Microsoft has started testing a feature for Windows 11 that allows video files to be used as desktop wallpapers. This functionality, identified in the latest builds of the operating system, enables users to set files such as MP4s or MKVs as their background. The videos play automatically whenever the desktop is viewed.
This feature revives the DreamScene function, which was previously available exclusively for the Ultimate edition of Windows Vista. Microsoft discontinued DreamScene with the release of Windows 7. The new implementation operates similarly to third-party solutions like Wallpaper Engine, a highly requested tool among Windows users.
The popularity of video wallpapers is evidenced by Wallpaper Engine regularly placing in the top 10 most-played apps and games list on Steam. This is not Microsoft’s first recent attempt at animated backgrounds. The company had tested dynamic animated wallpapers for Windows 11 for years, with a design revealed earlier this year. These dynamic wallpapers were anticipated to ship in 2023 but were not included in the final release version of Windows 11.
