You cannot set a video, GIF, or animated wallpaper as the actual Windows 11 lock-screen background. Microsoft’s supported lock-screen choices are Windows Spotlight, a still picture, and a slideshow of pictures. The setting that makes the lock-screen image react when you move your PC adds a slight motion effect to an image; it does not play video.
The closest practical alternative is a video screensaver. Apps such as Lively Wallpaper can play a video when Windows is idle and can be configured to require sign-in when you resume activity. That is a screensaver, however, not a replacement for the native Windows lock-screen background.
What Windows 11 supports natively
To view the available lock-screen options, open Start > Settings > Personalization > Lock screen. Under Personalize your lock screen, Windows provides:
| Option | What it does |
|---|---|
| Windows Spotlight | Shows rotating Microsoft-provided images, tips, and notifications. |
| Picture | Uses one still image that you select. |
| Slideshow | Rotates through still images in one or more folders. |
There is no video, GIF, MP4, animated wallpaper, or live-wallpaper input in this menu. Windows Spotlight is not a video wallpaper; it changes between images.
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstall#1 Best Overall
- Easy and Convenient: just peel and stick! no additional glue is needed, quick and easy to install. The wallpaper can be pasted by either vertically or horizontally, both ways are very easy to handle. There is grid and measurement on the backing paper, you can easily cut for your needed size.
- Size and Tip: 1 roll of wallpaper is 45 x 300 cm/ 17.7 x 118 inch; Warm tip: it is better to buy enough rolls at once to ensure they come from the same batch to avoid color differences. And do not remove the entire back protective film at once.
- Transform Your Space: the minimalist abstract wallpaper is full of artistic style, elevating art deco-inspired spaces and showing your taste, easy to create a warm and comfortable atmosphere for your home.
- Wide Applications: the removable wallpaper can be applied on any smooth, flat, clean, dirt-free surface, such as walls (bedroom, living room, kitchen, bathroom), cabinets and drawers, countertops, bookshelves, closet shelves, shelves, doors, stairs, windows and everywhere you like.
- Enough Quantity: the package includes 1 roll of peel and stick wallpaper, ready to use, no mess, self-adhesive wallpaper. No pastes or glues needed, and no residue left behind; Color: as the pictures shown.
You may also see Make the lock screen image react when I move my PC. This applies a small pan or movement effect to a still image when the device moves. It does not turn an image into a video and cannot open an MP4 or GIF file.
Closest workaround: use a video screensaver
Lively Wallpaper can play videos as desktop wallpapers and can also provide a screensaver that displays videos, GIFs, webpages, or pictures. The screensaver route is the closest match to an animated lock-screen experience because it can appear automatically after a period of inactivity.
When the screensaver ends or you resume using the computer, Windows can require you to sign in. The video is still being displayed by the screensaver—not by the Windows lock-screen background system.
Set up Lively’s video screensaver
- Install Lively Wallpaper from the Microsoft Store or use its installer version.
- Open Lively and select Settings > Screensaver.
- For the Microsoft Store version, follow Lively’s setup instructions to install or enable its screensaver.
- Open Windows screensaver settings and select Lively.
- Set the inactivity timeout. Enable the option to require sign-in when resuming if you want the computer to lock after the animation.
- Return to Lively’s control panel, select the video you want to use as the screensaver, and configure the timeout. Reopen the control panel if necessary.
The Microsoft Store version requires Lively to remain running in the background for its screensaver to work. With the installer version, the screensaver can run independently of the Lively app.
Rank #2
- Package includes: You’ll get 1 roll of moving mountains bulletin board background paper, measuring 45 cm x 6 m (17.7 inches x 20 feet). This mountain forest bulletin board paper roll provides ample coverage for daily use and replacements, making it ideal for classroom decorating and a wide range of DIY projects.
- Mountain forest design: This back to school bulletin board background features a unique mountain forest pattern, adding a stylish and natural visual touch to any display. The scenic design draws students’ attention and creates a lively, inspiring back-to-school atmosphere, combining beauty with practicality.
- Quality material: This moving mountains bulletin board paper is made of high-quality, thick, and durable paper with a smooth surface. The mountain forest craft paper roll resists tearing and keeps its color vibrant over time, making it ideal for long-term classroom use and various decorative settings.
- Easy to use:This moving mountains bulletin board poster paper roll is easy to use—simply cut it to the desired length, size, or shape to fit any space. Ideal for small areas or large bulletin boards, it can be easily adjusted and paired with other decorations to create a vibrant, eye-catching display.
- Wide applications: This moving mountains bulletin board art paper is ideal for back to school classroom decoration and school bulletin boards, and also works for DIY craft projects, camping or adventure-themed parties, and for enhancing rooms, walls, windows, and more. A convenient and versatile choice for teachers, project organizers, and event planners.
Alternative manual screensaver installation
Lively’s documentation also provides a utility screensaver package. The process is:
- Download lively_utility_screensaver.zip from Lively’s documented release or screensaver page.
- Extract the ZIP file.
- Copy the included .scr file to C:\Windows\Lively.scr.
- Right-click the copied file and select Install.
- In Windows screensaver settings, select Lively.
- Configure the timeout, then reopen the Lively control panel if necessary.
Only download the utility from Lively’s official project sources. Copying a screensaver file into the Windows folder requires administrator permission.
