Rick Akura
GIF wallpaper? Learn how to use third-party solutions to set an animated GIF wallpaper or a video as your desktop background on Windows 10.
Customizing your desktop background is one of the best ways of making Windows 10 feel more personal. You’ve heard about gorgeous static backgrounds, but have you ever considered animating your wallpaper? Learn how to set an animated GIF as your desktop background on Windows 10 to liven up the scene.
Unfortunately, Windows 10 does not natively support the use of animated desktop wallpaper. However, many third-party options are available to safely customize your background without having to sacrifice any CPU resources or spend a large amount of money.
In this article, you’ll learn how to use third-party solutions to set an animated GIF or a video for your desktop wallpaper on Windows 10. Additionally, we’ll discuss GIF optimization techniques to keep your animated wallpapers running smoothly.
Use an Animated GIF wallpaper as your desktop background on Windows 10
Here are 4 methods that you can use to enable animated GIFs as your desktop background in Windows 10:
Method 1. Wallpaper Engine
Wallpaper Engine — Tutorial & Review
Wallpaper Engine is one of the most advanced solutions when it comes to customizing your desktop background. It allows you to create your backgrounds, or import other people’s videos, websites, and more. The application will cost you a one-time USD 3.99 charge.
Download: Purchase Wallpaper Engine from the official website for USD 3.99.
After downloading and installing Wallpaper Engine, start customizing your desktop. What we love about this software is the low cost, as well as the low resource consumption.
- Launch Wallpaper Engine. If you purchased the application through Steam, you need to download the Steam launcher as well.
- Choose which monitor you want to customize. If you want to use both monitors, select the option to clone your wallpaper.
- Use the Discover and Workshop tabs to find new desktop backgrounds. The extensive search tools make it easy to locate animated backgrounds you like.
- Select the background you want to use, and then click on the Subscribe button. This will allow you to use the animated background on your computer.
- Each theme has some settings you can play around with, such as animation speed, audio, and more. Play around to customize your desktop more and cultivate an environment that matches your setup.
Method 2. Plastuer
Plastuer is an application that allows you to set GIFs as your desktop background with ease. Additional functionality lets you set even HTML5 websites as your setup’s wallpaper, opening up the possibilities with powerful WebGL support.
This allows you to create interactive, animated desktops for the low price of USD 2.00. The developers of Plastuer allow you to pay your price for the software.
Download: Purchase Plastuer from the official website for a minimum of USD 2.00 to cover the necessary PayPal fees.
Method 3. BioniX Wallpaper
BioniX GIF Wallpaper Animator is your free solution for achieving the animated GIF background look. It’s handy software capable of setting any GIF or video as your desktop wallpaper. It’s extremely intuitive and makes the otherwise complicated process much easier.
Download: Get the latest version of BioniX from the official website for free.
Method 4. VLC Media Player
While VLC is primarily a media player, it has tons of hidden functions you probably don’t even know of. One of these functions is the ability to set a video as your desktop wallpaper.
Download: Get the latest version of VLC Media Player from the official website for free.
After downloading and installing the VLC Media Player, launch the application and find a video you want to set as your desktop background. We recommend finding an endless loop from one of the following sources:
- Videvo
- Pexels
- Adobe Stock
- Pixabay
After acquiring a looping video you want to use for your desktop background, follow the tutorial below.
-
Press the Windows + R keys on your keyboard at the same time to launch the Run application.
-
Paste in the following path, then click on the OK button:
%appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup -
Next, open a separate File Explorer window and navigate to C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC, then locate the vlc.exe file.
-
Right-click on vlc.exe and click on Send to > Desktop (create shortcut).
- Go to your desktop, then drag and drop the VLC Media Player shortcut into the previously opened Startup folder.
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Right-click on the shortcut, then choose Properties.
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Modify the Target field to the following paths, replacing the highlighted information with your username and the location of the video you want to use for your background:
«C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe» —video-wallpaper —qt-start-minimized —no-qt-fs-controller —repeat —no-video-title-show —qt-notification=0 «C:\Users\SoftwareKeep\Desktop\Video.mp4» -
Click Apply, then close the window. If prompted, give the administrator permission for the shortcut.
- Double-click on the shortcut you just modified. Your animated wallpaper should immediately display on the desktop.
Need help? Check out our How to make a local user an administrator in Windows 10 guide.
