Animated desktop backgrounds help in breaking up the monotony of a blank wallpaper. It adds a spark which get interests of the user into the computer screen.
The feature was previously available within the versions of Windows. But, now we Microsoft App or a third party application to animate your desktop in Windows or on a Mac. This wikiHow teaches you how to add animated backgrounds to your desktop.
Methods Used to get Animated Desktop Backgrounds
- Desktop Live Wallpapers on Windows 10
- Nerdtool on Mac
Using a Desktop Live Wallpapers on Windows 10
Tap Windows Start menu. Placed in the icon with the Windows logo, it is found in the lower-left corner of the taskbar by default to open the Windows Start menu.
Tap Microsoft Store icon. Icon resembling a white shopping bag with the Windows logo on it can be found below “Explorer” in the Windows Start menu, helps in downloading apps from the Microsoft Store for animated desktop.
- Click Log In when not logged in prior, with the email address and password associated with Microsoft account.
- Unable to see the Microsoft Store in the Windows Start menu, type “Microsoft Store.”
Click Search. Resembling a magnifying glass in the upper-right corner, Enter Desktop Live Wallpapers in the search bar and tap ? Enter. to start searching searches for an app called Dynamic Wallpaper in the Microsoft Store.
Tap GET to purchase the app from the Microsoft Store.
Press Install. A button that appears after clicking GET in the Microsoft Store helps in installing Desktop Live Wallpapers.
Download videos as backgrounds. Visit various websites to download quick videos for backgrounds using google search for videos. Try to use short and scenic videos for making better animated backgrounds.
Launching Desktop Live Wallpapers. Press the Desktop Live Wallpapers icon present in the Start menu or go for Launch in the Microsoft Store.
Tap Home. Placed in the upper-left corner of the “Desktop Live Wallpapers” app, tap it to visit home.
Press Browse Folder. A purple button in the lower-right corner of the “Desktop Live Wallpapers” app helps in opening a file browser for browsing and opening video files.
Navigate to the folder with video files and press OK. Using browser for navigating to the folder containing the video files downloaded, press the folder to select it and tap OK at the bottom of the screen. Press the circular arrow icon (?) in the lower-right corner to refresh the list of videos whenever you add something new to the folder. Uninstall Desktop Live Wallpapers and set any photo as your desktop wallpaper to remove a desktop wallpaper.
Using Nerdtool on Mac
Navigate to https://download.cnet.com/Nerdtool/3000-2072_4-75828148.html in a web browser on Mac to download Nerdtoolto set animated desktop animations on your Mac.
Tap Download Now which is a green button on the download page.
Open the zip file by double-clicking the Nerdtool.zip file to open it in Archive which will automatically extract the Nerdtool folder to Downloads folder.
Open the Nerdtool app in the folder that was extracted while you opened the zip file.
Click on the + symbol below the menu on the left in Nerdtool.
Tap Quartz in the drop-down menu bar below the Plus (+) icon.
Press Locate button beneath the “Path” field on the right or tap on Quartz log in the menu bar on the left to find some free Quartz files at http://rampant-mac.com/wp/?cat=16.
Navigate to a Quartz file having .qtz file extension in the root /System/Library/Screen Savers.
Select a Quartz file by pressing the file name of file with a .qtz file extension to select it.
Set the frame rate to 30 frames per second using the slider bar below “Framerate” and drag it to the center to about 30 frames per second which is actually the standard speed of an animation.
Check “Size to screen” in the box labeled “Window” in the lower-left corner for setting the animation to fit entire desktop screen.
Hope the above procedure will help you in adding animated desktop backgrounds to the desktop