[SOLVED] Why is My Live Wallpaper Not Working?

You may get a little annoyed if your live wallpaper is not working on your mobile device or computer.

After all, live wallpapers can add more liveliness and interactive characteristics to your device’s screen.

So, when this screen stops working, your device’s screen might appear a little boring.

Why is My Live Wallpaper Not Working?

Live wallpapers can appear in the form of animations, GIFs, and videos. Some wallpapers can display movements parallel to the movements of the device. That said, there can be several reasons why is my live wallpaper not working.

Below are some of the most common reasons for your reference: 

• You are using a corrupted photo as your live wallpaper.
• A live wallpaper can function on your device’s lock screen only. So, if you intend to use it on the home screen, it will not work.
• Your device’s battery is too low.
• The third-party app you use has become outdated (or it may have other issues).
• Your device’s OS is outdated.
• The device doesn’t have a 3D touch, so it will not support live wallpapers.

Besides, we are set to talk about the features of the iPhone safe mode and an ideal program for enabling or disabling your iPhone safe mode easily.

Part 1: Fixing Live Wallpaper on iOS

Now that you have a good awareness of why is my live wallpaper not working, let’s proceed.

In this section, we explain the solutions you can try to overcome this issue.

01. Restart it

The first solution you can consider is to restart the respective iPad or the iPhone. This action will clear the caches and ongoing processes. Then, the device will start fresh.

If you use an iPhone, you will not find a direct method to restart it. Instead, you should power off the device once and switch it on. In many cases, restarting the device is the solution to address many minor glitches. We do believe that this will fix most of the minor errors with ease.

02. Turn on the Feature Called Live Photo

We all make mistakes at least once in a while. Well, what if you have disabled your device’s live photo feature? So, here’s how to fix this issue.

• First, go to “Settings” and go to the option called “Wallpaper.”

• Then, you should go to the option called “Choose New Wallpaper.”
• Tap on the option called “Live.” Then, select a live photo as you wish.

• You will be able to find the icon for “Live Photo” at the bottom. If it is disabled, turn it on.

• After that, select “Set.” Then, select “Set Lock Screen.”

03. Set a Different Wallpaper

Let’s assume that you are using a corrupted live wallpaper. So, the chances are that it may not work. Therefore, it is better to try a different live wallpaper and see what happens.

04. Deactivate Low-power Mode

Low power mode will disable some features of your iPhone to save battery life. So, just check and disable this mode on your device.

• Go to “Settings” and select “Battery.”

• After that, turn off the low-power slide toward the left.

• Then, check if your live wallpaper is not working.

05. Activate Live Photos and Auto-Play Videos

iOS comes with an option to auto-play live photos and videos. Nevertheless, if this feature is disabled, it may not work even on the device’s lock screen. You can go through the following steps to fix it.

• Open iOS through your home screen.
• Select Photos.

• Go to Auto-Play Videos and Live Photos.
• Tap the slider to activate the feature.

06. Activate 3D and Haptic Touch

If you intend to use live wallpaper, use a device that works with 3D touch. Below is how to enable this feature on your iPad or iPhone.

• Go to “Settings” and select “Accessibility.”

• Select “Physical and Motor.” Go to “Touch.”

• Select “3D & Haptic Touch“.

• Enable “3D Touch“. 

• Set “Fast” under “Touch Duration.”

07. Deactivate “Reduced Motion”

There is a feature called “Reduced Motion.” This can make your iOS show lagging performance. If it is activated, the live wallpaper may not work effectively. So, it is best to disable this feature. Below is how to do it.

• Go to “Settings” on the iOS device.
• Then, select “Accessibility” > “Motion.”

• Disable “Reduce Motion.”

08. Update the iOS

If you still wonder, “why is my live wallpaper not working” here’s what you should do. As per this method, you should update your device’s OS. Generally, your device may notify you when receiving an update. However, you can still forget an important update. Below is how to do it.

• First, go to “Settings” and select “General.”
• After that, tap “Software Update.” If you are using an outdated iOS, an option will appear to update it. If everything is fine, the message “iOS is up to date” will be displayed.

