How to Set a Video as a Wallpaper Engine Wallpaper

What is Wallpaper Engine and how does it handle video wallpapers?

Wallpaper Engine is a paid Steam application that plays video, scene, and web-based wallpapers on your Windows desktop. For a video loop, it simply plays the MP4 file on repeat behind your icons, using minimal CPU when the engine's hardware-accelerated playback is enabled.

How do you add an MP4 to Wallpaper Engine?

1. Open Wallpaper Engine from Steam.
2. Click Create Wallpaper in the top toolbar.
3. Choose Video as the wallpaper type when prompted.
4. Select the MP4 file you downloaded, or drag the file directly from File Explorer into the Wallpaper Engine window.
5. Wait for the file to import and generate a thumbnail.
6. Right-click the new thumbnail in your library and choose Apply to all monitors or select a specific screen.

Drag and drop works from any folder, so you don't need to move the file into a special directory first. If the video doesn't appear after import, confirm it's a standard MP4 (H.264) file, since Wallpaper Engine can be inconsistent with less common codecs.

How do you adjust playback and performance settings?

Once a video wallpaper is applied, open its properties panel (click the thumbnail, then the gear icon) to adjust:

• Playback FPS: cap this at 30 or 60 to match the source file; setting it higher than the original doesn't improve quality and just uses more resources.
• Quality/scaling: lower this on older graphics hardware if you notice stutter, particularly with 4K source files on a 1080p monitor.
• Pause wallpaper when an application is fullscreen or maximised: found under Wallpaper Engine's general settings (gear icon in the main toolbar, then Performance). Turning this on stops playback while gaming or watching video full-screen, which saves CPU and GPU cycles.
• Mute audio: most animated backgrounds don't carry sound, but if yours does, check the volume slider on the wallpaper's own properties panel rather than only the system mixer.

For most 1080p loops, default settings are fine. Reserve the quality and FPS adjustments for 4K files or older laptops.

Can you use different wallpapers on separate monitors?

Yes. Wallpaper Engine supports independent wallpapers per screen.

1. Right-click any wallpaper thumbnail in your library.
2. Choose Apply to monitor and pick the specific screen from the list, instead of Apply to all monitors.
3. Repeat for each display with a different loop.

If one monitor is in portrait orientation, a vertical 9:16 loop will fit it better than a landscape file, so match the clip's orientation to the screen rather than relying on the app to crop it.

What if you don't have Wallpaper Engine?

Wallpaper Engine is a separate paid application, so it's not required to use an animated background on Windows. If you'd rather not install it, see our Windows desktop guide for ways to loop a video wallpaper using free tools built into Windows or lightweight third-party players.

Choosing a loop

Browse by theme if you want something specific for the season or your mood: rain, fireplace, lofi study, night sky, snow, and forest are all available, or see the full animated backgrounds collection. If you also stream or take video calls, our guides for OBS Studio and Zoom video backgrounds cover the same loops in those settings, and the phone wallpaper guide covers setting a loop as a still image on mobile.

Frequently asked questions

Does Wallpaper Engine cost money?

Yes, it's a paid application sold through Steam. It's a separate purchase from any wallpaper files you use with it.

Why does my video wallpaper look blurry or stretched?

This usually happens when the clip's resolution or aspect ratio doesn't match your monitor. Use a landscape file for a standard widescreen monitor and a vertical 9:16 file for a portrait-oriented screen.

Will a video wallpaper drain my laptop battery faster?

Playing any video wallpaper continuously uses more power than a static image. Turning on "pause when another application is fullscreen or maximised" in Wallpaper Engine's performance settings limits this to only when you're actually looking at the desktop.

Can I loop a video wallpaper without Wallpaper Engine?

Yes. Windows doesn't support video wallpapers natively, but several free third-party players can loop an MP4 on the desktop; see the Windows desktop guide for the general approach.