Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about Lively Wallpaper. Can't find your answer? Ask the community on Reddit r/LivelyWallpaper.
General
What is Lively Wallpaper?
Lively Wallpaper is a free, open-source Windows application that lets you set animated and interactive content as your desktop wallpaper. It supports videos, GIFs, web pages, shaders, and even Unity or Godot games as live wallpapers on Windows 10 and 11. Built with the modern WinUI 3 framework and created by Dani John, Lively is licensed under the GPL-3.0 license and won a Microsoft Store App Award in 2023.
Is Lively Wallpaper really free?
Yes, 100% free. Lively Wallpaper is open-source under the GPL-3.0 license. There are no ads, no tracking, and no subscriptions. You can download it from our website or the Microsoft Store at no cost.
How is Lively different from Wallpaper Engine?
The biggest difference is price: Lively is completely free while Wallpaper Engine costs $3.99. Lively is open-source (GPL-3.0) while Wallpaper Engine is closed-source. Lively also offers unique features like ML-powered depth effects, a built-in screensaver mode, CLI automation for programmatic control, and Unity/Godot game support. Lively does not require Steam to run.
What wallpaper formats are supported?
Lively supports a wide range of formats:
- Video: MP4, WebM, AVI, MOV
- Image: GIF, WebP
- Web: HTML5 / CSS / JavaScript
- Shaders: GLSL shaders, Shadertoy URLs
- Games: Unity, Godot
For extended codec support, install K-Lite Codec Pack or LAV Filters.
What are the system requirements?
- OS: Windows 10 or 11 (version 1903 or later)
- CPU: Intel Core i3 or equivalent
- RAM: 2 GB minimum
- GPU: Dedicated GPU recommended for best performance
Where can I find wallpapers?
There are many sources for wallpapers:
- YouTube — paste any video URL directly into Lively
- Reddit — r/LivelyWallpaper community
- Discord — the Lively community server
- Drag and drop — any supported file or paste any URL
- Create your own — build HTML5 wallpapers with CSS, JS, and shaders
Performance
Does Lively affect gaming performance?
No. Lively automatically pauses wallpapers when a fullscreen application or game is detected, resulting in approximately 0% CPU and GPU usage while paused. You can also configure grid-based pause rules (pause only the monitor running the game or all monitors) and set per-application rules for fine-grained control.
Does Lively drain battery on laptops?
Lively includes a Pause on Battery option that automatically stops wallpaper playback when your laptop is unplugged. Wallpapers stop immediately when the charger is disconnected. For portable use, lighter wallpapers (static shaders, simple GIFs) consume noticeably less power than video or web-based wallpapers.
Why is Lively using high CPU?
High CPU usage is usually caused by codec or configuration issues. Try these fixes:
- Use H.264 encoded MP4 files instead of other formats
- Lower the wallpaper resolution to match your display
- Enable hardware decode in Lively settings
- Update your GPU drivers to the latest version
How much RAM does Lively use?
RAM usage depends on the wallpaper type. Video wallpapers typically consume 50–150 MB, while web-based wallpapers may use more depending on complexity. Pausing wallpapers frees up most allocated resources.
Does Lively slow down boot time?
Startup with Windows is optional and has minimal impact on boot time. Lively loads in the background after the desktop is ready. You can disable auto-start entirely in Settings if you prefer to launch it manually.
Features
Does Lively support multiple monitors?
Yes. Lively fully supports multi-monitor setups. You can span a single wallpaper across all displays or set independent wallpapers per display. Each monitor can have its own audio output, and mixed DPI configurations are supported.
Can Lively be used as a screensaver?
Yes. Lively integrates directly with the Windows screensaver system. Any wallpaper you have configured can be used as a screensaver, including on multi-monitor setups. Just select "Lively" as your screensaver in Windows personalization settings.
Does Lively support CLI and automation?
Yes. Lively provides command-line arguments that allow you to control wallpapers programmatically. You can integrate with Python, AutoHotKey, batch scripts, or any other automation tool to switch wallpapers, control playback, and more.
Can I create my own wallpapers?
Absolutely. You can create wallpapers using:
- HTML5 / CSS / JavaScript — build fully interactive web wallpapers
- GLSL shaders — write GPU-powered visual effects
- LivelyProperties API — add user-customizable controls (colors, speed, etc.)
- .lively-zip packaging — bundle your wallpaper for easy sharing and distribution
Does Lively have audio visualizer support?
Yes. Lively supports per-display audio routing so each monitor can react to different audio sources. You can use reactive audio-visualizer wallpapers, access the music info API to display track details, and enable idle mute to automatically silence wallpaper audio when no media is playing.
Troubleshooting
Video wallpaper won't play?
Install K-Lite Codec Pack or LAV Filters for extended format support. MP4 (H.264) and WebM files usually work without any additional codecs installed.
Second monitor shows a blank wallpaper?
Switch between Span mode and Per-display mode in the wallpaper layout settings. This resolves most multi-monitor display issues. Make sure each monitor has a wallpaper assigned in Per-display mode.
Conflicts with RivaTuner / MSI Afterburner?
Exclude LivelyUI.WinUI.exe from the RivaTuner or MSI Afterburner overlay. This prevents the overlay from hooking into Lively's rendering process and resolves conflicts.
Wallpaper stops playing after sleep or hibernate?
Update your GPU drivers to the latest version. Outdated drivers can cause issues with wallpaper resumption after sleep or hibernate. Also check the resume settings in Lively to ensure wallpapers are configured to restart properly.