How to Set and Customize a Screensaver on Mac
How to set and customize a Mac screensaver — pick Apple’s aerial videos, set when it starts, use your own photos, and how it differs from a live wallpaper.
Screensavers are still one of the nicest small touches on a Mac — especially Apple’s slow aerial videos. Here’s how to set one, customize it, and the one thing a screensaver can’t do that a live wallpaper can.
Short answer: Open System Settings → Screen Saver to choose one, including Apple’s aerial videos, and set when it starts under Lock Screen. A screensaver only runs when your Mac is idle — if you want a calm moving scene while you work, that’s a live wallpaper, which Tayu can also show full-screen on demand.
How to set a screensaver
- Open System Settings.
- Click Screen Saver.
- Pick one — Apple’s Aerial drone videos, a classic animated screensaver, or a photo slideshow.
The aerial videos are the highlight: slow, cinematic shots of landscapes and cities. On recent macOS, the same aerial scenes are also offered as wallpapers, so the look can carry over to your desktop.
Set when it starts
On recent macOS, the timing lives in System Settings → Lock Screen, under Start Screen Saver when inactive. Pick a delay that suits you. To start it on demand, assign a Hot Corner in Desktop & Dock → Hot Corners and flick your cursor there.
Use your own photos
For a personal touch, choose a photo or slideshow screensaver and point it at one of your albums. Custom video screensavers need a third-party screensaver, which is more niche — if a moving scene is what you’re really after, a live wallpaper is usually the simpler path.
Screensaver vs live wallpaper
They solve different things. A screensaver runs when your Mac is idle. A live wallpaper moves behind your icons while you work. If you keep setting a screensaver hoping for motion during the day, what you actually want is a live wallpaper — see how to set a live wallpaper on Mac.
A living alternative with Tayu
Tayu runs a calm 4K scene as your live wallpaper, and its overlay mode can fill the screen with a scene and ambient sound on demand — say, when you want a short break. It isn’t a macOS screensaver, but it’s an easy way to get a full-screen scene whenever you want one. Overlay mode is on the free tier.
FAQ
How do I change my screensaver on Mac?
Open System Settings → Screen Saver and pick one. You can choose Apple’s aerial videos, classic animated screensavers, or a photo slideshow from your own pictures.
How do I set when the screensaver starts?
On recent macOS, the timing lives in System Settings → Lock Screen, under “Start Screen Saver when inactive.” You can also assign a Hot Corner to start it instantly.
Can I use my own photos or video as a screensaver?
You can use your own photos by choosing a photo or slideshow screensaver and pointing it at an album. Custom video screensavers need a third-party screensaver; for a moving scene while you work, a live wallpaper app is usually simpler.
What’s the difference between a screensaver and a live wallpaper?
A screensaver runs when your Mac is idle; a live wallpaper moves behind your icons while you work. If you want motion all the time, you want a live wallpaper, not a screensaver.
A calmer live wallpaper for Mac
Tayu pairs 4K nature scenes with ambient sound, YouTube wallpapers, playlists, schedules, and AI scene switching for focused work and small breaks.