Microsoft has begun testing a video wallpaper capability within recent builds of Windows 11. The feature allows users to set video files as their desktop background, reviving functionality from a previous version of the operating system.
In the test versions, users can set MP4 or MKV files as their wallpaper, which play automatically whenever the desktop is in view. This functionality mirrors Windows Vista’s DreamScene, a feature exclusive to the operating system’s Ultimate edition that was later discontinued with the release of Windows 7.
Video backgrounds have been a highly requested feature from Windows users. The demand is evident in the sustained popularity of third-party tools like Wallpaper Engine, which regularly appears in Steam’s list of top 10 most played apps and games based on its high number of active installations.
This development follows years of internal testing by Microsoft on a separate dynamic animated wallpaper concept for Windows 11. A design for that earlier feature, which was anticipated for a 2023 launch, was revealed publicly this year but was not incorporated into the final release version of the software.
