Is There a Way to Get Animated Wallpaper on Mac?

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Yes, you can set animated wallpapers on a Mac using several methods. Here are some popular ways to achieve this:

1. Dynamic Desktop (Built-in Feature)

Apple introduced Dynamic Desktop in macOS Mojave, which allows for wallpapers that change with the time of day. While these are not fully animated, they provide a dynamic experience.

Steps:

  1. Go to System Preferences: Click on the Apple logo in the top-left corner of the screen and select “System Preferences.”
  2. Select Desktop & Screen Saver: Choose the “Desktop & Screen Saver” preference pane.
  3. Select Dynamic Desktop: Under the “Desktop” tab, you will see a section for Dynamic Desktops. Choose one of the available options (e.g., “Mojave,” “Solar Gradients”).

2. Using Third-Party Apps

Several third-party applications allow you to set fully animated or video wallpapers on your Mac.

Popular Apps:

  1. Wallpaper Engine: Originally popular on Windows, it also has a macOS version available on Steam.
  2. DeskScapes: Another option for dynamic and animated wallpapers.
  3. Live Wallpaper: Available on the Mac App Store, this app lets you set animated and video wallpapers.

Steps for Wallpaper Engine:

  1. Download and Install Steam: If you don’t have Steam installed, download and install it from the Steam website.
  2. Purchase Wallpaper Engine: Search for “Wallpaper Engine” on Steam, purchase, and install it.
  3. Browse Wallpapers: Open Wallpaper Engine, browse for animated wallpapers, and select one to use.
  4. Apply Wallpaper: Follow the app’s instructions to apply the wallpaper.

Steps for Live Wallpaper:

  1. Download Live Wallpaper: Go to the Mac App Store and download the “Live Wallpaper” app.
  2. Browse and Select: Open the app, browse through available wallpapers, and select one.
  3. Apply Wallpaper: Set the chosen wallpaper as your desktop background.

3. Using Animated GIFs as Wallpaper

You can also use an animated GIF as your wallpaper with the help of third-party tools.

App Example: GIFPaper

  1. Download GIFPaper: Search for GIFPaper online and download the installer.
  2. Install GIFPaper: Follow the installation instructions provided with the download.
  3. Select a GIF: Choose an animated GIF you want to use as your wallpaper.
  4. Apply the GIF: Open the GIFPaper preferences and select the GIF file to set it as your wallpaper.

4. Terminal Commands for Dynamic Wallpapers

For more tech-savvy users, using the terminal to set dynamic wallpapers can be an option.

Steps:

  1. Prepare a Video: Convert your desired video to a format suitable for wallpaper.
  2. Use Terminal Commands: Use specific terminal commands to set the video as your wallpaper.

Example Command:

/Applications/QuickTime\ Player.app/Contents/MacOS/QuickTime\ Player -fullscreen /path/to/your/video.mov

Replace /path/to/your/video.mov with the actual path to your video file.

Conclusion

Setting animated wallpapers on a Mac can be done using built-in features for dynamic desktops, third-party applications for fully animated backgrounds, or even using animated GIFs with the right tools. Choose the method that best fits your needs and technical comfort level.

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