Live wallpapers have become an incredibly popular way to personalize devices and make screens come to life with movement and visual interest. However, Windows 11 does not natively support live wallpapers like videos or GIFs as background wallpaper on the desktop.
Thankfully, there are some excellent third-party apps that add live wallpaper capabilities to Windows 11. These apps enable you to set videos, GIFs, interactive animations, webpages and more as live, moving backgrounds on your desktop.
In this comprehensive guide, we will cover the top 9 apps that let you activate lively, dynamic wallpapers on Windows 11.
An Introduction to Live Wallpaper Apps for Windows 11
Before diving into the apps, let‘s briefly understand what live wallpapers are and what they offer:
- Live wallpapers refer to animated or interactive backgrounds like videos, gifs, particle effects and more that make your desktop come alive
- They add visual interest, movement and fun personalization to otherwise static desktops
- Popular on mobile platforms, live wallpapers have been highly anticipated by Windows users
- Limitations of Windows 11 – The operating system still does not have native support for videos or gifs as wallpapers on desktop
- This is where third-party apps bridge the gap and bring lively wallpapers to Windows 11
The apps featured in this post range from free tools like Lively Wallpaper to advanced paid softwares like Wallpaper Engine. While some focus on simplicity, others provide deep customization options. We will cover both free and paid options for casual as well as power users.
Now let‘s get straight into the top 9 apps that will truly make your Windows 11 desktop pop with liveliness!
1. Wallpaper Engine – Most Powerful Live Wallpaper App
Wallpaper Engine is undoubtedly the most feature-rich and powerful app out there to set live wallpapers on Windows 11. Developed by Steam, it provides exceptional video quality, deepest customization and largest collection of wallpapers.
Some key features that make Wallpaper Engine stand out:
- Supports video formats like mp4, WebM and gif with sound
- Option to create your own wallpapers from videos, YouTube, gifs, images, websites etc
- Interactive wallpapers with animation, sound and reaction to mouse moves
- Support for multiple monitors and resolutions
- Wallpaper playlists, slideshows and automatic changing
- No performance lag even when gaming due to efficient coding
The only catch is that Wallpaper Engine is a paid software priced at $3.99. However, the quality and sheer depth of options make this app well worth the price. Once purchased, you get lifetime access to tens of thousands of lively, animated wallpapers.
From abstract visualizations to sci-fi worlds and nature scenes, Wallpaper Engine opens up near endless possibilities for making your Windows 11 desktop come alive. It offers the deepest customization while also being optimized for resource efficiency.
2. Lively Wallpaper – Best Free Option for Windows 11
Lively Wallpaper is the top pick as the best free live wallpaper app for Windows 11. Available on Microsoft Store, it delivers a smooth dynamic wallpaper experience.
Here are some of its notable features:
- Convert videos, gifs, webpages and HTML files into wallpapers
- Available for both Windows 10 and Windows 11
- Completely free to download and use
- User-created wallpaper catalogue expanding daily
- Auto-pause when not on desktop to save resources
- Support for multiple monitors and resolutions
Despite being a free tool, Lively Wallpaper offers excellent customization abilities like playlist creation, image adjustment tools and more. Performance impact is also highly optimized by auto-pausing background animation when not required.
For casual Windows 11 users looking for an easy and reliable app to make their desktop come alive, Lively Wallpaper is a great choice. Of course, power users may still prefer Wallpaper Engine for wider format support and deeper effects. But as a free app, Lively delivers splendidly.
3. Rainmeter – Open Source Wallpapers and Widgets
Rainmeter is a widely used open source software to deeply customize the Windows interface with wallpapers, widgets, skins and more.
Although not exclusively a live wallpaper app, Rainmeter does provide extensive tools to set animated wallpapers from videos and gifs.
Some of its notable features are:
- Add multiple live wallpapers like visualizations, particle effects etc
- Support for webpage and gif backgrounds
- Wide repository of free skins and themes
- Highly customizable with different layouts and widgets
- Lightweight app with low resource usage
Rainmeter packs in a range of customization features beyond just wallpapers. You can add useful desktop widgets like system monitors, launchers, clocks and more.
As an open source software, Rainmeter enjoys strong community support. There are thousands of visually appealing skins and add-ons to choose from for creating a personalized Windows 11 desktop. For added lively energy, the animated wallpapers complement Rainmeter perfectly.
