Wallpaper Changer

Windows includes a feature that makes it possible to set up a wallpaper slideshow, but it does have some limitations that may encourage some users to look for a third-party alternative.

Wallpaper Changer is an open-source application that provides you with a few more options that the default Windows feature, and it runs unobtrusively in the system tray.

When setting up a wallpaper slideshow in Windows, you only have a few preset intervals to choose from. This program allows you to define any duration you wish, although it would have helped if you could use minutes or hours, not just seconds.

While the wallpapers are chosen randomly, the application will always ensure every image in the selected folder is used before one is repeated. What’s more, you can change the current wallpaper quickly from the system tray menu.

No installation is required, and your settings are stored in an XML file in the same folder, which means the application is fully portable. Both your wallpaper and past selections are remembered between restarts.

After selecting the folder where your images are stored, simply set the update interval and minimize the application to the system tray. It will continue to change your wallpaper while running in the background, and you can right-click the tray icon to change the current one manually.

Last but not least, it is worth mentioning that the program has a very low memory footprint, as it does not attempt to load all the wallpapers into the system memory or read the directory’s entire contents when performing a swap.

Overall, Wallpaper Changer is a great tool for users who need a simple tool that offers a bit more flexibility than the Windows wallpaper slideshow feature.