How to add wallpapers in Wallpaper Engine?

Adding wallpapers in Wallpaper Engine is a straightforward process primarily done through the software's interface, allowing you to browse the vast Steam Workshop collection or import your own files. The provided reference, a section from the video "How to use Wallpaper Engine - Guide & Review" between 1:21 and 3:03, highlights the ease of using Wallpaper Engine to customize your desktop environment, which includes adding wallpapers.

Here are the common methods for adding wallpapers:

Methods to Add Wallpapers

Wallpaper Engine offers two main ways to expand your wallpaper library: browsing the Steam Workshop or importing local files.

Steam Workshop

The Steam Workshop is the largest source of wallpapers for Wallpaper Engine, featuring creations from the community. This is often the first place users look for new, dynamic backgrounds.

1. Open Wallpaper Engine: Launch the application, usually done automatically when your computer starts or manually via Steam.
2. Navigate the Browser: The main window serves as your wallpaper browser. You'll typically see tabs like "Installed," "Discover," "Browse," and "Settings."
3. Explore Wallpapers:
   • Discover: Shows popular and trending wallpapers.
   • Browse: Allows you to search by keywords, filter by tags, types (scene, video, web, app), resolution, aspect ratio, and more.
4. Subscribe to Wallpapers: Once you find a wallpaper you like, simply click the "Subscribe" button. Wallpaper Engine will automatically download and install it. Subscribed wallpapers appear under the "Installed" tab.
5. Apply Wallpaper: Click on the newly installed wallpaper under the "Installed" tab to apply it to your desktop(s).

Local Files

You can also add wallpapers you've created yourself or downloaded from other sources outside the Steam Workshop.

1. Open Wallpaper Engine: Launch the application.
2. Click the Add Button: In the bottom-left corner of the main browser window, look for a button that typically says "Add" or displays a "+" icon.
3. Select Create or Open:
   • Choosing "Open from file" allows you to import existing wallpaper files (video, image, web, etc.).
   • Choosing "Create wallpaper" opens the editor to build your own interactive scenes or static images.
4. Browse for Your File: If you selected "Open from file," a file explorer window will pop up. Navigate to the location of your wallpaper file.
5. Select and Open: Choose the file you want to add and click "Open."
6. Import Settings (if applicable): Depending on the file type, you might see options to configure playback, scale, or other settings.
7. OK/Import: Confirm the import. The local file will now appear under your "Installed" wallpapers or a dedicated "Local" section, ready to be applied.

Tips for Adding Wallpapers

• File Types: Wallpaper Engine supports various types, including videos (.mp4, .webm), static images (.jpg, .png), animated GIFs, web pages (HTML, URL), and interactive scenes created within the editor.
• Performance: Interactive scenes and video wallpapers generally use more resources than static images or simple web wallpapers. The software includes performance settings to optimize usage.
• Multi-Monitor Setups: You can configure different wallpapers for each monitor or stretch a single wallpaper across multiple displays within Wallpaper Engine's settings.

By using these methods, you can easily customize your desktop background with a wide variety of dynamic and static wallpapers, cultivating your desired desktop environment as suggested by the reference video.