80% of computers running the Windows operating system are running Windows 10. People have almost entirely left the likes of Windows 7 (shockingly in second place ahead of Windows 8). If you prefer absolute numbers, 80% comes to a whopping 1.3 billion devices operating off this Windows version.

One thing that attracts people to this OS is the rich customization options available for its users. You can get themes, quickly change your wallpaper and screensaver, modify icons, and even change the color of your windows and their bars. That’s a lot more flexibility than you’ll get with other desktop OSes.

One of the coolest personalization features that you can take advantage of with Windows 10 is a live desktop. These cool moving wallpapers for PC are like a specific feature that I am familiar with on Android, but only recently found out it is available on Windows as well. Think of an incredible animated sequence or video that you would like to use as a background. That’s right, you can have an animated Windows background really easily.

Are you here to figure out how to get one of these really cool live wallpaper Windows 10? Of course, you are. I’d be too. Let’s get right into it.

Do you have a particular question about finding and setting up live wallpapers on Windows 10? Then use the table of contents below to jump to the most relevant section. And you can always go back by clicking on the black arrow in the right bottom corner of the page. Also, please note that some of the links in this article may be affiliate links. For more details, check the Disclosure section at the bottom of the page. 

Is there a built-in way to set animated desktop backgrounds Windows 10?

Windows 10, and Windows in general, have always allowed for more customization than their competitors do. This allows the user to make their desktop and computer look exactly as they want it to.

One thing they don’t offer is the ability to set an animated Windows background. Hopefully, it will become a feature of the Windows operating system in the future, but it is not right now. 

However, don’t mistake that for thinking that there’s no way it can be done! It certainly can, and that’s what I’m going to show you in the next sections.

How to set live computer backgrounds on Windows 10?

By downloading certain third-party applications on your computer, you can get a moving backgrounds wallpaper. And it is just as cool as you imagine it looks in your head. I have a live desktop, and I used a scene from one of my favorite anime shows. It looks great!

Some of these apps are free, while others are paid. We’ll talk about both types so you can find the application that fits your needs and your budget best.

Free live desktop wallpaper apps 

1. The Desktop Live Wallpapers app on the Microsoft Store is my favorite choice if you’re looking for a quick and easy way to get 3D live wallpaper for Windows 10 on your computer. It is free and pretty straightforward to use. Any video file on your computer can be used as a Windows 10 live screensaver as long as you have this program on your side. This is the one that I use, and it has certainly never let me down. Did I mention that it can support as many as three displays? One thing to keep in mind, though, is that you can only use WMV video files unless you purchase the Pro version of the app. I just use online tools like this one to convert my videos to WMV.
2. PUSH Video Wallpaper comes with the same value proposition. A free app that allows you to set cool moving wallpapers for PC. You might prefer this one. It does not only give you the power to set any video on your computer as a free live desktop wallpaper. But it also allows you to pull the video straight from a YouTube link or use a GIF file. You can even set multiple videos and have your computer cycle through them. Their website has some live computer backgrounds if you’ve been looking for a good place to start.
3. Suppose you prefer a bit more action and utility to your moving backgrounds wallpaper. In that case, Rainmeter is likely to be the one for you. This app is hugely popular, likely because of its ease of use. Once it is installed, all you need to do is download one of the skins for the app, double-click it, and boom, it automatically makes your desktop it’s home. What makes this one different is that it’s not all about an animated Windows background. If you want to see info like the time, weather, news, hardware info, and more, all of that is possible with this.

Paid dynamic wallpaper for PC apps

Although the free apps are fantastic in my opinion, you might be looking for the quality that you’re only likely to get from shelling out a few bucks. If that’s the case, there are fortunately a few options that you can turn to.

1. Do you want 3D live wallpaper for Windows 10 using your videos or YouTube videos, or even animate your own photos? If you do, Wallpaper Engine is waiting for you. It costs just about $4, which is a steal for the quality it brings. There’s even a companion app on Android!
2. Stardock DeskScapes 10 is relatively tame compared to others, but don’t mistake that for thinking it doesn’t do its job well. You can set videos on your computer as a live desktop using it, or you can choose from a relatively impressive selection of include wallpapers. There’s also an online bank that you can grab from.

Where to get 3D live wallpaper for Windows 10?

Finding a really cool dynamic wallpaper for PC is actually a lot easier than you might have thought. There are plenty of sites that provide some really cool options for you to select from. Below are two of my personal favorites:

• MyLiveWallpapers
• LiveWallpapers4Free

Some of the wallpaper apps have their dedicated stores, though, like Wallpaper Engine.

Downsides of animated desktop backgrounds Windows 10?

While having cool moving wallpapers for PC is awesome, there are a few downsides that you should keep in mind. However, if you have a high-performance desktop, some of these might not matter that much!

• On a laptop or any other battery-powered Windows 10 device, these wallpapers can take a toll on battery life.
• There may be a little bit of RAM and CPU usage from a Windows 10 live screensaver, though most modern computers, even laptops, should handle it fine. Older systems may stutter, though.

Credits: Thanks for the photo to Canva.

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