While you can always use your photos as your desktop background, you may find that using a dedicated app or website offers more options, including unique features and customization tools.  If you want to customize your Windows 11 desktop look, then a wallpaper app is the first thing you need. With a good wallpaper app, you can change your desktop wallpaper on a daily basis, and sometimes with some live wallpapers, you can even add some animations. You can also configure how often you’d like to switch between pictures in the slideshow, as well as add transitions between them so that it looks more like a video than a still image.  If you want more customization options, there are some great third-party apps out there that can do it all for you. 

Can Windows 11 have animated wallpapers?

The Windows 11 operating system has a built-in feature that allows you to change the desktop background periodically – Slideshow. Unfortunately, when it comes to animation, this feature is not available. However, with the help of third-party software, you can enable it. You might be wondering why you would want to change your wallpaper, but there are some good reasons for doing so. For example, if you’re using Windows 11 on a laptop or tablet, you may find that it doesn’t have much screen real estate.  It may also be difficult to see what’s going on in the background because it’s too dark or too light. By changing your wallpaper, you can make it easier for yourself to see what’s happening in the background without having to squint or strain your eyes. In addition, changing your wallpaper can make you more productive as it breaks the monotony of seeing one similar image throughout the day. To customize your Windows 11 desktop, you’ll need to get some cool wallpapers. Below, we explore some of the top wallpaper apps that will upgrade the look and feel of your Windows 11 PC.

What are some of the best Windows 11 wallpaper apps?

1. Lively Wallpaper

While Windows 11 has decent wallpaper options, you can’t set live wallpapers on your desktop. A live wallpaper is not a novelty anymore. Rocksdanister is the brains behind this amazing app. Not only is this app free but it is also compatible with most Windows PCs. The best part is that it doesn’t eat a lot of resources. A lot of people are skeptical about having a live wallpaper as it can affect the PC’s performance but not this app – as long as you meet the recommended 8GB memory requirement.  It’s more efficient than using the default Windows 11 wallpaper slideshow. Lively Wallpaper supports multiple video formats. Before setting a video as your live wallpaper, Lively Wallpaper will show you a preview of what it would look like on your desktop. If everything looks good, go ahead and set it. Some of the additional benefits of using this app include:

Supports both dark and light themes. Puts minimal strain on PC to avoid lagging. Lightweight to avoid taking up too much space on your PC. Supports multiple displays so you don’t have to worry about getting stuck with one monitor. Has excellent display scaling that fits your display resolution without compromising on quality.

⇒ Get Lively Wallpaper

2. DeskScapes

Developed by Stardock, this is yet another live wallpaper app you’ll want to get your hands on. Although it is a paid app – $3.99, you get a grace period of 30 days for trial. The app is feature-packed you’ll want to move to the paid version once the trial period is over. Unlike other apps that come with pre-determined live wallpapers, you have the option to create your own! The app also has its own set of live wallpapers but with the next-level customization capabilities, you may not find time to use them. You also have up to 60 effects to choose from and can add videos directly from the Internet. Some of the additional benefits of using this app include:

You can create a playlist of your favorite wallpapers to be on rotation. If you are using multiple monitors, you can create a different background for each one. You can select the type of information displayed on your desktop with different fonts, sizes, and text color. The app supports multiple video formats.

⇒ Get DeskScapes

3. Wallpaper Engine

This is yet another paid app with no free-trial period but for $3.99, you get to experience a wide range of graphics. Created by the Wallpaper Engine Team, this app boasts of one of the largest collections of live wallpapers. You can select videos from your library, use downloaded videos, or even use websites as wallpaper.  If you are big on gaming, you are going to appreciate that it automatically pauses during games so that you don’t experience a slowed-down performance.  Some of the additional benefits of using this app include:

Supports multi-monitor mode. Has mouse-interaction support. Supports multiple video formats. You can block unwanted websites from being set as wallpapers.

⇒ Get Wallpaper Engine

4. RainWallpaper

Rainysoft is the developer behind this awesome live wallpaper app. Although the developer isn’t updating the app anymore, it does work on Windows 11. If you are looking for more customization options absent in other live wallpaper apps, then RainWallpaper is an excellent choice. The free trial version comes with all of these features but if you want to remove the watermark from wallpapers and get rid of ads, then you will have to upgrade to the pro version for $3.99. It offers a nice collection of animated and 3D live wallpapers which you can save as videos or set as your desktop background. The best part about RainWallpaper is that it also supports GIF image files, allowing you to use them as your desktop background. Some of the additional benefits of using this app include:

RainWallpaper offers support for multiple monitors. It supports animated backgrounds, sound effects, and weather effects, and it only takes a few clicks to customize the look of your desktop. It has minimal CPU and RAM usage. The battery consumption for RainWallpaper is also extremely low during runtime.

