Wallpaper.
Change Windows 10 login screen background
Bored of the generic looking background on the Windows 10 login screen? Technically, there are two sign-in screens in Windows 10, one for your password and another that serves as the lock screen. You can obviously also have the OS show your lock screen background on the sign-in screen.
This option is available as a toggle in the Settings.
- Fire up Settings.
- Go to Personalization.
- And then Lock screen on the left.
- Toggle the switch at the bottom that says Show lock screen background picture on the sign-in screen to on here, and you will now have Windows display your same, chosen image on both the screens, allowing for a smoother transition.
Download Windows 10 Stock Wallpapers
Microsoft has a good thing going with the default wallpapers that it has released for Windows 10 over the years. They may not be as fancy and distinct as the ones that it made available for the previous versions of the OS, but they do add a nice, simple touch to proceedings.
The stock wallpaper even comes in a few additional variations — one for Windows 10 S and another for the new Light theme in the operating system.
You can download these images from the little gallery of the stock Windows 10 wallpapers that we have put together here.
Using an app to change Lock Screen Images
If you are the type that likes to change your background pictures often, then you are sure to enjoy this option of using an app to change your wallpapers. It certainly beats constantly accessing the Settings app every time you want to go with a new photo or image.
There are a number of applications available on the Microsoft Store that let you change background wallpapers. But the most popular one, by far, is backiee Wallpaper Studio 10.
This free app lets you browse and download different wallpapers with resolutions of up to 8K. These can then be used as both your desktop or Lock Screen wallpapers. Wallpaper Studio 10 can also set up slideshows of your favorite wallpapers that you download, and it also offers integration with Bing, allowing you to those images as your desktop background.
Backiee Wallpaper Studio 10 uses a freemium model, and a paid license for $1.50 lets you get rid of ads. Totally worth it, if you’re into personalization and customization of your Windows 10 system.
Add widgets to Lock Screen
Widgets used to be the real deal! They still are. Android and Windows both have their share of widgets, even though Microsoft has clearly moved away from them in favor of live tiles. But third-party developers have picked up the baton for these elements of interaction.
While the heydays of widgets on the operating system were during the time of Windows Vista and Windows 7, customization tools like Rainmeter still make use of these fancy elements.
Luckily, a nice little app is now available for Windows 10 users that lets you personalize you Windows Lock Screen by showing widgets right there. You get widgets for the latest news, weather updates, sports scores, stock market quotes, currency exchange rates, daily horoscopes, favorite quotes, custom content, as well as notes.
Just download Lockscreenify, pick any of the provided templates, and configure your data. All your information will automatically be updated on your Lock Screen.
This is another freemium application offering in-app purchases. But the free version works perfectly fine for the most part. And its unique feature set makes it your best bet if you want to add widgets to your Lock Screen, and have them update you with the latest info.
Well worth a download if you like your Windows 10 customized and personalized.
Windows Spotlight
By now, you must be familiar with Windows Spotlight, a feature built into Windows 10 that displays a randomly generated image every time you log into your system. When it comes to customization of the new operating system, this is a bit of a marquee feature, widely used, too.
Think of this as a curated, personalized slideshow of images that Microsoft beams to your Windows 10 device. The company downloads pictures and advertisements automatically from the Bing search engine, about once a week, and displays them on your Lock Screen.
They are saved here:
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.ContentDeliveryManager_cw5n1h2txyewy\LocalState\Assets
If you want to save Windows Spotlight wallpapers, navigate to the above folder, replacing it with your user name. Then copy the images to another location and rename them as .JPG extension.
As for the type of images that are downloaded, most of them are of famous historical locations, or natural landmarks from around the globe. More often than not, Microsoft overlays and displays information about where the pictures are taken, as well as information about creatures and locations.
You are also given an opportunity to mark whether you want to see more or fewer images of a certain type, which is a good way to personalize these backgrounds. Though sometimes, they are overlaid with links to advertisements for Microsoft products and services — particularly during special occasions.
