Windows users have waited years for the return of this feature! You will once again be able to choose a video as your desktop wallpaper

Microsoft is preparing a feature for Windows 11 whose return users have been waiting for almost two decades. The system will soon allow setting a video as the desktop background, a feature last offered by Windows Vista Ultimate in 2007 through DreamScene. The new feature, hidden in the latest Insider builds, was highlighted by the well-known enthusiast @phantomofearth, who regularly discovers upcoming features in test versions of the system.

DreamScene: The Forgotten Gem of Windows Vista

Windows DreamScene was one of the exclusive features of the Windows Vista Ultimate edition. The technology allowed setting animated wallpapers in WMV and MPEG formats, utilizing GPU graphics performance via the Desktop Window Manager (Aero). Thanks to hardware acceleration, video playback did not affect normal computer usage.

With the arrival of Windows 7 in 2009, Microsoft removed the feature without replacement. Users thus lost the ability to have dynamic wallpapers and had to settle for static images or photo slideshows. This move caused a wave of dissatisfaction, as competing systems like macOS or various Linux distributions gradually added similar features.

The Return of Video Wallpapers in Windows 11

The new feature in Windows 11 supports a wide range of formats, including MP4, MOV, AVI, WMV, M4V, and MKV. Setting a video as wallpaper will be as simple as with regular images – just select the file in personalization settings. Microsoft has not yet announced how the feature will affect laptop battery life or system performance.

Windows DreamScene is back! Hidden in the latest Windows 11 Dev/Beta build (26×20.6690) is built in support for setting video files like .mp4 as your desktop background: pic.twitter.com/B4vdtfvqSc

— phantomofearth 🌳 (@phantomofearth) September 20, 2025

The feature is currently in the Dev and Beta channels of the Windows Insider program, but Microsoft has not yet officially announced it. This suggests that several weeks or months of testing remain before its public release. Given the nature of the feature, it can be expected to be available in all editions of Windows 11, not just in premium versions as was the case with DreamScene.

Popular Third-Party Alternatives

The absence of native support created space for third-party developers. Among the most popular tools is Wallpaper Engine available on Steam, which offers not only videos but also 3D environments and interactive wallpapers. The application has gained millions of users thanks to its extensive library of community wallpapers and low system resource requirements.

Other popular alternatives include Lively Wallpaper as a free open-source solution or the paid DeskScapes from Stardock. These tools have proven that there is a persistent interest in dynamic wallpapers among Windows users, which Microsoft ignored for many years.

Technical Details and Availability

According to available information, the feature will be integrated directly into the system menu for background settings. Users will therefore not need to install any additional applications or tools. Microsoft will likely implement automatic playback pausing when maximizing windows or launching games to minimize performance impact.

The official launch is expected in one of the upcoming major Windows 11 updates. Until then, interested users can try the feature by joining the Windows Insider program, where it is available in the latest builds.

Are you looking forward to the return of video wallpapers to Windows?

Sources: @phantomofearth/X, Windows Central