These pages explain the mechanics behind live wallpapers: why video-based wallpapers are cheap to run, how macOS composites the wallpaper layer, which codecs decode in hardware, and what actually costs battery. For step-by-step product instructions see the documentation; for comparisons and news see the blog.
Explainers
- What is a live wallpaper?A live wallpaper is a short video loop rendered at the desktop wallpaper layer instead of a still image.
- How macOS wallpapers workmacOS composites the wallpaper as its own layer below icons and windows, and only recent versions let third-party apps supply Lock Screen video.
- Hardware video decodeApple's media engine can decode supported H.264 and HEVC video in dedicated hardware, reducing the CPU work required for a 4K wallpaper loop.
- Video formats and codecsEncode wallpapers as H.264 or HEVC in an MP4 container, at display resolution, 24–30 fps, with no audio track.
- Resolution and displaysMatch wallpaper resolution to the panel's native pixels, and prefer one mirrored loop over separate loops on every display.
- Battery and energy basicsA wallpaper's battery cost is decode work times time on screen, so pausing when nothing is visible removes almost all of it.
Put it into practice
- Performance and battery settingsEvery pause rule in MacWall, and how to verify real CPU usage in Activity Monitor.
- Import your own videosTurn your own footage into a wallpaper, with the encoding settings that keep it efficient.
- Browse the wallpaper gallery850+ curated loops, most in 4K, filterable by category, tag, and popularity.