Best xlivebg Alternatives ranked by AI · updated Aug 2026

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xlivebg is a lightweight X11 utility for displaying animated or video backgrounds on Linux desktops. It is aimed at users who want live wallpapers with minimal dependencies and command-line control.

Developer: Adaxi Price: Free 🎯 github.com/adaxi/xlivebg

🔓 Open Source 🐧 Linux desktop customization live wallpaper animated wallpaper

Top 6 xlivebg alternatives

mpvpaper

mpvpaper contributors

💡 Pick it if you use Wayland or need mpv's broad video-format support.

mpvpaper displays video wallpapers through the mpv media player on Wayland compositors. It is intended for Linux users who want reliable video...

Pros

Better Wayland support than xlivebg
Uses mpv, providing broad video-format compatibility
Supports per-output wallpaper configuration

Cons

Requires a Wayland compositor and is not a drop-in X11 replacement
More resource-intensive than xlivebg for simple backgrounds
Command-line setup is less approachable than Hidamari

Free

Alternatives to mpvpaper → Visit site

xwinwrap

hmerrill

💡 Pick it if you need to embed custom X11 programs behind desktop icons.

xwinwrap embeds arbitrary X11 applications or video players behind desktop icons as animated wallpapers. It is aimed at Linux power users who...

Pros

More flexible for embedding arbitrary X11 applications
Works with tools such as mpv and MPlayer
Longstanding choice for X11 live-wallpaper scripts

Cons

More fragile across desktop environments than dedicated managers
Requires more scripting and manual process management than xlivebg
Limited Wayland compatibility

Free

Alternatives to xwinwrap → Visit site

Hidamari

jeffshee

💡 Pick it if you want Linux live wallpapers managed through a graphical interface.

Hidamari is a graphical Linux application for setting videos and web pages as desktop wallpapers. It targets users who want a simple...

Pros

Much easier to configure than xlivebg
Supports both local videos and web pages
Provides a graphical wallpaper-management interface

Cons

Uses more memory than lightweight X11 utilities
Desktop and display-server compatibility can vary
Fewer advanced scripting controls than xlivebg

Free

Alternatives to Hidamari → Visit site

Lively Wallpaper

Lively Wallpaper Team

💡 Pick it if you use Windows and want a full-featured graphical live-wallpaper manager.

Lively Wallpaper is a free, open-source Windows application for animated desktop wallpapers and media-based backgrounds. It is suited to users who want...