Download These Official Dynamic Wallpapers Originally Planned for Windows 11

Iconic Wallpapers of Windows: A Glimpse into Their Evolution

Most users of the Windows operating system can agree on one thing: its legendary wallpapers. From the serene “Bliss”of Windows XP, which has made a return in a modern 4K version developed in Microsoft’s Designer app, to today’s stunning visuals, the aesthetic appeal remains a defining feature of the OS.

Windows 10 and 11: Aesthetic Inspirations

Transitioning to the modern era, Windows 10 introduced the striking “Hero”wallpaper, while Windows 11 showcases the captivating “Bloom.”This creation aligns with Microsoft’s vision for a fresh start, as noted during the OS launch:

With Windows 11, a fresh perspective starts with the very first image you see on the screen: a desktop wallpaper that’s also a symbolic image of starting anew with this operating system.

Inspired by flowers, this new blue beauty is called Bloom. The story of its creation spans a creative and dynamic collaboration between engineering, design, and marketing teams at Microsoft, across an ocean during a pandemic and which incorporated a parallel workflow that caught the eye of Windows 11 designers.

The Dynamic Evolution of Windows 11 Wallpapers

Before settling on the familiar “Bloom,”Microsoft explored various iterations of this wallpaper. Recently, Sergey Kisselev, a designer and enthusiast, unveiled new live “Dynamic”wallpapers on Behance. Inspired by floral elements akin to the official Bloom wallpaper, Kisselev’s creations reflect Microsoft’s ongoing innovations in design:

A variety of dynamic animations and still images were explored for Microsoft’s low-cost devices, primarily targeting educational users. This work was part of the Windows Creative Direction Team’s efforts to celebrate a new centered signature composition for Windows 11, highlighting its centered Start Menu and taskbar. The designs were crafted to be adaptable for light and dark modes, allowing for flexibility in interpretation and execution.

Unforeseen Changes in Windows 11’s Dynamic Features

Interestingly, while these dynamic wallpapers were part of the Windows 11 22H2 and 23H2 releases, they were ultimately omitted from the forthcoming 24H2 update. This decision raised questions about the Windows Insider channels as well:

“Have they already been scrapped?”Yeah. The (unfinished) components for this actually shipped with Windows 11 version 22H2 and 23H2 but got removed in 24H2. The same system component also powers the AI/depth effect enhanced wallpapers. Everything cool is destined to be canceled. https://t.co/YNmEDBLve2

— Albacore ☁️ (@thebookisclosed) January 2, 2025

Visualizing Potential: The Abandoned Features

The following examples illustrate what the Start screen might have looked like had these dynamic wallpapers received the green light:

Envision the Start screen:

Download Options for Dynamic Wallpapers

Users interested in exploring these dynamic wallpapers can download them in high quality from the following OneDrive link. The collection includes two 4K “live”versions of the “Light”theme and “Blue loop”in MP4 format, as well as visual representations that could have defined Windows 11’s aesthetic had the dynamic wallpapers been implemented. Lower resolution options are also accessible in the accompanying gallery.

Source: Sergey Kisselev (Behance) via Albacore