Back in 2007, Microsoft released a tool called "dreamscene" for the ultimate Windows versions Vista. With the help of the dreamscene function, it was possible to install animated GIF and video wallpapers on the windows desktop. The dreamscene function is not officially available in windows 7, so third-party utilities have been released to support this option, but these utilities are not all compatible with windows 10. If you want to set a live screen saver as a background and there is no choice how to use third-party programs, then Video Wallpaper will the best program to install video wallpapers for windows 10 on your desktop.
How to install video wallpaper for windows 10 on your desktop
Download the program, install it on your computer. It contains only one video ".mp4" format, but it's nice. You can insert any clip in the ".mp4" format into the program, you can download more.
Brief description of program functions:
- 1. Stop.
- 2. Enable.
- 3. Turn off the volume if the video with sound interferes.
- 4. Download more wallpapers.
- 5. Add, remove video file to playlist.
- 6. Create a playlist that would play cyclically.
- 1. Contrast.
- 2. Transparency of icons.
If you're looking to update your beautiful desktop a bit, then you've come to the right place. The theme of live wallpapers or video wallpapers is quite old and popular, oddly enough. At one time, animated wallpapers were very popular on phones, the so-called gifs, and users wanted to see something similar on their computer. If earlier, to make video wallpapers on the Desktop, it was necessary to do a lot of manipulations, but now one program called DeskScapes is responsible for all this. In principle, there are other programs for the implementation of video wallpaper, but this is the most popular, very versatile and quite easy to learn.
In order to download this program, you need to go to the stardock.com website and go to the Software section. Here we see programs from this company, even the famous classic Start menu called Start10 is present here. But we are interested in DeskScapes, so we select it and click on the Get it now button, i.e. Get it now. Next, select the trial version, i.e. you will be able to use the program for 1 month after which, if you like it, you can buy it. It only costs $5. But we will return to this at the end, and I will tell my opinion about this program and why 30 days is enough for you. Download and install the program.
So, after installing the program, I hope you know how to do it, you will be required to enter your mail to activate the trial mode, enter your e-mail and confirm it in the mail itself, after which you can use the program for free for 30 days without any restrictions.
The program already has some default live wallpapers, and also adds your standard wallpapers from themes, as a bonus.
To apply video wallpapers, you need to select what you like and click on the Apply to my Desktop button, that is, Apply on my Desktop. After that, you will immerse yourself in the world of animated wallpapers.
Some wallpapers have additional settings. For example, in the wallpaper, where the planet is spinning, you can adjust its rotation speed. In wallpaper where insects run, they can be removed and so on. There are also wallpapers with music, like this cat wallpaper. Also, in addition to their settings, there are also general effect settings. You can make the wallpaper black and white, apply blur effects, rainbows and much more. Personally, I prefer not to touch these effects, I like the naturalness of the picture more.
There are also settings for the application itself, where you can set Good picture quality or High performance, the folders in which your video files are stored. In this case, you can use any video files themselves, from the most standard one with the Dream extension, to MP4 video, for example, a recorded video from a game. You just need not to calculate with the bitrate, otherwise everything will slow down if you have a slow PC. I also advise you to uncheck the Pause dream when windows are maximized setting in the Advanced tab. It removes your screensaver from stopping. Those. when you go full screen windowed mode. It even sounds strange or even just in full screen mode, then the video wallpaper is paused and when you return to the Desktop again, it will disorient you a little. I'm not kidding, it's so infuriating that I just want to delete this program. In another case, when you are working with documents and at the same time you do not have a pause on the screensaver in full screen mode and when the Taskbar is visible, then you are also enraged by the constantly changing effects on the Taskbar.
