Editing Wallpaper (computing) (section)

==Animated backgrounds==
[[File:Wallpaper Engine on Windows 11 - Animated GIF.gif|alt=Image of a setting sun in wireframe behind a Windows 10 desktop UI|thumb|An animated wallpaper using [[Wallpaper Engine]] on [[Windows 11]]]]
Animated backgrounds (sometimes referred to as ''live backgrounds'' or ''dynamic backgrounds'') refers to wallpapers which feature a moving image or a 2D / 3D scene as an operating system background rather than a static image, it may also refer to wallpapers being cycled in a playlist, often with certain transition effects. Some operating systems, such as [[Android (operating system)|Android]], provide native support for animated wallpapers.

=== Microsoft Windows ===
[[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] has had several ways of implementing dynamic backgrounds over the years. For example:

* [[Active Desktop]], which is included in [[Windows 95|Windows 95 OSR 2.5]] through [[Windows XP]], allows web apps to run as desktop background and deliver live contents. Animation is one of the possibilities.
* [[Windows DreamScene]], only included with the [[Windows Vista editions|Ultimate]] edition of [[Windows Vista]], allows videos of any supported format (including animated [[GIF]]s) as wallpapers.
* Starting with [[Windows 7]], the OS can cycle through pictures from a folder at regular intervals. While this does not support animated backgrounds, it does enable third-party software (such as [[Wallpaper Engine]]) to fill that gap. This degree of extensibility is unique to Windows.

=== Android ===

Live wallpapers have been introduced in [[Android Eclair|Android 2.0 Eclair]] to provide native support for animated wallpapers. From a technical point of view, live wallpapers are software applications that provide a moving background image and may allow for user interaction or utilize other hardware and software features within the device (accelerometer, GPS, network access, etc.).<ref>{{cite web|title=Live Wallpapers (Technical Article)|url=http://developer.android.com/resources/articles/live-wallpapers.html|work=developer.android.com|access-date=5 November 2010|archive-date=10 November 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101110012801/http://developer.android.com/resources/articles/live-wallpapers.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== macOS and iOS ===

[[macOS]] has built-in support, via the Desktop & Screen Saver panel in its [[System Preferences|System Preferences/Settings]], for cycling through a folder collection of images on a timed interval or when logging in or waking from sleep. Since [[macOS Mojave]], the user can also select a "Dynamic Desktop" that automatically updates to visually match the time of the day.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.engadget.com/2018/06/04/macos-mojave-includes-dark-mode/|title=macOS Mojave's dark mode makes late-night computing less painful|work=Engadget|access-date=June 6, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180605225502/https://www.engadget.com/2018/06/04/macos-mojave-includes-dark-mode/|archive-date=June 5, 2018}}</ref>

Additionally, macOS has the native ability to run a [[screen savers|screen saver]] on the desktop; in this configuration, the screen saver appears beneath the desktop icons in place of the system wallpaper. However, macOS does not feature a built-in interface to do this; it must be done through [[Terminal (macOS)|Terminal]] commands or various third-party applications.<ref>[http://www.macosxtips.co.uk/index_files/set-screen-saver-to-desktop-background.html Set a Screen Saver as the Desktop Background | Terminal] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101227070312/http://www.macosxtips.co.uk/index_files/set-screen-saver-to-desktop-background.html |date=2010-12-27 }}. Mac OS X Tips (2006-11-09). Retrieved on 2013-07-21.</ref>

Dynamically animated backgrounds have also been introduced in [[iOS 7]] and later versions, however they are restricted to the ones provided by Apple. [[iOS jailbreaking|Jailbroken]] iOS devices can download other dynamic backgrounds.

=== Linux distributions ===
[[File:Wp3.jpg|thumb|A wallpaper from fractal]][[Linux distribution]]s usually provides their own original backgrounds. For example:

* [[Debian]] puts many alternative backgrounds under the <code>/usr/share/backgrounds</code> directory.
* [[GNOME]] 2 can be set to cycle through pictures from a folder at regular intervals, similarly to Windows 7.
* [[MATE (software)|MATE]] provides various wallpapers, usually in the <code>/usr/share/backgrounds/mate</code> directory.
* [[KDE]] version 4 and later provide various dynamic wallpapers, including a slideshow, and other options provided by plugins, such as fractals and Earth map.
* [[Enlightenment (window manager)|Enlightenment]] v17 supports image sequences, animated and interactive desktop backgrounds in its default configuration.