14 DAY TRIAL // macOS Mojave introduced a new feature called Dynamic Desktop, which pretty much plays the role of a more advanced wallpaper changer based on sunrise and sunset times.
Basically, what this feature does is change your desktop background based on the time of day, so for example, you can get a darker wallpaper in the evening in order to make everything on the screen easier on the eyes.
Needless to say, this is quite a neat touch on macOS, so it’s no surprise that many want the same functionality on Windows 10 too.
While the operating system doesn’t natively support such a feature, the large app ecosystem that powers Windows 10 lends these users a hand, and this time it comes in the form of a modern app called WinDynamicDesktop.
This app has been around for a while to provide pretty much the same functionality as Apple’s Dynamic Desktop on a Windows 10 device.
Published in the Microsoft Store, WinDynamicDesktop can use either the LocationIQ API or the Windows location API to convert your location to latitude and longitude and thus determine sunrise and sunset times.
Based on these values, the app, which runs minimized in the tray, can change your desktop background accordingly.
The interface of the app is pretty simple, and on the first launch, you only have to input your location and then choose one of the pre-installed wallpaper packs. You can download more from GitHub or create your own using wallpapers stored locally.
There’s not much to configure about WinDynamicDesktop, and this is actually a good thing, as beginners shouldn’t have a hard time using it. After completing the initial setup, the app runs in the system tray and automatically replaces the wallpaper based on the original settings.
You can further adjust this configuration with a right-click on the system tray icon, so there’s no other UI, which once again I think scores extra in terms of usability. This simplified menu includes options to change the theme, adjust the location, pick a different wallpaper, enable the dark mode (which automatically activates the background that’s supposed to be set in the evening), and configure the app to run on boot.
Obviously, enabling persistence is something that you should do in order to enjoy the benefits of a dynamic desktop without any interruptions.
One of the features that I think are very useful is the automatic location tracking, which allows WinDynamicDesktop to automatically retrieve your location using the default Windows service. This comes in handy particularly on laptops for people that travel a lot, so this way, the app can determine the sunset and sunrise times correctly.
WinDynamicDesktop is by no means a resource hog, and the app runs in the background without generating any noticeable slowdown, and this is something that deserves all the praises given you should keep it running all the time.
Windows 10 version 1607 (Anniversary Update) and newer is required to be able to install this app from the Microsoft Store.
THE BOTTOM LINE
WinDynamicDesktop is without a doubt a handy tool for Windows 10 users, especially because it automates the wallpaper changing process based on an approach that Apple implemented natively in macOS Mojave.
The best thing about this app is that it does the whole thing without using a cluttered interface or options that nobody would use, so you get pretty much the essential feature package in a super-straightforward interface.
You can also create your very own themes if you want full control over the photos that are used as desktop backgrounds, and enable the dark mode on request quickly from the system tray icon.