Make the video screensaver lock the PC
The screensaver and lock screen are separate Windows features. To make the workaround protect the computer:
- Press Windows + I to open Settings.
- Go to Personalization > Lock screen.
- Open Screen saver or search Windows Settings for Change screen saver.
- Choose Lively from the Screen saver list.
- Set a value in Wait, such as 5 or 10 minutes.
- Enable On resume, display logon screen.
- Select Apply, then OK.
After the selected idle period, the video screensaver starts. Moving the mouse or pressing a key exits it and displays the sign-in screen. This gives you an animated idle screen followed by authentication, but it does not place the video behind the native lock-screen interface.
Rank #3
- Print Dimensions: 16" x 16";Finished Dimensions: 16" x 16"
- Premium Printing: Printed on premium paper using non-toxic, archival inks that protect against UV light to resist fading
- Beautiful Artwork For Any Room: Wall art provides the perfect finishing touch to your living room, dining room, family room, bedroom, kid's room, bathroom, kitchen, office, laundry room, nursery, or any room with unwanted blank wall space
Video screensaver troubleshooting
The video does not play
Windows N, KN, and some Education installations may be missing media codecs. Lively identifies additional codec support as a requirement for video playback on affected editions. Install the appropriate Microsoft media component for your Windows edition, then restart Lively.
Playback is unstable or Lively crashes
Lively uses GPU hardware decoding for better performance, but hardware decoding can be unstable on some systems. If the video stutters, crashes, or the screensaver closes unexpectedly, try disabling GPU decoding in Lively’s video-player settings.
The screensaver stops early or controls appear on screen
These issues have been fixed or changed in newer Lively releases, including problems involving video looping, screensavers stopping when lock on resume is enabled, visible on-screen controls, and MPV crashes. Update Lively before diagnosing the video file itself.
It stopped working after Windows 11 24H2
Older Lively builds had compatibility problems with Windows 11 24H2. Current releases include rewritten components intended to fix wallpaper restart loops and unwanted restarts on that version. Update to a current release rather than relying on an old build.
Rank #4
- Print Dimensions: 24" x 24";Finished Dimensions: 24" x 24"
- Premium Printing: Printed on premium paper using non-toxic, archival inks that protect against UV light to resist fading
- Beautiful Artwork For Any Room: Wall art provides the perfect finishing touch to your living room, dining room, family room, bedroom, kid's room, bathroom, kitchen, office, laundry room, nursery, or any room with unwanted blank wall space
Microsoft Store versus installer version
The distribution you install affects video-player options. The Microsoft Store version supports Lively’s default MPV video player only; additional video-player plugins cannot be installed there. The installer version supports the documented alternative player and plugin options.
If you need to troubleshoot MPV directly, Lively documents these configuration locations:
- Installer version: C:\Users\<UserName>\AppData\Local\Lively Wallpaper\Mpv\portable_config\
- Microsoft Store version: %LocalAppData%\Packages\12030rocksdanister.LivelyWallpaper_97hta09mmv6hy\LocalCache\Local\Lively Wallpaper\Mpv\portable_config\
What does not work
- Choosing Windows Spotlight will not produce a video; it displays rotating still images.
- Enabling Make the lock screen image react when I move my PC will not play an animation file.
- Enabling Show the lock screen background picture on the sign-in screen only copies the selected still lock-screen image to the sign-in screen. It does not add video support.
- Using Lively’s desktop wallpaper feature changes the desktop, not the native lock screen.
- No supported Windows command converts a video into a native Windows 11 lock-screen background. Any method that claims to do this is using a workaround, an unsupported modification, or confusing the desktop with the lock screen.
Reports about experimental native video-wallpaper support in Windows concern the desktop and do not change Microsoft’s current lock-screen controls.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.FAQ
Can I set an MP4 as the Windows 11 lock-screen background?
No. Windows 11’s supported lock-screen choices are Windows Spotlight, Picture, and Slideshow. An MP4 can be used with a third-party desktop wallpaper app or video screensaver, but not as the native lock-screen background.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Does Lively Wallpaper support video lock screens?
Lively supports video desktop wallpapers and video screensavers. It does not replace the native Windows 11 lock-screen background with a video.
Can a GIF be used on the Windows 11 lock screen?
Not natively. A GIF can be used in a compatible third-party screensaver or desktop-wallpaper setup, but Windows’ built-in lock-screen settings do not accept animated GIFs.
How do I make the video screensaver lock Windows?
Select Lively in Windows screensaver settings, set the timeout, and enable On resume, display logon screen. The animation appears while the computer is idle, and Windows shows the sign-in screen when you resume.
Is Windows Spotlight a live or video wallpaper?
No. Windows Spotlight displays rotating Microsoft-provided images, along with optional tips, tricks, and notifications. It does not play video.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →The Bottom Line
Windows 11 cannot use a video as its actual lock-screen background. For an animated idle screen, install Lively Wallpaper and configure its video screensaver, then enable On resume, display logon screen. If you need the video visible on the desktop instead, use Lively’s desktop wallpaper feature—but keep that separate from the Windows lock screen.
For the official lock-screen behavior, see Microsoft’s lock-screen customization guide. Lively’s relevant instructions are its screensaver documentation and video guide.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
