How to enable new video wallpaper feature on Windows 11 25H2 and 24H2

To enable the new video wallpaper support on Windows 11, use ViveTool to manually activate the hidden feature.
Open Command Prompt as administrator, navigate to the ViveTool folder, and run the vivetool /enable /id:57645315 command.

On Windows 11, you can now set a video wallpaper as your desktop background, similar to the Windows Vista DreamScene feature and the Aerials feature on Apple’s macOS, and in this guide, I’ll show you the steps to complete this process.

Starting with Windows 11 builds 26220.6690 (Dev Channel) and 26120.6690 (Beta Channel) for version 25H2 and 24H2, it has been discovered that Microsoft is testing the ability to use “.mp4” or “.mkv” video wallpaper files as desktop background images when using the “Picture” option in the “Background” settings page.

When you set a live wallpaper, the video will play in the background every time you’re viewing the desktop, similar to third-party applications like Lively Wallpaper and Wallpaper Engine.

This feature is still a work in progress, but you can enable it manually using the ViveTool in the latest preview builds for version 25H2 and 24H2.

In this guide, I’ll outline the steps to enable the live background support on Windows 11 25H2 and 24H2.

Enable new video wallpaper feature on Windows 11
Set video wallpaper as desktop background on Windows 11
FAQs about the new video wallpaper support on Windows 11

Enable new video wallpaper feature on Windows 11

To enable the new Windows 11 Start menu, follow these steps:

Open the GitHub website.
Download the ViveTool-vx.x.x.zip file to enable the new Start menu design.
Double-click the zip folder to open it with File Explorer.
Click the Extract all button.
Click the Extract button.
Copy the path to the folder.
Open Start.
Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
Type the following command to navigate to the ViveTool folder and press Enter:
```
cd c:\folder\path\ViveTool-v0.x.x
```
In the command, remember to change the path to the folder with your path.
Type the following command to enable the video wallpaper support and press Enter:
```
vivetool /enable /id:57645315
```
Restart the computer.

Once you complete the steps, you can set a video wallpaper as the desktop background on Windows 11.

Set video wallpaper as desktop background on Windows 11

To set a live wallpaper on Windows 11, follow these steps:

Open Settings.
Click on Personalization.
Click the Background page.
Select the Picture option in the “Personalize your background” setting.
Click the “Browser photos” button.
Select the .mp4 or .mkv video wallpaper file.
Click the Choose picture button.

After you complete the steps, the video wallpaper will be set as your desktop background.

This isn’t the first time that the company has built a video wallpaper. Microsoft previously supported video wallpapers with the DreamScene feature as part of the Windows Vista Ultimate edition. However, the feature was discontinued on Windows 7. Now, it is back on Windows 11 since it’s one of the most requested features by users in the operating system.

FAQs about the new video wallpaper support on Windows 11

Here are answers to common questions about the support of live wallpapers on Windows 11.

What video files are supported with live wallpapers on Windows 11?

Currently, the feature supports MP4 and MKV video files.

Why can’t I enable the feature in version 24H2?

The video wallpaper support is currently only available in the preview builds of version 24H2 from the Beta Channel. The feature is not available in the Stable Channel.

Why don’t I see any video or live wallpaper option on Windows 11?

You won’t see any new option in the “Background” settings page. The support is available when using the “Picture” option.

Will the video feature affect battery life on Windows 11?

Although the video will only play when you’re viewing the desktop, this feature may impact battery life.