How to Set a Video Screensaver on Mac

You want a video screensaver on Mac that shows your own clip when you walk away. Apple's aerials move beautifully, but the built-in picker does not offer an import button for an arbitrary movie. For a personal video, use an app that prepares it for macOS; for a ready-made scene, start with an Apple aerial. Here are both routes, plus a free option for people who only need a screen saver.

Step 1: Try an Apple aerial first

If you like Apple's footage, you can have motion on the screen saver without installing anything. On macOS Tahoe 26, open System Settings → Wallpaper → Screen Saver, choose Custom, then pick an aerial under Landscape, Cityscape, Underwater, or Earth. Apple's screen saver guide also describes using an aerial as the wallpaper, with its slow-motion video playing when the screen saver starts.

On macOS Sequoia 15, the Screen Saver controls are in their own System Settings pane. The Backdrop screen saver route below starts at macOS 15, but the exact Apple control layout differs by release.

Apple's aerials are the quickest free answer when you do not need your video. For a slideshow of still photos instead, Apple's Photos screen saver instructions cover that separate option.

Step 2: Turn your own video into a Backdrop wallpaper

Backdrop's Lock Screen setup guide says its prepared video wallpapers appear in macOS Wallpaper settings and play as the screen saver when the Mac idles. There is no dedicated “Screen Saver Mode” switch or “Set as Screen Saver” button. Set up the wallpaper and let macOS handle the idle playback.

1. Open Backdrop and choose a scene from your library or its community collection. To use your own MP4 or MOV, click Create → Editor, import your video, preview and trim it, then save it to your library. Leave the publishing option off if the clip is only for you. Our editor walkthrough has the detailed preparation steps.
2. In Backdrop settings, turn on Enable Lock Screen Support and follow any setup prompts.
3. Apply the wallpaper in Backdrop. In System Settings → Wallpaper, confirm that the prepared Backdrop wallpaper is selected. Give macOS a few seconds to prepare it.
4. Let the Mac idle to test the result. On Tahoe 26, open System Settings → Wallpaper → Screen Saver to preview what macOS will play.

Once macOS has the prepared wallpaper, the current Cindori support page says it continues playing on the Lock Screen and as the screen saver even when Backdrop is no longer running.

Step 3: Choose when the screen saver starts

A correctly prepared wallpaper can seem broken if the display turns off before the screen saver appears. On Tahoe, open System Settings → Wallpaper → Screen Saver and set Start Screen Saver to the idle interval you want. Apple's Screen Saver settings reference lists that control, along with Preview. Check System Settings → Lock Screen for the display-off interval and make sure it leaves enough time to see your video.

Tip: Test with a short interval first. Once you have seen the video start, choose timing that suits your privacy and battery preferences.

If you use more than one display, check each screen rather than assuming the same scene appears everywhere. Backdrop supports per-display wallpaper choices, while macOS controls when the screen saver starts. The behavior of an exact multi-display setup should be checked on those displays.

A free route for your own clip

Aerial 4 is a free, open-source screen saver that also accepts your own .mov and .mp4 files. Its current site lists version 4.1.5 for macOS 26 or later and explains that older macOS builds have separate download options. Add a clip through its video library, then select Aerial in macOS's screen saver controls. It suits a rotating screen saver or Apple's aerial collection mixed with your footage. Aerial 4.1 also offers native wallpaper playback in beta on macOS 26. Backdrop starts at macOS 15 and adds an in-app video editor plus a browsable community wallpaper catalog.

Frequently asked questions

Pick the setup that matches your clip

Apple's aerials are ready in System Settings. For a clip you made, Backdrop's editor prepares the video, and macOS carries the selected wallpaper into the idle screen. Give it one short-timer test: you should see your own scene begin before the display turns off.

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Related guides

Set a video as your Mac wallpaper · Change your Mac Lock Screen · Use Backdrop's video editor