Final thoughts
We believe these methods have helped you make a great gif wallpaper for your destop. How does it look?
If you need further help with Windows 10, don’t hesitate to contact the SoftwareKeep customer service team, available 24/7 to assist you. Return to us for more informative articles all related to productivity and modern-day technology!
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By Keith
Published March 22, 2023
Inside This Article
- Tips for Choosing the Right Animated GIF
- How to Make an Animated GIF as Wallpaper for Windows
- Download and Install BioniX Wallpaper
- Add the Animated GIF File to a New Playlist
- Customize your Animated GIF Wallpaper
Ready to bring your Windows 10 desktop to life with an animated GIF wallpaper? Don’t worry about it not being a default feature, because there are a few ways of achieving this fun effect. Even if you’re new to customizing desktops, we’ll show you how to do so in our article on how to set a GIF as your desktop wallpaper.
Running on a MacOS, but still want to have a cool animated GIF wallpaper as your desktop background? Try checking out our article on How to Make a GIF Your Wallpaper on Mac.
Key Takeaways
- Consider choosing a high-resolution GIF file that’s at least 1920×1080 pixels for your computer’s desktop background. Additionally, opt for subtle movement over bright and frenetic animations that may become grating after prolonged viewing.
- Use a third-party software like BioniX that will let your animated GIF wallpaper play upon logging into your Desktop. Other commonly used apps are Wallpaper Engine and Plasteur.
Tips for Choosing the Right Animated GIFs
If you’re looking to add some extra flare and pizzazz to your desktop background, a GIF wallpaper is a great way of doing so — if chosen correctly! Make sure you keep these tips in mind when selecting the perfect animated wallpaper for your screen:
- Choose a high-quality GIF file with a resolution of at least 1920×1080 pixels.
- Avoid GIFs with bright, flashing colors or fast-moving animations, as they can be distracting and hard on the eyes.
- Look for an animated background that has a subtle, repetitive motion, as it will be less distracting and more calming to look at.
How to Make an Animated GIF as Wallpaper for Windows
Bring some life to your Windows desktop with a GIF wallpaper. There are quite a few programs that you can use like Wallpaper Engine and Plasteur. But these softwares require payment before you can use them. Thankfully, there’s the BioniX Wallpaper Changer software to solve that little conundrum.
Get ready to be entertained with BioniX Wallpaper Changer, the free software that turns your desktop backgrounds into lively works of art! With this easy-to-use program, you’ll have an ever-changing slideshow of GIFs for added fun and movement. Compatible with Windows Vista through Windows 11, take advantage today and give yourself a new animated wallpaper experience — no subscriptions needed.
Have we piqued your interest? Here’s how to make a GIF your desktop wallpapers on Windows:
1. Download and Install BioniX Wallpaper
Download and install the latest version of BionIX Wallpaper, v.13.11, to give yourself a personalized background on any Windows device you own. Click on the download link to get started!
2. Add the Animated GIF File to a New Playlist
Once the software has been properly installed, launch the program. Accept License & Agreements and any pre-settings that you can change later on. We recommend using the “Full graphic user interface” option for this guide.
Create the perfect Playlist for your desktop with ease! Simply click on the paper button in the Playlist tab of this application and you’ll be prompted to name a fresh new selection of GIFs, videos, or other images. Give it an appropriate title and save it into any folder – all ready for quick-fire dragging and dropping so that you can enjoy your personalized library at its best.
Now you can add a bit of fun and pizzazz to your desktop background with GIFs! To get started, simply play animated GIFs you like in the playlist, then click on the right-facing arrow button — then watch as it instantly turns into part of your background.
3. Customize your Animated GIF Wallpaper
Unlock the full potential of your animated wallpaper! Tweak the playback speed, zoom in and out, or even change up colors. Select the “Animator” tab, then click “Animation Settings”. A pop-up will appear to help you adjust the speed and fit of the GIF.
How about adding more of your own GIF wallpapers and turning them into a slideshow? Simply drag and drop more animated images of your choice (even static ones, if you’d like!) to truly personalize your Windows desktop.
Once you’ve added the perfect GIF to your playlist, simply minimize the application and let it run in the background. As if by magic, your computer’s desktop will be filled with a delightful slideshow of whimsical animations! Of course, you’re always able to access this fantastic feature through an easy-to-find icon on your taskbar.
