Lively Wallpaper
Free, open-source animated and interactive wallpapers for Windows, with multi-monitor support
- Version
- 2.2.1
- Released
- November 2026
- Size
- 208 MB (installer)
- License
- GPL-3.0 · Open source
About Lively Wallpaper
Lively Wallpaper turns the Windows desktop from a static picture into something alive: videos, web pages, shaders, and interactive scenes as your wallpaper, all wrapped in a free, GPL-3.0 open-source app. It has quietly become the standard answer to "how do I get animated wallpapers on Windows" without paying for Wallpaper Engine.
The feature set is deeper than a video looper. Wallpapers can react to audio, follow the mouse, or run as full web applications; there is a built-in library to browse community creations, multi-monitor support with different wallpapers per screen, and playback rules that pause everything when a game or fullscreen app starts, so the desktop stays decorative and never gets in the way. You can drop in your own MP4s, GIFs, or HTML pages too. The current release is 2.2.1.0 (September 2025); the installer is about 208 MB, and there is also a Microsoft Store version that updates itself.
The honest trade-offs: animated wallpapers cost some GPU and battery, so laptop users will want the pause rules configured (they are on by default for fullscreen apps); the project is maintained by a small community team and releases are infrequent; and it is Windows-only by design. Verdict: the obvious free pick for a living desktop on Windows, with sensible defaults that keep it out of your way.
Key Features
Video and GIF wallpapers
Set MP4s, GIFs, and webm files as your desktop background
Interactive and web wallpapers
HTML pages, shaders, and scenes that react to audio or the mouse
Community library
Browse and install wallpapers made by other users
Multi-monitor support
Different wallpapers per screen, or spanned across displays
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Completely free and open source, no paid tier or ads
- Huge variety: video, web, shaders, interactive scenes
- Pause rules keep games and fullscreen work unaffected
- Good multi-monitor handling
- Active community making new wallpapers
Cons
- Windows only
- Animated wallpapers use GPU and battery; pause rules matter on laptops
- Releases are infrequent from a small community team
- Some community wallpapers vary wildly in quality and weight
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lively Wallpaper free?
Yes. It is GPL-3.0 open source with no paid version, no ads, and no account. It is available as a direct installer (about 208 MB) or from the Microsoft Store.
Will it slow down my PC or drain battery?
Animated wallpapers use some GPU, so Lively pauses them automatically when a game or fullscreen app runs. On battery-conscious laptops, keeping those pause rules on is the right setup.
Can I use my own videos as wallpaper?
Yes. Drop in MP4, GIF, webm, HTML pages, or even applications, and they become your desktop background.