Everyone knows how to change the desktop wallpaper in Windows 10. Although the procedure to change the wallpaper has slightly changed in Windows 10, one can right-click on a picture and then click the Set as desktop background option to quickly use a picture as a Windows 10 desktop background.
There are several built-in options to customize Windows 10, but there is no way out there to set a website as the desktop background.
Use a website or webpage as wallpaper in Windows 10
Many users who want to make the most out of the desktop area wish to set a live website or webpage as your desktop background in Windows 10. For instance, you might like to set your Twitter page as wallpaper to see the latest tweets. Similarly, some users might want to set a news website as their desktop background to see the latest news on the desktop instead of a static wallpaper.
Most users are not aware of this, but the good old Windows XP allowed users to set a webpage as wallpaper without the help of third-party software. A feature called Active Desktop allowed users to use a webpage as the desktop background in Windows XP. Even the Mac operating system will enable users to set a website as the desktop background without the help of third-party tools.
The Active Desktop feature was dropped from Windows Vista and is not present in the latest Windows 10 as well.
Luckily, setting a webpage as the desktop background is not a difficult task if you don’t mind using a third-party application. You can take the help of a free program called WallpaperWebPage to use a website or webpage as Windows 10 wallpaper with a few clicks.
WallpaperWebPage program to set a webpage as Windows 10 desktop background
WallpaperWebPage is a free program designed to allow Windows users to use a live webpage as the desktop background instead of a static image.
When the program is running, a small icon of WallpaperWebPage sits in the system tray. Right-click on WallpaperWebPage’s system tray icon, click Configure and then enter the URL of the website or webpage that you want to set as your Windows 10 desktop background.
The only downside of WallpaperWebPage is that it doesn’t replace the actual Windows desktop. Instead, the program’s window sits on top of the actual desktop and covers the full screen.
Because WallpaperWebPage doesn’t replace the actual desktop, it doesn’t display icons on your desktop, if you have any. You can see the actual Windows desktop using Windows logo + M hotkey and access icons on it, if any. Finally, there is no way out there to access the actual desktop using the mouse when the WallpaperWebPage is running.
To terminate WallpaperWebPage, right-click on its icon in the system tray and then click the Exit option.
Final thoughts
WallpaperWebPage is not perfect and certainly not comparable to the old Active Desktop feature. That said, with limited options, these are the best software out there to set a live website as your Windows 10 desktop background.
Let us know if there is a better way out there to set a live webpage as Windows 10 wallpaper for free.
Donovan says
Lively Wallpaper in the Windows Store is a great solution for this. Still dynamic webpage, but it is replacing the wallpaper on your desktop. I added some webpages from meWho.com, and they look fantastic. Even works with multiple screens.
Michael Welling says
Have you tried making a menu option to set the desktop as a parent? That’s the trick I use in my apps for doing that. Since the desktop is the parent, and the desktop runs in the background (unfocused and during the idle cycles) the webpage does that as well.
Hburda42 says
Wooow so F**ing useles, Background that if actualy foreground.
HK852 says
Does not work for me. Webpage isn’t showing. Says “An error has occured in the script on this page.”
Jassalaska Gape says
ALT + TAB works.
John Einstein says
“Finally, there is no way out there to access the actual desktop using the mouse when the WallpaperWebPage is running.”
Yes there is, simply click on “Desktop” under “This PC” in explorer window.
You guys are writing articles but don’t even know what you’re talking about. It’s hard to give you or your article some credibility.
Mr no click bait says
So you wrote an article with the title “How To Set A Webpage As Desktop Background In Windows 10” and then you get to the conclusion that it doesn’t work. It’s the same as sending a letter to some one and at the end write “I was going to send you some money in this letter but when I remembered it I already had the envelope closed”
robert says
Unfortunately the windows + M keys will not let me access anything. Instead I have to use the task manager to close the app and as such I cant change the web page that launches. There seems to be a lot of potential but I haven’t got it to a usable state yet. Will post later if I find a decent way to use it.
Jhox616 says
I tried everything to get Webpage As Desktop to work but nothing worked. It really would be nice if someone would program a work around for Microsoft’s block on it and also get it so that the icons sit on top of the webpage.
Thomas Cassen says
only in main monitor ! in case of multiple monitors, no choice possible
Genexyz says
how to resize the entire desktop background (website already present and in effect).
I don’t want the entire background covered and windows’ desktop icons should be always present like the ol’ Windows XP’s does.