Tip: BioniX may not start up at once when you restart your Windows desktop. But that can easily be fixed by going to the application’s “Settings”, and then “Global settings”. A pop-up will appear, then under StartUp, click the “Enable” button, and tick “Start minimized”. So every time you restart, your bright and shiny new GIF wallpaper will start playing on the screen.
Set a GIF as Your Windows Desktop Wallpaper Today!
Make your desktop a source of endless entertainment and style with Windows 10! With the help of external software like BioniX, you can add some unique pizzazz to your computer’s look by setting an animated GIF as its wallpaper.
Choosing a GIF to be your desktop background can seem like an easy task, but there’s more than meets the eye. Make sure you select one that looks great and won’t cause any visual fatigue by going for at least 1920×1080 resolution with soft movements: no bright or fast-paced action here! With these tips in mind, you’ll find just the right wallpaper to take your workspace from dull and drab to delightful.
Level up your computer with some fun GIFs as desktop backgrounds! Whether you’re into pop culture, animals, or just something silly, setting GIFs as wallpapers can be an easy and entertaining way of putting your own spin on Windows 10. So, why not give it a try today and enjoy your favorite animated GIF as your desktop background?
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Home » Windows 10 » How To Set Animated GIF As Wallpaper In Windows 10/11
Windows 10 and 11 let you customize the desktop in various ways. For example, you can change the default desktop background, create and use themes to automatically change wallpaper at specified time intervals, and automatically set Bing picture (Windows Spotlight) as the desktop background.
Most PC users are happy with the available options to customize the desktop. However, some users, like me, would like to make the desktop more interesting by setting an animated GIF picture as the desktop background.
As you might already know, Windows 10 and 11 do not support setting GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) or live wallpaper as desktop background. You need to use third-party tools for this job.
While many apps are available to help you set animated GIF as your Windows 10/11 desktop wallpaper, Lively Wallpaper is one of the best free software available for this job.
Lively Wallpaper helps you set a GIF photo as your desktop background in no time. In fact, setting a GIF as wallpaper is as easy as changing the desktop wallpaper via the Settings app in Windows 10/11. In addition to the GIF, it can also set a webpage as your desktop background!
This guide will show you how to use the Lively Wallpaper to set GIF as wallpaper in Windows 10/11. Once again, it’s a free app.
Set GIF as desktop background in Windows 10/11
Step 1: Open the Microsoft Store app and search for Lively Wallpaper. Click on the Install button to download and install it.
Step 2: Launch the Lively Wallpaper app. If the Lively Wallpaper app does not show its window, right-click on its icon in the system tray and click Open Lively.
Step 3: Click on the Add Wallpaper option.
Step 4: In the resulting dialog, click the Open button next to the Choose a file option, select your GIF file and then click the Open button.
Step 5: Now, you will see the following dialog where you need to click the OK button.
Step 6: That’s it! Your GIF picture should now appear as your desktop background. If you prefer to return to the default wallpaper, right-click on the Lively Wallpaper app and click the Exit option.
Tip: Lively Wallpaper includes options to change the opacity of the taskbar. Go to Lively Wallpaper Settings > System tab and select a taskbar theme to change the taskbar transparency.
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.
Все способы:
- Как поставить на рабочий стол анимацию
- Способ 1: PUSH Video Wallpaper
- Способ 2: DeskScapes
- Способ 3: DisplayFusion
- Вопросы и ответы: 15
Живые обои — анимация или видео, которое может быть установлено в качестве фонового изображения рабочего стола. По умолчанию Windows разрешает использовать только статичные картинки. Чтобы поставить на рабочий стол анимацию, необходимо установить специальный софт.
Как поставить на рабочий стол анимацию
Существует несколько программ для работы с живыми обоями. Некоторые поддерживают только анимированные гифки (файлы формата GIF), другие могут работать и с видеороликами (AVI, MP4). Далее мы рассмотрим самый популярный софт, который поможет анимировать заставку на компьютере.
Способ 1: PUSH Video Wallpaper
Программа доступна для бесплатной загрузки с официального сайта разработчика. Поддерживается операционными системами Windows начиная с «семерки». Позволяет использовать в качестве заставки для рабочего стола анимированные изображения и видеоролики (с YouTube или компьютера).