Nothing too intrusive, though.
Conclusion
Customizing the Windows 10 Lock Screen is necessary if you want to personalize Windows 10 exactly to your liking. More so, for users that like to lock away their PCs and devices when they are away, whether in office or at home.
Microsoft has done a decent enough job providing users a range of different options to that end.
But third-party developers have also stepped up a bit in creating their own customization solutions. The logical next step would be bringing some level of animation to the Lock Screen, and seeing whether any new features that would bring about.
Shawn is a WindowsChimp Staff writer, who is a fan of making lists and does the same on this site. He has a Contemporary Writing degree and been in technology niche since last 3 years.
One of the best ways to personalize your Windows desktop is by customizing your background. Although you may currently have a static background on your desktop, have you ever thought about using an animated wallpaper? In this guide, we’ll teach you How to Set a GIF as Your Desktop Background in Windows.
Windows 10 and 11 do not natively support animated desktop wallpapers. However, several third-party options allow you to safely customize your background. While these applications are generally optimized to minimize CPU usage, high-resolution GIFs or complex animations may still impact system performance, depending on your hardware specifications.
Before we start, it’s crucial to ensure that you’re downloading software from reputable sources. Downloading software from untrusted websites can pose security risks, including malware and viruses. Always verify the legitimacy of the software by checking reviews and confirming the official sources.
Method 1: Wallpaper Engine
Wallpaper Engine is an excellent choice for customizing your desktop background. This software lets you create your own backgrounds or import GIFs, videos, photos, and more. Note that Wallpaper Engine is a paid application. Check the pricing on the official website.
Here’s how to use it:
- Launch Wallpaper Engine.
- Select the monitor you want to customize. To use the same wallpaper on multiple monitors, choose the option to clone your wallpaper.
- Explore the Discover and Workshop tabs to find desktop backgrounds. Use the search tool for specific preferences.
- Once you find the perfect background, click Subscribe to use it as your animated background.
- Each animated background has customizable settings like speed, animation, and audio. Adjust these to match your setup.
Method 2: Plastuer
Plastuer allows you to set GIFs as your desktop background. It can also set HTML5 websites as your background. Create interactive and animated backgrounds with Plastuer. Check the pricing on the official website.
Method 3: BioniX Wallpaper
BioniX Wallpaper is a free option for animated GIF backgrounds. This software sets any GIF or video as your desktop background easily, simplifying a typically complex process. Download BioniX Wallpaper for free from their official website.
Method 4: VLC Media Player
Though VLC is a media player, it has many hidden features, including the option to set a video as your desktop background. If you don’t have VLC Media Player, download it from the official website.
Follow these steps to set a video as your desktop background:
- Press Windows + R to launch the Run application.
- Paste the following path and click OK:
%appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
- Open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC. Locate the vlc.exe file.
- Right-click vlc.exe and select Send to > Desktop (create shortcut).
- Drag the VLC Media Player shortcut from the desktop to the Startup folder.
- Right-click the shortcut and select Properties.
- In the Target field, enter the following path, replacing the placeholders with your username and the video location:
"C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe" --video-wallpaper --qt-start-minimized --no-qt-fs-controller --repeat --no-video-title-show --qt-notification=0 "path-to-video"
- Click Apply and close the window. Provide administrator permission if prompted.
- Double-click the modified shortcut. Your animated wallpaper will now display on the desktop.
We hope this guide was helpful. Always remember to download software from reputable and official sources to keep your system secure. Thanks for reading and enjoy your new animated desktop background!
Kevin Arrows
Kevin Arrows is a highly experienced and knowledgeable technology specialist with over a decade of industry experience. He holds a Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) certification and has a deep passion for staying up-to-date on the latest tech developments. Kevin has written extensively on a wide range of tech-related topics, showcasing his expertise and knowledge in areas such as software development, cybersecurity, and cloud computing. His contributions to the tech field have been widely recognized and respected by his peers, and he is highly regarded for his ability to explain complex technical concepts in a clear and concise manner.