4. WinDynamicDesktop – macOS Style Wallpapers
If you love the aesthetic style of macOS wallpapers, WinDynamicDesktop easily lets you set those on Windows. As the name suggests, this app brings dynamic, changing Apple-style backgrounds to Windows 11.
Some great features provided by WinDynamicDesktop:
- Replicates the entire macOS wallpaper collection
- Location-based images that change by day and time
- Works offline without internet connectivity
- 4K resolution wallpapers supported
- Completely free app with no ads
The macOS style images are nature landscapes clicked at various scenic global spots. Based on your location and time of day, you get a relevant serene background.
For folks who appreciate the classy macOS wallpapers, this app effortlessly makes those available on Windows 11 as well. No tweaking required!
5. DeskScapes – Customize with Effects and Animations
DeskScapes provides a wide range of customization options to deck up your desktop with live wallpapers, animations and special effects.
Some top features offered by DeskScapes:
- Animate single images or create slideshows
- 50+ effects like smoke, sparkles, fireworks etc
- Support gifs, videos and common image formats
- Set conditions and triggers for effects
- Multi-monitor support with unique wallpapers
- Fully customizable particle effects
While many apps focus just on setting videos as wallpapers, DeskScapes goes steps further. You can truly unlock creativity by animating static images and fine-tuning a range of embellishments.
DeskScapes offers a free 30-day trial period, after which the paid software license costs $9.95. If you like tinkering with animations and effects beyond just videos, this app provides abundant options.
6. X Live Wallpaper – Modified Version of Lively
X Live Wallpaper is an enhanced fork of Lively Wallpaper, created by Senior Software Engineer Yuki Urai. It builds upon the strong base of Lively and adds its own special tweaks.
Some interesting features provided by X Live Wallpaper:
- All capabilities of Lively Wallpaper
- Additional support for games, emulators and Chrome
- Drag and drop any web URL to run as wallpaper
- Quick preview feature added
- Advanced performance optimization
By setting Chrome pages, online apps and even game screens as desktop wallpaper, X Live Wallpaper pumps up the lively quotient. Better video format support coupled with nifty touches make this a worthwhile alternative.
Best part – X Live Wallpaper retains the freeware functioning of open source Lively Wallpaper. So Windows 11 users get an enriched animated wallpaper experience sans any payments.
7. RainWallpaper – Configurable Interactive Backgrounds
RainWallpaper is a paid wallpaper app that focuses deeply on interaction and customization options. Like Wallpaper Engine, it is feature intensive and permits fine tweaked control on the lively backgrounds.
Some key attractions of RainWallpaper are:
- Interactive wallpapers reacting to mouse, keyboard, triggers etc
- Support for videos, gifs, webpages, images, text, clocks
- Tools to draw, add shapes, effects on wallpaper
- Configurable performance options for resource control
- Inbuilt wallpaper library with lively images
With RainWallpaper, you can essentially create imaginative interactive scenes by adding diverse elements and animations. The high degree of customizability allows power users to let their creativity flow in wallpaper design.
Priced at $3.99, RainWallpaper combines the configurability of Wallpaper Engine with a friendlier learning curve for average users as well.
8. HD Wallpaper App Pro – Curated Hi-Res Collection
The HD Wallpaper App Pro specializes in a handpicked collection of over 1500 super hi-resolution wallpapers. While not focused solely on animated wallpapers, it does support setting videos and gifs as lively backgrounds.
Here‘s an overview of HD Wallpaper App Pro:
- Curated gallery of 1500+ 4K images
- New wallpapers added every week
- Additional support for mp4 and gif
- Set separate desktop and lockscreen
- Schedule automatic periodic changing
- Create custom playlists and favorites
The 4K resolution ensures crisp, sharp looking wallpapers on high resolution displays. For folks looking to combine occasional lively wallpapers amidst a catalogue of still images, HD Wallpaper App Pro delivers beautifully.
9. Free Wallpapers – Easy Self Updating App
Free Wallpapers app provides a simple no-fuss option to access thousands of videos and images – including lively gifs and nature scenes – for Windows 11 desktop wallpaper.