Скачать PUSH Video Wallpaper
Инструкция по установке обоев:
- Запустите дистрибутив и следуйте советам мастера по установке. Согласитесь с условиями лицензионного соглашения и продолжайте инсталляцию в штатном режиме. После окончания установки отметьте пункты «Set as Screensaver» и «Launch Video Wallpaper», и нажмите «Finish».
- Откроются параметры экранной заставки. В выпадающем списке выберите «PUSH Video Screensaver» и нажмите «Параметры», чтобы изменить обои.
- Перейдите на вкладку «Main» и выберите обои. Программа поддерживает работу с видео, гифками и YouTube-ссылками (требуется подключение к сети интернет).
- Нажмите на значок «Add», чтобы добавить пользовательский видеоролик или анимацию.
- Укажите к нему путь и нажмите «Add to Playlist». После этого он отобразится на вкладке «Main».
- Нажмите «Add URL», чтобы добавить ссылку с Youtube. Укажите адрес ссылки и кликните «Add to playlist».
- На вкладке «Settings» можно настроить другие параметры. Например, разрешить программе запускаться вместе с Windows или сворачиваться в трей.
Все изменения вступают в силу автоматически. Чтобы изменить заставку, просто выберите ее из списка доступных на вкладке «Main». Здесь же настраивается громкость (для видео), положение изображения (заполнить, по центру, растянуть).
Способ 2: DeskScapes
Поддерживается операционными системами Windows 7, 8, 10. В отличие от PUSH Video Wallpaper, DeskScapes позволяет редактировать уже существующую заставку (настраивать цветность, добавлять фильтры) и поддерживает работу с несколькими мониторами одновременно.
Скачать DeskScapes
Порядок установки обоев:
- Запустите дистрибутив и ознакомьтесь с условиями лицензионного соглашения. Укажите директорию, в которую будут распакованы файлы программы и дождитесь окончания установки.
- Программа автоматически запустится. Нажмите «Start 30 Day Trial», чтобы активировать триал-версию на 30 дней.
- Введите реальный адрес электронной почты и нажмите «Continue». На указанный email будет отправлено подтверждение.
- Перейдите по ссылке из письма, чтобы подтвердить регистрацию. Для этого нажмите на зеленую кнопку «Activate 30-Day Trial». После этого приложение автоматически обновится и станет доступно для работы.
- Выберите обои из списка и нажмите «Apply to my desktop», чтобы использовать их в качестве заставки.
- Чтобы добавить пользовательские файлы, нажмите на значок в левом верхнем углу и выберите «Folders» — «Add / Remove folders».
- Появится список доступных директорий. Нажмите «Add», чтобы указать путь к видео или анимации, которую хотите использовать в качестве фонового изображения для рабочего стола. После этого картинки появятся в галерее.
- Чтобы изменить выбранное изображение, переключайтесь между инструментами «Adjust», «Effects» и «Colour».
Бесплатная версия программы доступна для загрузки с официального сайта и позволяет установить в качестве фонового изображения рабочего стола гифку, видео.
Способ 3: DisplayFusion
В отличие от PUSH Video Wallpaper и DeskScapes, программа полностью переведена на русский язык. Позволяет выбирать и настраивать хранители экрана, обои рабочего стола.
Скачать DisplayFusion
- Запустите дистрибутив и начните установку программы. Ознакомьтесь с возможностями DisplayFusion и нажмите «Готово».
- Откройте программу через меню «Пуск» или ярлык для быстрого доступа и поставьте галочку в поле «Разрешить DisplayFusion управлять обоями рабочего стола» и выберите источник фоновых изображений.
- В появившемся окне выберите «Мои изображения», чтобы загрузить картинку с компьютера. По желанию, здесь можно выбрать другой источник. Например, внешний URL-адрес.
- Укажите путь к файлу и нажмите «Открыть». Он появится в списке доступных. При необходимости добавьте несколько картинок.
- Выберите нужное изображение и нажмите «Применить», чтобы установить его в качестве заставки.
Программа поддерживает работу не только с живыми обоями, но и видеофайлами. По желанию пользователь может настроить слайд-шоу. Тогда заставка будут сменяться по таймеру.
Установить на рабочий стол анимированное изображение можно только с помощью специального софта. DeskScape отличается простым интерфейсом и встроенной библиотекой готовых картинок. PUSH Video Wallpaper позволяет устанавливать в качестве заставки не только гифки, но и видео. DisplayFusion отличается широким набором инструментов и позволяет управлять не только обоями, но и другими параметрами монитора.
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