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Glam Journal

Can you have animated wallpapers on Windows 8?

Author

David Craig

Updated on March 15, 2026

Can you have animated wallpapers on Windows 8?

Microsoft has introduced animated backgrounds for Start screen with Windows 8.1 but the catch is that you need to choose one of the animated backgrounds that ship with Windows 8.1 and you’re not allowed to set a custom picture as Start screen background.

What is the Start screen of Windows 8 called?

Windows 8 pre-announcement (2010) Microsoft called this new experience the “Immersive Shell” during development, which ended up being officially called the Start screen or Metro/Modern UI.

How do I set a GIF as my background Windows 8?

Windows 8 Start Screen Customizer can apply animated GIFs to the Start screen’s background….How to Set an Animated GIF as Wallpaper

  1. Download, install and run the Start Screen Customizer program.
  2. Save the animated GIF you want to place as the background image to the hard drive.

Is Windows 8.1 still supported in 2021?

Update 7/19/2021: Windows 8.1 is long outdated, but technically supported through 2023. If you need to download an ISO to reinstall the full version of the operating system, you can download one from Microsoft here.

How do you make a video your background on Windows 8?

Right-click the clip and play it in VLC media player. As it plays, right-click on the player window and choose Video > Set as Wallpaper. Alternatively, click Video > Set as Wallpaper from the menu.

How do I make a GIF my background on Windows?

Use an Animated GIF As Your Desktop Background on Windows 10

  1. Launch Wallpaper Engine.
  2. Choose which monitor you want to customize.
  3. Use the Discover and Workshop tabs to find new desktop backgrounds.
  4. Select the background you want to use, and then click on the Subscribe button.

Is DeskScapes free?

DeskScapes – Free download and software reviews – CNET Download.

Is there a Windows 9?

Even though Windows 9 doesn’t exist, you can still keep other versions of Windows, like Windows 10 and Windows 8, updated and free from bugs using Windows Update.

Is Windows 8 end of life?

Support for Windows 8 ended on January 12, 2016. Learn more. To avoid performance and reliability issues, we recommend that you upgrade your operating system to Windows 10 or download Windows 8.1 for free.