Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised May 28, 2026

Wallpaper Engine

Wallpaper Engine is an application for Windows with a companion app on Android which allows users to use and create animated and interactive wallpapers, similar to the defunct Windows DreamScene. Wallpapers are shared through the Steam Workshop functionality as user-created downloadable content. It features its own rendering engine and provides a wallpaper editor, allowing for the creation of 2D and 3D wallpapers, including a particle system editor and a fork of JavaScript called SceneScript for additional wallpaper logic. It also supports using video files, audio files, webpages and some 3D applications as wallpapers.

Last revised
May 28, 2026
Read time
≈ 2 min
Length
436 w
Citations
11
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Wallpaper Engine
DevelopersKristjan Skutta, Tim Eulitz
Initial releaseEarly Access on Steam Greenlight: 10 October 2016 (2016-10-10)1
Stable release
2.7.3 / 4 September 2025 (2025-09-04)
Written inC++,2 JavaScript, PHP
Operating systemWindows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows 11, Android
PlatformIA-32 and x86-64
LicenseProprietary software
Websitehttps://www.wallpaperengine.io/

Wallpaper Engine is an application for Windows with a companion app on Android3 which allows users to use and create animated and interactive wallpapers, similar to the defunct Windows DreamScene. Wallpapers are shared through the Steam Workshop functionality as user-created downloadable content. It features its own rendering engine and provides a wallpaper editor, allowing for the creation of 2D and 3D wallpapers, including a particle system editor and a fork of JavaScript called SceneScript for additional wallpaper logic. It also supports using video files, audio files, webpages and some 3D applications as wallpapers.4

History

A proposal outlining the general idea of the software was added to Steam Greenlight in December 2015.1 The application was subsequently released as a paid product on Steam in October 2016 as an early access title. After three years of development, the software left its early access stage in November 2018.5 In August 2019, Wallpaper Engine was announced to be one of the release titles for Steam China.6

In late November of 2021, the team released version 2.0 of Wallpaper Engine. This update brought a new logo, a large set of additional features, support for Windows 11, and a free android release that interfaces with the desktop version.7

Despite not being a game, Wallpaper Engine is one of the most used apps on Steam, being located in Steam's Top 25 played games in July 20198 and Top 10 played games in November 2021.9 Kotaku reported users in China used it to share pornographic videos in 2022.10

References

References

  1. "Steam Greenlight :: Wallpaper Engine". Steam.
  2. "What is Wallpaper Engine programmed/created in?". Steam.
  3. "Wallpaper Engine - Wallpaper Engine 2.0 - Free Android App, New Logo, New Features and More! - Steam News". store.steampowered.com. 2021-11-26. Retrieved 2021-11-27.
  4. "Wallpaper Engine gives you the desktop backgrounds your PC deserves". PC Gamer.
  5. "Wallpaper Engine has been released!". Steam.
  6. "Steam China will be 'almost entirely independent of Steam'". PC Gamer. PC Gamer. 21 August 2019.
  7. "Wallpaper Engine 2.0 - Free Android App, New Logo, New Features and More!". store.steampowered.com. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
  8. "Wallpaper Engine, As Told By Steam Reviews". Kotaku Australia. 2019-07-23. Archived from the original on March 28, 2020. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  9. Yin-Poole, Wesley (2021-11-27). "Steam sets new concurrent users record with over 27 million online". Eurogamer. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  10. Jiang, Sisi (2022-07-26). "Chinese Steam Users Get Around National Porn Ban With Wallpaper App". Kotaku. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
External links