A classic Windows Vista desktop feature could be back in Windows 11 soon

Over the last two decades, Microsoft experimented a lot with Windows' user interface, but one thing has been mostly the same: desktop backgrounds. All these years, Windows users had simple static backgrounds, and those who wanted something more lively had to opt for third-party apps like Wallpaper Engine or similar. Now, it appears that Microsoft wants to spice up the desktop background in Windows 11 by bringing back a classic Windows Vista feature.

In 2007, Microsoft introduced Windows DreamScene, a special feature part of Windows Vista Ultimate, that allowed users to set animated desktop backgrounds instead of static images. It was only available in the top-tier Vista edition, and it required quite a beefy PC. DreamScene never made it past Vista, but it could be back in Windows 11.

@phantomofearth discovered that the latest Windows 11 preview builds from the Dev and Beta Channels let you set MP4 files as wallpapers for animated desktops:

For now, this feature is hidden from the public eye, and Microsoft has not announced it yet. Therefore, it might never see the light of day. Animated desktops are not Microsoft's first experiment with desktop backgrounds in Windows 11. The company wanted to equip the operating system with dynamic wallpapers with a parallax effect, but despite early discoveries, this customization never made it to the public. Therefore, we will have to wait for an official announcement on this one as well before getting too excited.

Would you use animated wallpapers if Windows 11 had this feature as native? Share your thoughts in the comments.