And strangely enough, we come to some conclusion and why I advised using the 30-day version. Everything is very simple, during this time you will understand for sure whether you really need live wallpapers or not. Personally, after using it for quite a long time, I realized that this does not suit me personally. When using screensavers, there are a lot of irritating factors that distract from work. Where you are used to seeing a static picture, something is constantly happening and you can see because of this, video wallpaper has not received such distribution, since too many distracting things appear, and besides, it loads the system so well. It is up to you to install them or not, but after some period of time you will most likely realize that you are simply tired of them and perhaps even after the next installation of the system you will not even think about installing DeskScapes. If you show off and give an unusual expensive look to your system, then you can put it, but it is desirable that there be little animation and distractions, and I think this will not work for you. This was my opinion, if you have your own, then express it in the comments.
Some users are not satisfied with the standard interface of Windows 10. And to say that, the standard “tens” settings do not allow you to fully customize the appearance operating system"under yourself". Special programs for "customizing" the system come to the aid of lovers of experiments. The trouble is that for the “ten” there are still very few of them. But there is a program for installing live wallpapers in Windows 10.
Why is it necessary?
Some users may have such a question, because they do not quite understand why they need to load the system with all sorts of "unnecessary" programs. The fact is that live wallpapers can somewhat "revive" the boring interface of Windows 10. The computer should not only work well, but also look good. Another question is whether your PC will pull an application that constantly works in the background and puts a load on RAM. Although, if you have Windows 10 installed, then it is impossible to classify your PC as “ancient”.
Live wallpapers are only the initial stage of system "customization". Once you start, you won't be able to stop. Some ignorant users are able to "kill" the system with their manipulations, because they put everything in a row, not paying attention to elementary security rules. To avoid this, you need to install only proven software to "customize" the system. Remember, the more positive reviews a program has, the safer it is.
Live wallpapers with DeskScapes 8
DeskScapes was released by the highly respected Stardock development team. It should be noted that the guys from Stardock "riveted" themes for Windows XP. Therefore, doubt their reliability software do not have to. In addition, the program is not free. You will have to pay about $10 for its unlimited use. But in any case, you can install a trial version.
During the installation of the application on Windows 10, a small problem will appear. The fact is that the application was originally created for the "eight", and for the tenth version it was not optimized. Solving this problem is pretty easy. You just need to run the installation in compatibility mode for Windows 8. Then the program will automatically start in compatibility mode.
After successfully installing the program, you can find it in the Start menu. When you run the program, you can choose live image for Windows desktop. After setting the selected image, the program will continue its work in the background. By the way, setting live wallpapers is not the only function of DeskScapes 8. The program can also change the system's welcome screen. I am also glad that there are a lot of ready-made solutions for "customizing" the system in DeskScapes. And if you want to stand out and do something of your own, then the program has a manual wallpaper editor for this.
The full version of the program functions to change appearance OS even more. For example, you can change the theme and soundtrack. Definitely worth buying full version DeskScapes 8 to make your PC stand out from the rest.
Conclusion
Of course, many "gurus" of IT technologies are hostile to programs for changing the appearance of the operating system. And partly they are right. But what if you want something new, but all systems look the same? This is where a proven program from Stardock called DeskScapes 8 will come to the rescue. Just remember that the trial version of the program is only valid for 30 days. To continue its work and unlock all functions, you will have to pay.
Windows 10 provides a lot of options for customizing the OS. Indeed, we have a rather voluminous article on how to customize Windows 10 for yourself? you can find it in the section. The only negative is the lack of a standard animated desktop.
Today I will show you how to set up an animated desktop using third party application called DeskScapes 8 by Stardock!
It is obvious
Before we begin, I must tell you the obvious. Using an animated desktop on a tablet, an old computer, or even a new one with poor performance may not be best idea regarding battery and graphics performance. Sure, you can sacrifice system resources to make your desktop look magical.
Of course, if you're on a modern setup with an enviable processor and graphics card, there's nothing wrong with using this feature. I use it on two Core i5 (Intel Skylake) based systems, a bunch of random access memory and two video cards (more precisely, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 and 970).
If you want more accurate data, the animated desktop consumes 6-9% of the CPU, with an average of 7%. While not much, it can slow down an outdated system. The good news is that you can always switch to a static image, conserving your precious CPU resource.