• After that, you should wait for a while so the installation will be completed. Then, you should see if it works as expected.

09. Reset the Settings of Your iOS Device

Here’s another option you should try. If none of the above has worked so far, try to reset the settings of your iOS device.

• Go to “Settings” and select “General.”
• Scroll down to see “Transfer or Reset iPhone.”

• Select “Reset.” Then, go to “Reset All Settings.”

• Then, enter the passcode.

Your device will lose many files during this process. In addition to that, all the settings on your device will be changed to the original settings. With this specific solution, you will be able to fix the error.

Also, if you wonder how to make Live Photos into videos, here, we will explain the easy ways to turn live photos into videos for you.

Part 2: Fixing Live Wallpaper on Android

Some Android devices come with a default live wallpaper feature. Otherwise, you will have to download a 3^rd party Live Wallpaper app.

If you have such a device and its live wallpaper is not working, here’s how to fix it.

01. Check if the Respective Android Device is Compatible

Make sure to check if your device is compatible with Live Wallpaper. That means your device must support 3D Touch. This feature is required for the Live Wallpaper feature to work. So, as the first solution, check the compatibility of the device.

02. Clear the Cache of 3^rd Party App

If you are using a 3^rd party live wallpaper, just go ahead and clear its cache. Over time, the cache can build up and cause various issues.

So, we suggest you clear the cache, and it will work properly. After all, clearing the cache of 3^rd party apps regularly is required for their smooth function.

Below is how to do it.

• Go to the settings option.
• Then, go to “Apps” and select the respective app.

• After that, go to “Storage.”

• Tap “Clear Cache.”

03. Restart the Device

If the previous option doesn’t work, you should restart the device. To restart your Android device, just press and hold its power button. From the appearing menu, tap “Restart.”

04. Check if an Update Available

It is better to update your Android OS to avoid potential glitches, including live wallpaper not working. Here are the steps to do it.

• Go to “Settings” and select “Software Update.”
• Select “Download and Install.”

• Install any available update.
• Then, the device will get restarted. Now, you can check if the issue is fixed.

05. Reset the Settings of Your Android Device

Resetting all the settings will erase system files and install fresh ones for better performance. Below is how to reset settings on an Android device.

• Go to “Settings” and select “General Management.”

• Tap on “Reset.”
• Then, go to “Reset All Settings.” Enter the password.

• When the reset is done, reboot the device. Then, you can download the 3^rd party live wallpaper and see if it works.

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Part 3: Fixing Live Wallpaper on a Computer (Windows/MacOS)

The live wallpaper feature works on Windows and macOS. When it comes t macOS, it has a default Live Wallpaper. But for Windows, you should use a third-party one.

01. Enable Animate Controls

If you want to run live wallpapers on a Windows desktop, you should enable a specific option. It is called “Animate Controls & Elements.” Below is how to do it.

• Open the Run utility and enter the text “SystemPropertiesPerformance.”

• Press “Enter.”
• In the new window, select the option “Animate Controls and Element inside the Windows.”

02. Check if an Update Available

In some cases, software updates might prevent you from using Live Wallpaper. So, here’s how to check for available updates.

On Windows PC

• Go to “Settings” through the Start Menu.
• Go to “Windows Update.” If there are any, apply them.
• Click “Restart Now.”

On MacOS

• Go to “System Preferences” from the menu bar.
• Go to “Software Update.”
• If there is an installation available, click “Upgrade Now.”

• Then, wait for the update to be completed.

FAQs

1. Can live wallpapers damage my phone?
   No, but they may use more battery power.
2. Why does my live wallpaper stop moving?
   It could be due to power-saving settings or an app issue.
3. Are live wallpapers safe?
   Yes, but only if downloaded from trusted sources.
4. Can I create my own live wallpaper?
   Yes, several apps allow you to do so.
5. Does using live wallpapers slow down my phone?
   It can, particularly on older or less powerful devices.

Conclusion

That’s what you can do if your live wallpaper is not working. However, if none of those solutions work, uninstall the respective Live Wallpaper app and redownload it.