In the latest test versions of the system, Microsoft enabled the use of .webp images as desktop background in the Windows 11 operating system. This option is available in Insider build 26220.7653, and is expected to arrive later in the final 24H2 or 25H2 builds.
Until now, Windows could technically display .webp images in applications and Internet browsers, but did not accept them as wallpaper via Settings > Personalization > Background setup menu. The novelty means that the system now reliably decodes the .webp format directly in the wallpaper path, without the need for users to convert files to JPG or PNG beforehand.
WebP is a format that offers a significantly smaller file size with similar or even better image quality compared to JPG and especially PNG, making it a practical choice for high-resolution backgrounds.
Windows 11 video wallpapers still out of reach for users
Although it has long been speculated that Microsoft is testing video wallpapers for the desktop, there is no sign of the feature in the current Insider builds. According to earlier information, the company internally experimented with support for MP4, WebM video formats and others, which would automatically play endlessly in a loop, with minimal impact on power consumption.
The idea was to integrate video backgrounds directly in Settings > Personalization > Background, without the need for additional applications. In the first preview builds from September, that option appeared briefly, but it has since been removed and is not present in newer versions.
Currently, users who want video wallpaper still have to rely on other tools such as: Lively Wallpaper or Wallpaper Engine, which offer similar functionality, but with added complexity and potentially higher system load.
Although the support for .webp wallpapers is not a big change, it indicates that Microsoft is gradually modernizing the visual capabilities of Windows 11. However, when it comes to factory video wallpapers, there is no indication that this option will reach end users anytime soon, reports Windows Latest.