How to Make a Video Wallpaper on Your Phone

What you need to know to set up cool video wallpaper on your Android or iPhone

by
Renée Lynn Midrack
Renée Lynn Midrack
Writer
Renée Midrack is a former writer for Lifewire, where she wrote on emerging technology and smart devices. Midrack has been writing about technology for 15+ years.
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Renée Lynn Midrack
Updated on July 04, 2021
reviewed by
Christine Baker
Lifewire Tech Review Board Member
Christine Baker is a marketing consultant with experience working for a variety of clients. Her expertise includes social media, web development, and graphic design.
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Article reviewed on Aug 07, 2020
Christine Baker

What to Know

  • On iPhone, tap Settings > Wallpaper > Choose a New Wallpaper. Tap Live or Live Photos > select video.
  • On newer Androids, open the Gallery > select the video to use as wallpaper > Set as Live Wallpaper.
  • For older Androids, download VideoWall app or Video Live Wallpaper app to make a video as your wallpaper.

This article explains how to turn a video into the wallpaper on your iPhone or Android smartphone. Instructions apply to iPhone 6S and later, and devices with Android 4.1 and above.

How to Set a Video as Your Wallpaper on iPhone

To use a video wallpaper on your iPhone, select any video clip you captured using the Live Photo feature in the iPhone camera app.

  1. Go to Settings > Wallpaper.

  2. Select Choose a New Wallpaper.

    Settings, Wallpaper, and Choose a New Wallpaper options on an iPhone

  3. Choose Live to use one of the preloaded, animated wallpapers.

  4. Alternatively, scroll down and select your Live Photos folder to use one you took.

  5. Choose the live wallpaper you want to use.

    Live wallpaper options on an iPhone

  6. Press the screen to preview the animated effect.

    Tap Live Photo in the lower-middle of the screen only if you want to turn the animation off.

  7. Choose Set in the lower-right corner when you're ready to make the video your iPhone wallpaper.

  8. Select Set Lock Screen, Set Home Screen, or Set Both.

    Setting a live wallpaper on an iPhone

Make a Video Your Wallpaper on Android

There are several Android apps in Google Play that you can download to make video wallpaper, such as the VideoWall app or the Video Live Wallpaper app. The following instructions apply to the Video Live Wallpaper app, but the steps are similar for VideoWall.

  1. Download the Video Live Wallpaper app on your Android.

  2. Open the Video Live Wallpaper app, select Choose Video, then tap Allow to give the app permission to access your media files.

  3. Select a video from your phone that you want to use as the live wallpaper.

    Video wallpaper on phone

  4. To adjust the start and end times, drag the slider along the video's timeline. Tap Play to preview the clip.

  5. Tap the Picture icon in the upper-right corner to see what the live wallpaper will look like.

  6. To make changes to how the video displays, choose the Settings gear icon in the upper-right corner of the preview screen. From there, you can enable or disable the audio and adjust the Scale Fit setting.

    Video Wallpaper app with scrubber and Settings icon highlighted

  7. Choose Set wallpaper, then choose Home screen or Home screen and lock screen, depending on your preference.

    Live Wallpaper app with Set Wallpaper and options highlighted

Newer versions of Android allow you to create live wallpapers natively. Open the Gallery app, select the video, and choose Set as Live Wallpaper. If the video is too long, you'll need to trim it first.

What Is a Video Wallpaper

A video wallpaper, also called a live wallpaper, makes your phone's background move or show a short video clip. Live wallpapers can spice up a phone beyond the standard, static wallpaper. Some smartphones come with live wallpapers pre-installed, like floating feathers, shooting stars, or falling snow. However, you can also make your custom live wallpaper from any video.

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