Table of Contents
What Is Lively Wallpaper?
Lively Wallpaper is a free, open-source application for Windows that replaces your static desktop background with animated content — videos, GIFs, WebM files, or even interactive HTML pages and running applications. It is maintained on GitHub, has no ads or paid tiers, and works on both Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Unlike Wallpaper Engine, which costs money and requires Steam, Lively is completely free. The trade-off is a smaller built-in library — but since Lively accepts standard MP4 and video files, you can use any video as a wallpaper, which gives you access to a wide range of sources.
Lively is smart about resource usage: it automatically pauses the wallpaper when a full-screen application is running, so gaming and video playback are not affected. This makes it practical for daily use rather than just a novelty.
Installation
Lively Wallpaper is available through two official channels. The Microsoft Store version is the simplest — search for "Lively Wallpaper" in the Store and install it directly. It updates automatically and is sandboxed, which means slightly fewer permissions but easier management.
The GitHub release version gives you more control and is updated more frequently. Go to the Lively Wallpaper GitHub repository, navigate to Releases, and download the latest installer (.exe). Run the installer and follow the prompts — no additional dependencies are required.
Adding Your First Animated Wallpaper
Once Lively is installed and running, you will see its main window with a library panel. To add a wallpaper from a local file, click the plus icon or drag and drop a video file directly into the Lively window. Supported formats include MP4, WebM, GIF, and HTML files. Lively will import the file, generate a preview thumbnail, and add it to your library.
To set it as your wallpaper, double-click the thumbnail in the library. The video will immediately appear as your desktop background. You can return to the Lively window at any time to switch wallpapers or adjust settings — the application runs in the system tray when minimized.
To add a wallpaper from a URL, click the plus icon and paste a direct link to a video file or a YouTube URL. Lively can use YouTube videos as wallpapers by streaming them in the background, though this requires an active internet connection and uses more resources than a local file.
Key Settings to Configure
Open Lively Settings (the gear icon) and review these options before daily use:
Wallpaper playback rule — this controls when Lively pauses the wallpaper. The default "Pause when another window is maximized" is the most practical setting for most users. "Always play" keeps the wallpaper running constantly but increases resource usage. "Pause when fullscreen application/game" is the best setting if you game regularly.
Startup behavior — enable "Start with Windows" so Lively loads automatically at login. Without this, your desktop will show a static background until you manually open Lively.
Wallpaper volume — if your video wallpaper has audio, set the volume to zero here. Desktop audio from a looping background is almost never desirable.
Input forwarding — relevant only for interactive HTML wallpapers. Leave it off for video wallpapers.
Performance and Resource Usage
Lively's performance impact depends primarily on the resolution and encoding of your video file. A 1080p H.264 MP4 at a typical bitrate uses minimal CPU — usually under 2 percent on a modern processor — and the GPU handles decoding natively. A 4K video at high bitrate will use noticeably more resources.
For the best balance of quality and performance, use 1080p or 1440p MP4 files encoded with H.264 at a moderate bitrate (5 to 15 Mbps). This gives you smooth playback with minimal system impact. Avoid uncompressed video formats — they are unnecessarily large and harder for the decoder to handle efficiently.
RAM usage is typically 50 to 150 MB for Lively itself, plus whatever the video decoder requires. On systems with 8 GB or more of RAM, this is negligible. On systems with 4 GB, monitor memory usage and switch to a lighter static wallpaper if you notice slowdowns.
Multi-Monitor Support
Lively supports multiple monitors independently — you can set a different animated wallpaper on each display. In the Lively settings, navigate to the Display section and select which monitor to configure. Set a wallpaper for each monitor separately by selecting the target display before double-clicking a wallpaper in the library.
If you want the same wallpaper spanning all monitors, Lively does not natively support this — it treats each monitor as an independent canvas. For a spanning wallpaper, a static image remains the more practical choice.
Where to Find Animated Wallpapers for Lively
Since Lively accepts any MP4 or video file, your options are wide. The most reliable source for wallpapers specifically designed for desktop use is a dedicated wallpaper platform with an animated section — these are already formatted at the right aspect ratio and resolution, and looped cleanly.
YohaWallpaper has a section of original animated wallpapers in MP4 format, created specifically for desktop use and compatible with Lively out of the box. Download the file, drag it into Lively, and set it — no conversion or editing needed.
You can also convert any video you own to a desktop wallpaper using HandBrake (free) to transcode it to H.264 MP4. Trim it to a clean loop point first using a video editor, then import into Lively.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Wallpaper not showing after restart: Make sure "Start with Windows" is enabled in Lively settings. If it is enabled and the wallpaper still does not load, check that Lively has permission to run at startup in Windows Settings → Apps → Startup.
Black screen instead of wallpaper: This usually means the video file is encoded in a format Windows cannot decode natively (such as AV1 on older systems). Install the AV1 Video Extension from the Microsoft Store, or re-encode the file to H.264 using HandBrake.
Wallpaper pausing when it should not: Check your playback rule in settings. If set to "Pause when another window is maximized," any maximized window — including a browser — will pause the wallpaper. Switch to "Pause when fullscreen application/game" for less aggressive pausing.
High CPU usage: The video file is likely encoded at too high a bitrate or in a software-decoded format. Re-encode to H.264 at a moderate bitrate using HandBrake and re-import.