The place to search out Mac dynamic wallpapers: High picks

When desktop wallpapers appeared, essentially the most well-known of which was Bliss, a panorama photograph taken in Sonoma County, California.

Fortunately, we will now set any desktop wallpaper we like. Apple launched dynamic desktop wallpapers throughout its macOS Mojave period, and with the discharge of Sequoia in 2024, the know-how and picture high quality improved even additional.

I’ll present you these dynamic wallpapers and how one can simply create your individual.

How one can create dynamic wallpapers for Mac

Unsurprisingly, the toughest a part of creating dynamic wallpapers is definitely getting outdoors and taking images from the identical spot for twenty-four hours. When you’ve performed that, you should compile these photos right into a single HEIC file with correct metadata, both based mostly on photo voltaic elevation or a set time sequence, and get them prepared on your desktop.

Discover that dynamic wallpapers aren’t easy photos, however fairly HEIC recordsdata. As you compress all of your photos into an accurate HEIC output, establishing your individual dynamic desktop wallpaper is simple.

So as to add dynamic wallpapers:

1. First, change your desktop to one of many dynamic wallpapers already in macOS. You will discover them in System Settings > Wallpaper > Dynamic Wallpapers.
2. Find your newly created time wallpaper, and select one to set as a desktop image.

Greatest sources for dynamic wallpapers in 2025

With macOS Sequoia, there are only some built-in choices so far as dynamic wallpapers are involved, which is disappointing for some customers.

However, what in order for you one thing totally different? Nicely, creating your individual dynamic backgrounds sounds thrilling, however even when you go down that path, it’s laborious to think about you’ll make quite a lot of. In spite of everything, it’s a loopy time dedication!

So, now the query is, the place do you get new dynamic wallpapers for Mac? You’ve a number of choices.

Dynamic Wallpaper Membership: Create and share wallpapers

First, take a look at Dynamic Wallpaper Membership. It’s a neighborhood that was organized proper after macOS Mojave got here out in 2018 to supply dynamic desktop wallpapers from creators all around the world.

The platform options dozens of cool time wallpapers and even has its personal software to make dynamic wallpaper creation simpler. The draw back is that there are usually not that many high-quality dynamic wallpapers obtainable.

24-Hour Wallpaper: Over 100 dynamic wallpapers that match the time of day

I additionally love utilizing 24-Hour Wallpaper. It comes with effectively over 100 totally different photos which have been was dynamic wallpapers. The photographs are taken by professionals and have nice 5K decision (Retina-friendly), leading to a desktop that consistently adjustments to maintain issues attention-grabbing.

Wallpaper Wizard: Big library of high-quality wallpapers

Wallpaper Wizard has received you lined. Identical to 24 Hour Wallpaper, this app lives primarily in your menu bar and boasts a large library of greater than 25,000 photos in 4K decision, prepared to indicate off your lovely Retina show.

You may flick thru the gathering and decide your favourite, whether or not it’s nature, folks, sports activities, and so on. It doesn’t have a dynamic wallpaper choice, nevertheless it has a Roll characteristic that permits you to cycle via tons of photos, so you possibly can change up your desktop everytime you need.

How one can use dynamic wallpapers with a number of shows

Nicely, macOS will deal with dynamic wallpapers throughout a number of displays with ease. I take pleasure in having the ability to show totally different backgrounds on my varied displays as a result of it helps make issues just a bit extra thrilling.

How one can arrange dynamic wallpapers on a number of Mac shows:

1. Go to System Settings > Wallpaper.
2. Choose every show within the Wallpaper drop-down.
3. For every show, select the dynamic wallpaper of your selection out of your native recordsdata or built-in choices.
4. Repeat this for every display related to your Mac.

The wallpaper will change on every display based mostly on the system time, and newer variations of macOS (like Ventura and Sequoia) deal with transitions extra easily.

Be taught from the knowledgeable’s information: How one can change the lock display on Mac.

What are dynamic wallpapers?

Apple launched dynamic wallpapers in 2018, setting a brand new precedent for what everybody thought was a characteristic that couldn’t be improved.

The concept behind dynamic backgrounds is that the picture stays the identical whereas its mild supply and temper change all through the day, from dawn to sundown and all through the night time. With macOS Sequoia, customers now get higher multi-monitor dealing with and smoother transitions.

Whereas most individuals suppose that time-lapse wallpapers are principally real-time movies, they’re, the truth is, a group of photos taken from the identical spot over a 24-hour interval with an accompanying textual content file that describes the place of the solar in every shot. This additionally means you possibly can create your individual dynamic desktop wallpapers when you so want.

Nonetheless, let’s focus on the distinction between dynamic and dwell wallpapers.

Dynamic wallpapers vs dwell wallpapers: What’s the distinction

What does dynamic vs dwell wallpapers imply? There are some variations that I wish to notice, ones that may enable you determine between the 2.

• Dynamic wallpapers: Change based mostly on time of day utilizing nonetheless photos. They’re at all times natively supported in macOS utilizing HEIC recordsdata. Every new macOS launch typically comes with a restricted variety of dynamic desktop wallpapers.
• Stay wallpapers: Animated or video-based. They often require third-party apps and will use extra system sources to run. If you wish to add a little bit of vibrancy and enjoyable to an in any other case boring desktop, then these dwell wallpapers are a wonderful selection.

I like utilizing each choices every so often, however that stated, the truth that I can create my very own dynamic wallpapers may be very thrilling.

Take a look at 6 greatest Full of life Wallpaper alternate options for Mac.

Discovering the perfect dynamic wallpapers for Mac: Conclusion

As you possibly can see, there are many methods so that you can benefit from the dynamic wallpaper characteristic on Mac. You may select one your self proper now from a restricted set ready by Apple, you may get impressed by some photos created by the enthusiastic neighborhood worldwide, and you may even create your individual from scratch! 

However to actually differentiate your self with out breaking a sweat, simply use the 24 Hour Wallpaper app with dozens of excellent time wallpapers. And when you’d ever wish to return to the static desktop, Wallpaper Wizard is there that can assist you out with its 4K library of 25,000 photographs. 

Better of all, these apps are completely free so that you can attempt for seven days via Setapp, a platform with greater than 260 helpful apps that make your time on Mac rather more satisfying and productive, from enhancing your sound with Growth 3D to conserving your visitors safe with ClearVPN.