It looks like Microsoft is getting serious about sprucing up our desktops. Developers recently found hints in the latest Windows 11 builds that video wallpapers are finally in testing. This means you could soon set your favorite MP4 or MKV video as your background.
Imagine your desktop coming to life. These video wallpapers are designed to play automatically whenever you close or minimize your open windows. It is a feature that many Windows users have wanted for a long time. It works much like popular third-party tools such as Wallpaper Engine.
This is not Microsoft’s first dance with animated backgrounds. Back in the day, Windows Vista Ultimate had a similar feature called DreamScene. However, it was later removed when Windows 7 came out. It seems some good ideas just need time to make a comeback.
The tech world has shown a huge appetite for dynamic desktops. The Verge, a well-known tech website, points out that video wallpapers are a highly requested feature. This is easy to see, considering Wallpaper Engine often ranks among the top 10 most popular apps on Steam. People really want their static screens to move.
Microsoft has actually been experimenting with animated wallpapers on Windows 11 for years now. There was even a plan to launch this feature in 2023. But for some reason, it never made its public debut. Perhaps this time around, the video wallpaper feature will finally stick.