Purpose of the guide
In addition to the basic things, there is another problem that needs to be described. DeskScapes 8 is so named because it was created for Windows 8. You can run it on Windows 10, but you will get an error when you try to install it.
This problem is very easy to solve and I'll show you how to make it work. As already mentioned, the application is not designed for Windows 10 and is not optimized for the new OS, therefore Stardock does not guarantee the reliability and absence of problems. You do this at your own risk.
Let's start!
Animated desktops in Windows 10
First of all, you need to download the DeskScapes 8 installer. The application offers trial version for 30 days and costs $9.99. 30 days is more than enough time to decide if an app is worth $10.
In addition to the preinstalled animated desktops, you can create your own, or go to the WinCustomize website and download other people's creations. There are quite a few of them, so there is plenty to choose from.
Go to the Stardock website and download the installer. Agree to a 30-day trial and start downloading.
2. Compatibility mode
The main trick to run an app on Windows 10 is to use Compatibility Mode. This is an old feature from previous builds that works great with this installer. Right click on DeskScapes8_cnet-setup.exe and select Fix Compatibility Issues.
3. Troubleshooting program
You will be presented with 2 options. Select the second Fix application problem.
5. Version selection
Select Windows 8 from the next menu and click Next.
6. Test
Next, select Test the program... Under normal circumstances, the program will simply run and you can continue by clicking Next. However, this is an installer, so you will see a blinking Windows shield (User Account Management) icon on the taskbar.
Please note that this window will not be active, so you may miss it. Click on it and agree to run the installer.
7. Installation
Now the program can be installed on your computer. During the process, you will be asked if you would like to additionally install Decor8, another application from Stardock. I'm against it, just because this app is customizing the old Windows 8 start screen, and not very suitable for Windows 10. Make sure the checkbox is unchecked and continue.
8. 30 day trial
Stardock provides 30 days trial period. Either way, you will need to register and let the app check it out. The process is simple and requires an electronic version and a confirmation link. This action will activate the trial period. Most likely, Stardock has established such a way to combat piracy.
Compatibility
It is worth noting that after clicking Test the program ... the full installer of the application is launched. Therefore, you can click Cancel at any time after installing in compatibility mode. There is no need to run the installer twice.
That's all! DeskScapes 8 is now installed on your Windows 10. A few more tips:
* You can pause DeskScapes 8 at any time by right-clicking on the desktop and selecting Pause DeskScapes
* For PCs with multiple monitors, you can run DeskScapes in all windows or select one display. For example, you can set up an animated primary display and a static secondary monitor. In addition, you can set different animated wallpapers for each monitor. Everything depends on you!
* You can download the new wallpapers from the WinCustomize website. Just select an image/animation and download it to your computer. Double clicking on the downloaded file launches it in the application. You can create a special folder for animations.
* While DeskScapes is running, there may be a problem with moving files and folders on the desktop. It's always possible to choose a permanent wallpaper by going to Settings > Personalization, reorganize your files and folders, and enable DeskScapes again. Files and folders can be opened but cannot be moved while the application is running. Logging out and logging back in solves the problem.
* DeskScapes has several settings, including desktop icon transparency, which I recommend turning on.
* If the app does not include animated wallpapers and you see a black background, try logging out, logging in again and restarting DeskScapes 8.
* If you have multiple computers running Windows 10, you need to go to Settings > Account > Custom sync settings and disable Theme. This action will prevent DeskScapes from trying to sync with another Windows 10 PC. This feature apparently does not work.
* DeskScapes 8 can automatically pause when the laptop is on battery power.
Those who want a new Windows 10 login screen can find this feature on WinCustomize. The theme was created by AzDude, one of the most productive authors on the site. The version I'm using is Windows 10 v1, although they are all different.
Overall, DeskScapes works pretty well on my PC and I don't have any issues or complaints. This program - modern way customize your PC. Whether you're willing to pay $10 or not, at least now you know where to get it.
It is not yet known if there will be a version for Windows 10. If so, we will let you know.