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MMFoundation/WallpaperMachine

A free, open-source macOS app that plays Wallpaper Engine scene, video and web wallpapers from the Steam Workshop on Apple silicon Macs.

Open-source alternative to:Wallpaper Engine

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What is it?

WallpaperMachine is a native Mac client for Wallpaper Engine wallpapers. It plays scene, video and web wallpapers on the desktop, and includes Steam Workshop browsing and downloads, so users who want Wallpaper Engine-style animated wallpapers on macOS can use them without a Windows machine.

The app is built with SwiftUI and AppKit for the interface, with a Rust core that handles displays, wallpaper windows, video decoding and audio capture. Scene wallpapers are drawn by a C++ scene engine that is statically linked into the Rust core, using Metal, with a Vulkan-via-MoltenVK fallback for scenes the native renderer cannot draw. Requires an Apple silicon Mac running macOS 15 or later.

Beyond playback, it offers per-display wallpapers, playlists, pixiv illustration browsing, battery and power-based pause rules, and an optional lock screen animation on macOS 26 and later. Workshop downloads need a Steam account that owns Wallpaper Engine; the bundled Aurora Drift video wallpaper works without one.

Key features

  • 01Plays Wallpaper Engine scene, video and web wallpapers on macOS.
  • 02Browse and download Steam Workshop wallpapers inside the app.
  • 03Set different wallpapers, playlists and scaling for each display.
  • 04Pauses or lowers quality on battery, Low Power Mode or when covered.
  • 05Optional animated lock screen and screen saver on supported macOS versions.
  • 06Browse and save pixiv illustrations as wallpapers.

Use cases

  • Mac users who want Wallpaper Engine-style animated desktops without Windows.
  • Running different animated wallpapers across multiple monitors.
  • Saving battery on a MacBook by pausing wallpapers when on battery power.

Quick start

  1. 1

    Download the free disk image for the latest version

  2. 2

    Open the disk image and drag WallpaperMachine to Applications

  3. 3

    Open the app; in System Settings → Privacy & Security, click Open Anyway once

Things to know

  • Requires macOS 15 or later on Apple silicon Macs.
  • Not yet notarized, so macOS blocks the first launch and needs manual approval.
  • Scene wallpapers and Workshop downloads need a Steam account that owns Wallpaper Engine.
  • Licensed under GPL-2.0, a copyleft license.

In collections

Open-source Mac apps

Topics

#macos#wallpaper#live-wallpaper#swift#rust#metal#steam-workshop#desktop-customization#animated-wallpaper#apple-silicon

FAQ

What is WallpaperMachine?
A free, open-source macOS app that plays Wallpaper Engine scene, video and web wallpapers from the Steam Workshop on Apple silicon Macs. WallpaperMachine is a native Mac client for Wallpaper Engine wallpapers. It plays scene, video and web wallpapers on the desktop, and includes Steam Workshop browsing and downloads, so users who want Wallpaper Engine-style animated wallpapers on macOS can use them without a Windows machine.
Is WallpaperMachine free to use? What license does it have?
WallpaperMachine is open source under the GPL-2.0 license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is WallpaperMachine still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to WallpaperMachine was on Nov 7, 2026.
What can I use WallpaperMachine for?
Mac users who want Wallpaper Engine-style animated desktops without Windows. Running different animated wallpapers across multiple monitors. Saving battery on a MacBook by pausing wallpapers when on battery power.
How do I install WallpaperMachine?
Download the free disk image for the latest version Open the disk image and drag WallpaperMachine to Applications Open the app; in System Settings → Privacy & Security, click Open Anyway once
Where can I get WallpaperMachine?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/MMFoundation/WallpaperMachine

Summary generated by AI from the project's README. GitHub stats refresh daily.

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