Windows video wallpaper

Bring motion to your desktop.

Motiva is a native Windows application that plays videos and GIFs as a live wallpaper, behind your desktop icons — no browser, no fake fullscreen window.

Download for Windows Learn more
  • Native C++ / Qt 6
  • Video & GIF
  • Per-user install
The Motiva main window showing a preview of a video, the Play, Open Video and Remove Video buttons and the Set as Wallpaper button.
Motiva window (real screenshot)
Desktop is an illustration

Features

Everything Motiva does today

A focused set of features, all built into the current version.

  • Video wallpapers

    Play a video continuously behind your desktop icons, and pause, mute or loop it from Motiva.

  • GIF support

    Use an animated GIF as your wallpaper exactly like a video file.

  • Multiple media formats

    MP4, MKV, MOV, AVI, WMV, OGV and GIF. Video formats depend on the media backend Motiva ships with.

  • Drag & drop

    Drop a local video or GIF onto the window, or use Open Video to browse for one.

  • Load from a URL

    Paste a direct http(s) link to a video file — or press Ctrl+V in the window.

  • File Explorer integration

    Optionally add Set as background to the right-click menu of supported media files.

  • Battery control

    A Show video on battery setting lets you choose whether the video keeps playing on battery power.

  • Four themes

    Dark Aurora, Light Aurora, Dark Onyx and Light Onyx — switch any time in Settings.

  • Explorer recovery

    If Windows Explorer restarts, Motiva re-attaches the wallpaper on its own.

  • Plays well with Windows

    Pick a normal picture with Set as desktop background and Motiva steps aside, staying ready in the background.

  • Monitors & scaling

    Use all monitors, the primary one, or a specific one — with Fill, Fit, Stretch or Original scaling.

  • Search & startup

    Add Motiva to the Start Menu so Windows Search finds it, and optionally start it with Windows.

How it works

From file to wallpaper in four steps

  1. Choose media

    Drag a video or GIF in, open one, or paste a link.

  2. Preview

    Motiva plays it in its own window first, with play and pause controls.

  3. Set as Wallpaper

    One click puts it behind your desktop icons. Remove Wallpaper reverses it.

  4. Enjoy

    Motiva lives in the system tray while your desktop moves.

Demo & screenshots

See Motiva in action

Real screenshots of the app. They show a sample aurora GIF that was generated for these captures — your own media appears in its place.

Motiva in the Dark Aurora theme: video preview, playback buttons and the Set as Wallpaper button.
Dark Aurora — the default look.

Native Windows integration

Built for the Windows desktop

Motiva is a native C++ application using Qt 6 and Win32 — not a browser or a fullscreen overlay.

Behind your icons

The wallpaper is attached to the Windows desktop layer, beneath your desktop icons. It is not a topmost or fullscreen window, so the taskbar and your apps stay on top.

DirectComposition & Direct3D 11

Frames are decoded with Qt Multimedia and presented through DirectComposition using Direct3D 11.

Recovers on its own

Motiva detects Explorer restarts and re-attaches, and hands the desktop back when you choose a regular Windows wallpaper.

For users

Download for Windows

Get the latest Motiva release for Windows. Version 1.0.0

Download for Windows

Served from the official GitHub Releases page.

Requirements

  • 64-bit Windows (developed and tested on Windows 11)
  • No administrator rights needed — installs for your user account

Installing

  1. Run MotivaSetup.exe.
  2. Review the power usage notice.
  3. Choose a location and install.
  4. Launch Motiva and open a video or GIF.

Uninstall any time from Windows Settings ▸ Apps. Your settings and videos are kept.

For developers

Download Source Code

Explore, modify, and extend Motiva from the source.

View Source Code