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Guide

Set a video as a live wallpaper in Lively

Lively can play a local video file as the Windows desktop background. The file stays on your computer; Lively plays it behind your icons.

Last updated: October 5, 2026

Best file to start with

Start with a silent MP4 (H.264) that matches your monitor. 1920×1080 is enough for most displays. 3840×2160 looks sharper on a 4K screen but uses more GPU and disk space. WebM also works. Very long films are a poor fit; short loops are what the desktop is designed for.

Steps

  1. Install Lively Wallpaper from the Microsoft Store or GitHub.
  2. Download a video from this library or use a file you already own.
  3. Open Lively.
  4. Drag the video file into the Lively library, or use the app’s add/import control if you prefer not to drag and drop.
  5. Select the wallpaper and apply it to the monitor you want.

The desktop should show the looping video when no window covers that area. Icons stay clickable on top of the wallpaper.

If the wallpaper does not appear

  • Confirm the file plays in a normal video player first.
  • Try a smaller 1080p MP4 if a 4K file fails to start.
  • Check that Lively is not paused because a fullscreen app is open.
  • On a laptop, see whether pause-on-battery is enabled in the battery guide.

Using files from this website

Library pages on this site list the live MP4 size, resolution, and duration when that information is available. Pick the HD file if your PC is older or you are on battery. Then follow how to use this library with Lively.