Microsoft has begun testing a new feature for Windows 11 that enables users to set video files as their desktop wallpapers, reviving a functionality that was previously available in Windows Vista.
This new feature, identified in the latest builds of the operating system, allows users to use files such as MP4s or MKVs as their background, which play automatically whenever the desktop is viewed. The functionality is reminiscent of the DreamScene function, which was exclusively available for the Ultimate edition of Windows Vista before being discontinued 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 that regularly places in the top 10 most-played apps and games list on Steam. This popularity underscores the demand for customizable and dynamic desktop backgrounds.
This is not Microsoft’s first attempt at introducing animated backgrounds to Windows 11. The company had tested dynamic animated wallpapers for the operating system for years, with a design revealed earlier this year. Although these dynamic wallpapers were anticipated to ship in 2023, they were not included in the final release version of Windows 11.
