# How to set a video as wallpaper on Mac > Source: https://macplus.pro/how-to-set-a-video-as-wallpaper-mac.html > Language: en > Updated: 2026-09-24 macOS has no built-in way to set your own video as wallpaper: **System Settings → Wallpaper** doesn't accept an MP4 or MOV, Apple's aerials only move as you lock or unlock the Mac, and Apple doesn't document a Live Photo moving on the desktop. To loop your own video continuously, you need an app such as Mac+. Search “add a video as wallpaper mac” and you'd expect a simple import button somewhere in System Settings. It doesn't exist — at least not for your own footage. macOS only animates Apple's own aerial scenes, as you lock or unlock your Mac, and even those stop moving the moment you start working; Apple doesn't document a Live Photo moving on the desktop at all. Here's exactly what the built-in tools can do, where they fall short if you want your own video playing continuously, and the simplest way to close that gap. By [Adrien Pennetier](https://macplus.pro/about.html) macOS developer, creator of Mac+ Updated 2026-09-24 · 5 min read ![macOS desktop running Mac+: the Flux animated wallpaper, a calendar widget and a weekend countdown, and two folders with custom icons](https://macplus.pro/img/scene-flux.jpg) The Flux scene as a background — the same slot your own video would fill. ## What System Settings → Wallpaper actually offers Open **System Settings → Wallpaper** and you'll find categories such as **Dynamic Wallpapers** (Apple's own images that shift with the time of day), the aerials (Apple's own drone and satellite footage, which animates as you lock or unlock your Mac, then stays still on the desktop), **Your Photos**, and solid **Colors**. There's no “import a video” button anywhere in that panel — you can't drag an MP4 or a MOV file onto it, and none of the built-in categories let you point macOS at a video file sitting in your Downloads folder. ## Native trick #1: use a Live Photo as your wallpaper The closest thing to using your own footage natively is a **Live Photo**. You can pick one from your Photos library in System Settings → Wallpaper, like any other photo. The catch: a Live Photo only records about 1.5 seconds before and after the shutter — a short clip tied to a single photo, not a video file of any length — and Apple's Mac wallpaper guide only describes choosing a photo, not playing its motion on the desktop, so don't count on it moving. There's also no way to loop it continuously or adjust its frame rate. ## Native trick #2: turn a video screensaver into your wallpaper Since macOS Sonoma, Apple's aerial and underwater screensavers have been tied to the wallpaper. On Sonoma and Sequoia, **System Settings → Screen Saver** gives the aerials a **Show as wallpaper** toggle, which Apple describes as using “a still aerial image as your wallpaper.” Since macOS Tahoe, Apple's guide no longer lists that toggle: you pick the aerial in System Settings → Wallpaper, Apple says it animates as you lock or unlock your Mac, and by default the same aerial is used as your screen saver. Either way, once your desktop settles you're looking at a still image; the motion only plays again at the next lock or unlock, and it's still limited to Apple's own scene library, not a file you own. ## Why neither trick gives you a real, continuous video wallpaper - **No import for your own file:** neither trick accepts an MP4 or MOV you shot or downloaded yourself. - **No continuous loop:** both leave a still image on your desktop while you work, instead of playing while you use your Mac. - **No frame rate or pause control:** you can't cap playback at a lower frame rate to save battery, or set it to pause automatically on battery power. - **No multi-display control:** there's no way to run a different scene, or your own video, on a second monitor. ## The easier way: loop your own video as wallpaper with Mac+ [Mac+](https://macplus.pro/live-wallpaper-mac.html) is a native macOS app built to close exactly that gap. Drop in your own MP4 or MOV and it loops continuously on your desktop, rendered in real time with Metal (Apple's GPU framework) so it stays smooth without relying on a still-frame trick. You control the frame rate (30, 60 or 120 fps) and resolution, and Mac+ pauses automatically when the screen sleeps or another app covers the desktop, full-screen apps included — so the impact on battery life stays marginal. If you don't have footage of your own ready, Mac+ also ships with 15 animated scenes across four families (Atmosphere, Fluid, Geometry, Weather), 44 color palettes, custom folder icons and free-floating desktop widgets. Your own video is part of the paid tier; the free tier needs no account and includes 6 animated scenes, so you can try the app before deciding. ## Loop your own video as a Mac wallpaper in 4 steps 1. Open Mac+ from the menu bar — no account needed to try it. 2. In Mac+, choose your own MP4 or MOV video as the wallpaper — a video background is part of the paid tier. 3. Set the frame rate (30/60/120 fps); the animation pauses on its own when the screen sleeps or an app covers the desktop. 4. Apply. Your video loops as your desktop background, under your icons and windows, on every connected display. macOS 13 or later. Apple Silicon and Intel. Free tier, no account required. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can I set my own video as a Mac wallpaper without installing anything? Not really. macOS only animates Apple's own aerials, as you lock or unlock the Mac, and they stop moving while you're actively working; Apple doesn't document a Live Photo moving on the desktop. To loop an MP4 or MOV you own, continuously and under your icons, you need an app built for it, like [Mac+](https://macplus.pro/live-wallpaper-mac.html). ### What video formats can I use as a wallpaper on Mac? System Settings doesn't accept a video file directly — only your images and photos, plus Apple's built-in scenes such as the aerials. Mac+ imports standard MP4 and MOV files and loops them with GPU rendering, no conversion needed. ### Does a video wallpaper drain a MacBook's battery? It can, depending on frame rate and resolution — see our full breakdown in [do animated wallpapers drain MacBook battery?](https://macplus.pro/do-animated-wallpapers-drain-macbook-battery.html). Mac+ lets you cap the frame rate at 30, 60 or 120 fps and pauses when the screen sleeps or an app covers the desktop, full screen included, to keep the impact marginal. ### Can I get a video wallpaper on Mac for free? Not with your own video: in Mac+, a video background is part of the paid tier (the one-time €9.99 purchase, or €1.99/month after a 7-day trial). The free tier needs no account and includes 6 animated scenes and an image background — see [free animated wallpapers for Mac](https://macplus.pro/free-animated-wallpapers-mac.html) for the full list and the other free options. ### Does a video wallpaper work across multiple monitors on Mac? With Mac+, yes — it's built for multi-display setups, with resolution adjusted per screen so a second monitor doesn't take an unnecessary performance hit. ### What's the difference between a Live Photo wallpaper and a real video wallpaper? A Live Photo is a short clip — about 1.5 seconds before and after the shot — tied to a single photo, and Apple's Mac guide doesn't document it moving on the desktop. A real video wallpaper, like the ones Mac+ renders, loops any video length continuously under your icons and windows, with an adjustable frame rate. ## Keep reading [Live wallpapers for Mac →](https://macplus.pro/live-wallpaper-mac.html) [Free animated wallpapers for Mac →](https://macplus.pro/free-animated-wallpapers-mac.html) [Do animated wallpapers drain MacBook battery? →](https://macplus.pro/do-animated-wallpapers-drain-macbook-battery.html) [Customize your Mac desktop →](https://macplus.pro/mac-desktop-customization.html) ## Sources - [Apple Support — Wallpaper settings on Mac](https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/wallpaper-settings-mchlp1103/mac) - [Apple Support — Customize the wallpaper on your Mac](https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/choose-your-desktop-picture-mchlp3013/mac) - [Apple Support — Change Screen Saver settings on Mac (macOS Sonoma 14)](https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/change-screen-saver-settings-mchlp1227/14.0/mac/14.0) - [Apple Support — Take and edit Live Photos](https://support.apple.com/en-us/104966) [← All guides](https://macplus.pro/blog.html)