How to Set a Live Wallpaper on Mac
How to set a live wallpaper on Mac — the free built-in dynamic and aerial wallpapers, and how to use a YouTube link with a live wallpaper app.
A live wallpaper is a desktop background that moves — a slow aerial shot, a looping 4K scene, or a video you like. macOS includes a few of these for free, and a live wallpaper app adds the rest, including your own videos and YouTube links. Here’s how to do both.
Short answer: For free built-in motion, open System Settings → Wallpaper and pick a Dynamic or Aerial wallpaper. To use a YouTube video or a ready-made 4K scene, install a live wallpaper app like Tayu (for your own video files, an app like ScreenPlay) — macOS can’t run custom video on its own.
Option 1: the live wallpapers built into macOS
Before installing anything, macOS already has some motion built in:
- Open System Settings.
- Click Wallpaper in the sidebar.
- Choose a Dynamic wallpaper (it shifts with the time of day) or an Aerial screensaver-style video.
This is free and takes seconds. The limit is that you’re stuck with Apple’s set — there’s no way to add your own video, a 4K scene from elsewhere, or a YouTube link.
Option 2: a live wallpaper app for your own content
When you want a specific 4K scene or a YouTube video as your background, you need a live wallpaper app. Tayu is a native Mac app built for this, and the flow is short:
- Download and open Tayu. It’s free.
- Pick a scene or paste a YouTube link. Choose from the built-in 4K library, or paste a YouTube URL to use that video as your wallpaper.
- Set the sound. Keep it silent, or use the matching ambient sound that comes with library scenes.
- Group or schedule it. Add scenes to a playlist, or — on Pro — schedule them to change through the day.
The free tier includes the full 4K scene library, ambient sound, playlists, and YouTube wallpapers. Pro removes the limits and adds scheduled scenes. If you’re comparing options first, see the best live wallpaper apps for Mac.
Things worth knowing
Battery
Moving wallpapers use a little more power than a still image, so it’s worth pausing playback or switching to a still scene when you’re trying to stretch a charge.
Multiple displays
A live wallpaper app generally lets you choose which screen a wallpaper runs on, so you set each display separately rather than in System Settings.
Sound
Built-in macOS wallpapers are silent. If you want sound with the picture, that’s where an app like Tayu differs — scenes can carry matching ambient sound, and a YouTube wallpaper can play with or without audio.
FAQ
What is a live wallpaper on Mac?
A live wallpaper is a desktop background that moves — a looping video or animated scene — instead of a still image. macOS includes a few (its dynamic and aerial wallpapers), and a live wallpaper app like Tayu adds moving 4K scenes and YouTube videos with matching ambient sound.
Does macOS have live wallpapers built in?
Yes, in a limited way. System Settings → Wallpaper includes dynamic wallpapers that shift with the time of day and slow aerial videos. They’re free, but you can’t add your own video or a YouTube link to them.
How do I use my own video as a live wallpaper on Mac?
macOS can’t do that on its own, so you use a live wallpaper app. Apps like ScreenPlay play your own video files; Tayu runs a 4K scene or a YouTube link as the desktop background.
Are live wallpapers free on Mac?
The built-in dynamic and aerial wallpapers are free. Third-party apps vary — Tayu, for example, is free to start with a full 4K scene library and optional YouTube wallpapers, with a paid Pro tier for scheduling and unlimited saves.
Do live wallpapers drain the battery?
A moving wallpaper uses a little more power than a still image, so most apps let you pause playback or switch to a still scene on battery. On a charger the difference is small.
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.