Some handy aspects of Free Wallpapers:
- Self updating collection of wallpapers
- Separate categories for videos and images
- Proper 4K optimization to minimize resource utilization
- Favorites section for bookmarking wallpapers
- Dedicated artists continually adding new content
As an officially listed Microsoft Store app, Free Wallpapers delivers reliability coupled with lively stimulation for your desktop. The continually self-updating media library enables fresh wallpaper options every time.
For quickly setting beautiful videos or gifs as energetic backgrounds, Free Wallpapers fits the need splendidly.
Comparative Analysis of Top Live Wallpaper Apps
Now that we have covered the major apps that activate live wallpapers on Windows 11, let‘s do a comparative analysis across some key aspects:
1. Pricing
- Free options: Lively Wallpaper, WinDynamicDesktop, Rainmeter, Free Wallpapers
- Paid softwares: Wallpaper Engine ($3.99), DeskScapes ($9.95), RainWallpaper ($3.99), HD Wallpaper App Pro ($4.99)
2. Ease of Use
- Simpler apps: Lively, WinDynamicDesktop, Free Wallpapers
- Steeper learning curve: Wallpaper Engine, DeskScapes, Rainmeter
3. Customization Depth
- Maximum customization capability: Wallpaper Engine, DeskScapes
- Medium flexibility: Rainmeter, RainWallpaper, Lively
- Preset wallpapers: WinDynamicDesktop, Free Wallpapers
4. Performance Optimization
- Best optimized: Lively, Wallpaper Engine, Rainmeter
- Medium impact: RainWallpaper, DeskScapes
- Can slow down system: Free Wallpapers, HD Wallpaper App
5. Display Support
- Multi-monitor support: Wallpaper Engine, Lively, DeskScapes
- Single display only: WinDynamicDesktop, Free Wallpapers
So in summary –
- Casual users who prefer simplicity can try Lively Wallpaper or WinDynamicDesktop
- Intermediate customization suitable for Rainmeter or RainWallpaper
- Advanced personalization best done using Wallpaper Engine or DeskScapes
Now over to you – assess your needs, skill level and priorities to decide the best fit. All these apps deliver lively punch to Windows 11 desktops.
Tips for Choosing and Using Live Wallpaper Apps
Here are some additional tips that can help you get the best experience with desktop live wallpapers:
1. Gauge Performance Impact
Animated wallpapers tend to consume extra system resources leading to lag or slowdown, especially on older computers. After setting a live wallpaper, keep monitoring system performance for a few days. Observe CPU usage, battery drain levels and cooling fan behavior to detect any spikes. Tweak app settings or change the wallpaper if you notice consistently high resource utilization.
2. Automate Wallpaper Rotation
Instead of a fixed video wallpaper, you can set the apps to automatically rotate between multiple wallpapers at periodic intervals. This brings freshness, maintains variety and reduces resource intensity caused by unchanged lively backgrounds.
3. Design Custom Wallpapers
For added personalization, some apps like Wallpaper Engine and DeskScapes allow you to create custom animated wallpapers. You can produce unique designs combining videos, particle effects, widgets, shapes, text and much more.
4. Balance Interactivity
Interactive wallpapers reacting to mouse movements or keyboard can appear delightful initially. But the constant motion can also feel distracting or sensory overload during long work hours. Strike a balance between passive video wallpapers and those with exaggerated interactivity.
5. Multi-Monitor Setup
For multi-screen desktops, opt for apps like Lively Wallpaper and Wallpaper Engine that support applying unique live wallpaper across all displays. This creates an encompassing feel across screens.
6. Performance Mode for Gaming
Gamers should either pause dynamic wallpapers or set apps like RainWallpaper and Wallpaper Engine to low performance mode while playing games. This ensures maximum system resources remain focused on game graphics and that FPS rates don‘t drop.
Following these tips will help you find great live wallpaper fits and run them optimally on Windows 11 for splendid eye candy appeal!
Conclusion
There we have it – the best apps that will truly energize your Windows 11 desktop with visual liveliness and dynamism!
We covered both free as well as paid options suiting varying needs. Casual users can simply try out Lively Wallpaper for adding lightweight motion sparkle. Creative souls can unleash their imagination with Wallpaper Engine and DeskScapes to design fully customized animated artworks.
So go ahead, bring energy and fun to everyday computing by making work desktops come alive with these stellar Windows 11 live wallpaper apps!
Your turn now – which app are you most keen to try out first? Share your favorites or suggestions in the comments section.
