What Is MacWall? The Complete Guide (2026)

MacWall (macwall.app) is a native macOS app for cinematic live video wallpapers — 4K loops on your desktop, optional Lock Screen motion on supported macOS versions, and full control from the menu bar. It is built with Swift and Metal, decodes video on Apple hardware (not the CPU), and is designed to stay invisible during real work: pause on battery, pause on full screen, pause when the display sleeps, and pause when system load spikes.

What you get on day one

Download free at macwall.app/download — Minimum macOS 14.0 or later.

Install from the DMG, launch once, MacWall lives in the menu bar (not the Dock clutter).

Browse 1,000+ curated loops at macwall.app/wallpapers — Nature, Space, Anime, Cars, City, Video Games, Sci-fi, Fantasy, Cats.

Click any wallpaper to preview and set. One click. Hardware-decoded loop behind your windows.

Import your own MP4, MOV, M4V, or GIF — drag into Library, set instantly.

Upgrade to Pro ($7.99 one-time) for the full catalog, Lock Screen on macOS 26 (Tahoe)+, playlists, and lifetime updates on up to 3 Macs.

Why MacWall uses almost no CPU

This is the question every MacBook owner asks first. MacWall uses VideoToolbox hardware decode — the same media pipeline as QuickTime — then composites frames with Metal. The CPU is not decoding pixels. During normal plugged-in desktop use, Activity Monitor typically shows well under 1% CPU for MacWall. When you are not looking at the wallpaper (full-screen app, screen locked, display asleep, or pause-on-battery enabled), usage drops to zero because playback stops entirely.

Hardware decode — H.264 and HEVC on GPU/media engine, not software rendering

Pause on battery — motion stops unplugged; resumes on power

Pause on full screen — per display; Zoom, games, Keynote = no wasted decode

Pause on high CPU — auto-pause above ~80% system load, resume near ~55%

Pause on lock & sleep — nothing renders when you walk away

Reduce Quality on Battery — optional 1080p/30fps cap on battery or Low Power Mode

One decoder per display — multi-monitor without duplicate work

Performance Mode — optional 720p/24fps cap for maximum headroom on older Intel Macs

For a deeper breakdown with competitor context, read our CPU usage comparison and battery guide.

MacWall vs other Mac wallpaper apps (2026)

Mac users today choose between native apps (MacWall, Backdrop, Wallper, Wallspace) and cross-platform ports (Wallpaper Engine wrappers, Lively-style tools, Electron players). MacWall's edge is the combination: native SwiftUI UX, aggressive pause policy, community catalog + personal imports, web gallery at macwall.app, one-time Pro pricing, no account wall to browse, and Lock Screen support on ${macwallLockScreenMacOSVersion} where Apple allows custom video.

vs Backdrop — Both native; MacWall adds community submit flow, Reel refund program, and menu-bar-first workflow. See MacWall vs Backdrop.

vs Wallper — Both one-time purchase natives; MacWall emphasizes catalog growth, web gallery, and creator program. See MacWall vs Wallper.

vs Wallspace — MacWall offers community uploads and macwall.app integration. See MacWall vs Wallspace.

vs Wallpaper Engine — No official Mac port; wrappers add overhead. MacWall is Mac-native video loops. See Wallpaper Engine on Mac.

vs free Electron tools — Chromium-based players keep a browser engine alive for wallpaper duty. MacWall has no Electron layer.

Content: catalog, web gallery, and community

MacWall's library is curated + community-built. Staff picks, trending rankings, and category browsing live in-app and on macwall.app/wallpapers. Anyone can submit a loop at macwall.app/submit — seamless MP4/MOV, 1080p minimum (4K preferred), human review before publish. Deep links from the website open directly in the Mac app.

Pricing: pay once, own forever

Free download — try the app, browse, set wallpapers within free tier limits

Pro $7.99 one-time — full catalog, Lock Screen (macOS 26 (Tahoe)+), playlists, lifetime updates, 3 Macs per license

Pro Plus — bundle licenses for 5, 10, 15, or 20 Macs (teams, studios)

No subscription, no ads — ever

Creator refund — post a video with #macwall; 2,000 views = 50% back, 20,000 = full refund (details)

Affiliate program — earn 40% referring customers (details)

Lock Screen & Screen Saver

Desktop live wallpapers work on macOS macOS 14+. Lock Screen and Screen Saver video motion require macOS 26 (Tahoe)+ (Apple's Tahoe generation) and MacWall Pro. MacWall uses Apple's wallpaper system — no kernel extensions, no hacky installers. Turn it off anytime in Settings and your previous look returns.

Multi-display & imports

Assign different wallpapers per monitor or mirror the same loop. Ultrawide, dual 4K, MacBook + external — one hardware decoder per screen. Import unlimited personal clips; favorites and playlists (Pro) keep large libraries organized.

Privacy & accounts

Browse the catalog and run your own imported files without creating an account. Purchases use Stripe checkout; license keys activate in-app. Community uploads go through review — see Privacy Policy and Terms.

Staying updated

MacWall ships regular app updates — see Changelog for release notes. New wallpapers land in the catalog continuously as community submissions are approved. In-app Release Notes appear when an update is available.

Who MacWall is for

Mac users who want cinematic motion without a monthly subscription

MacBook owners who need smart pause so wallpaper never fights battery life

Multi-monitor desks that want per-display loops

Creators who import their own clips or share loops with the community

Anyone leaving Wallpaper Engine or heavy Electron tools for a native Mac experience

Who should skip it

You need interactive game-like Wallpaper Engine scenes (MacWall focuses on video loops)

Your Mac is below macOS 14 — MacWall requires a recent macOS

You refuse any one-time purchase and want a permanently free full catalog (try the Reel refund instead)

Get started

Download at macwall.app/download. Browse wallpapers at macwall.app/wallpapers. Questions? Support or email support@macwall.app.