⇒ Get RainWallpaper SPONSORED

5. DesktopHut

DesktopHut is a great resource for finding awesome wallpaper backgrounds for your computer or laptop. It’s easy to use, and you can search by categories. The app has hundreds of backgrounds and wallpapers categorized by genre: anime, sci-fi, and games. There is something here for everyone. You can also find a pretty cool collection of themes and icons packs as well. With DesktopHut, you can customize your home screen with different themes, icons packs, fonts & colors. You can also create your own customizable theme within the app itself. There are many animation effects available in the app. The animation effects include water ripples effect, snowflakes effect, and raindrop effect. You can also set the speed of the animation effects according to your liking (slow/normal/fast). Some of the additional benefits of using this app include:

The UI is smooth and easy to navigate through all the customization options. DesktopHut has over a thousand video wallpapers all available for free in HD resolution. The app is lightweight on your PC so you don’t have to worry about storage space.

⇒ Get DesktopHut

6. WinDynamicDesktop

If you are someone who likes to have a beautiful wallpaper on your Windows desktop and you spend a lot of time at the computer, you are probably looking for something that does not become boring or annoying. The program can be configured to change the desktop wallpaper automatically at a specified time interval. In addition, it is also possible to replace the standard Windows screen saver with an animated screen saver that displays the current weather conditions. WinDynamicDesktop has a ton of options for you to play around with, and it lets you set different images for each time of the day. You can also create your own themes from scratch, and share them with other users. Some of the additional benefits of using this app include:

Supports virtual desktops. Lightweight so you don’t have to worry about apps competing for resources. Has macOS wallpapers available for Windows users. You can set up a slideshow of your favorite wallpapers.

⇒ Get WinDynamicDesktop

7. PUSH wallpaper

With PUSH Video Wallpaper you can greatly enhance your desktop by playing any video as a background wallpaper.  The PUSH Wallpaper app has a simple interface with a ton of features that makes it easy to select the video of your choice and set it as your background.  If you are looking for something that’s more visually appealing as opposed to being highly optimized and full of features, then this app is definitely worth checking out. Some of the additional benefits of using this app include:

A wide range of Wallpaper categories is available to choose from such as 3D and 2D animations, websites, videos, and even your personal photos. Doubles up as a screensaver when your screen is idle.

⇒ Get PUSH

Where can I download Windows 4K wallpapers?

If you’re wondering where the wallpapers come from, there’s a pretty wide selection. Windows has a lot of beautiful wallpapers built-in, but you can get more online from other sites.  Finding the perfect wallpaper takes time since there are a ton of amazing sources for 4K wallpapers out there. Luckily for you, we have already done the hard work and listed only the best sources for Windows 11 4K wallpapers that you can find on the Internet right now. Some of the sites include:

1. WallHaven

If you are looking for the best Windows 4K wallpapers, then WallHaven is the place to be. Featuring an awesome collection of high-resolution images that can be downloaded very easily, this wallpaper website is a must-visit. Searching through all its options will take some time since there are so many choices. The only thing that can help you here is the active community that keeps on rating and commenting on every wallpaper, so you can easily find what might be interesting for you.

2. DevianArt wallpapers

DeviantArt is an online community in which people share artwork, writing, media, and other user-generated content. This website is a heaven for designers, artists, or photographers who want to share their work with the world or even make some money by selling it. It is one of the most-visited websites in the world, and it’s easy to see why.

3. HDwallpapers.net

HDwallpapers is the best possible source to find out the latest and quality wallpapers for your desktops. The website has a huge collection of wallpapers ranging from almost every category. Moreover, it provides you with various interesting options like editing, cropping, merging, etc. After having chosen an image, you get the option to choose from a wide range of formats that are custom-designed for a device.  Given the rich list we’ve just shared, you’ll definitely be spoilt for choice when it comes to customizing your desktop with lively wallpapers. You can also apply custom wallpaper on virtual desktops if that is something you are into. The options are endless. Feel free to refer to our dedicated guide if your wallpaper goes black and apply our recommended fixes. Let us know in the comment section which wallpaper app you are currently enjoying or share any we have not mentioned in the list above.

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