How to Enable and Use Dynamic Desktop in Mac OS Mojave

Posted on 20th June 2023

How to Enable and Use Dynamic Desktop in MacOS Mojave

Apple’s latest desktop operating system, MacOS Mojave, introduces a number of new features and enhancements. One of the more visually striking changes is the addition of a new Dynamic Desktop feature. This allows users to automatically have their desktop wallpaper change throughout the day, based on the time of day.

In this article, we’ll show you how to enable and use Dynamic Desktop in MacOS Mojave.

Enabling Dynamic Desktop

Dynamic Desktop is not enabled by default in MacOS Mojave. To enable it, open the System Preferences app and click on the Desktop & Screen Saver preference pane.

In the Desktop & Screen Saver preference pane, you’ll see a new Dynamic Desktop section near the top. To enable Dynamic Desktop, simply check the box next to the “Enable Dynamic Desktop” option.

Once Dynamic Desktop is enabled, you’ll see a new “Dynamic Desktops” section appear below it. This section contains a number of different pre-built dynamic desktops that you can choose from.

If you want to use one of the pre-built dynamic desktops, simply click on it and then click the “Apply” button. Your desktop wallpaper will immediately change to the selected dynamic desktop.

If you don’t see a dynamic desktop that you like, don’t worry. You can easily create your own custom dynamic desktop.

Creating a Custom Dynamic Desktop

To create a custom dynamic desktop, first, you’ll need to find a high-quality image that you want to use. The image should be at least 5120×2880 pixels in size. Once you have your image, open it in the Preview app.

With the image open in Preview, click on the “View” menu and then select the “Slideshow” option. This will start a slideshow of the image.

While the image is in the slideshow, click on the “Tools” menu and then select the “Adjust Size” option. In the Adjust Size window, make sure the “Resolution” is set to 72 pixels per inch.

Once the Resolution is set, click on the “File” menu and then select the “Export As” option. In the Export window, select the “JPEG” format and then click on the “Export” button.

When prompted, choose a location to save the image and then click on the “Export” button.

Now that you have your image exported as a JPEG, it’s time to create your dynamic desktop.

To do this, open the Automator app and then create a new “Quick Action” document. In the Quick Action document, select the “Files & Folders” option and then drag the “Get Selected Finder Items” action from the left side into the right side.

Next, search for the “Change Type of Images” action and then drag it into the right side, below the “Get Selected Finder Items” action.

In the “Change Type of Images” action, select the “JPEG” option from the “New File Type” drop-down menu.

Now, search for the “Set Desktop Picture” action and then drag it into the right side, below the “Change Type of Images” action.

Finally, click on the “File” menu and then select the “Save” option. In the “Save As” field, enter a name for your dynamic desktop and then click on the “Save” button.

Your dynamic desktop is now saved and can be found in the “Desktop & Screen Saver” preference pane.

Using Your Dynamic Desktop

Once you’ve created your dynamic desktop, you can select it and click on the “Apply” button to have it applied to your desktop immediately.

If you want your dynamic desktop to change automatically throughout the day, you can click on the “Options” button in the “Desktop & Screen Saver” preference pane.

In the Options window, you’ll see a “Dynamic Desktop” section. To have your dynamic desktop change automatically, simply check the box next to the “Change picture” option and then select a time interval from the “Every” drop-down menu.

Once you’ve made your selections, close the Options window and your dynamic desktop will change automatically based on the time interval that you selected.

Assuming you have a compatible Mac, you can enable Dynamic Desktop in System Preferences. Open System Preferences and click on the Desktop & Screen Saver preference pane. In the sidebar, you’ll see a new option for Dynamic Desktop. Click it and you’ll see the two dynamic desktops that are included with Mojave.

To set either of the dynamic desktops as your current desktop, simply click on the desktop image. It will change to reflect the time of day where you are. You can also click and hold on the image to see a preview of what the desktop will look like at different times of day.

If you want to create your own dynamic desktop, you’ll need to use a third-party app like DesktopDynamic. This app gives you much more control over the look of your dynamic desktop, including the ability to use your own photos.

Once you’ve downloaded and installed DesktopDynamic, open it and click on the “+” button to add a new dynamic desktop. You can give it a name and select a folder of photos to use. The app will then generate a dynamic desktop based on the photos in the folder.

If you want to use a dynamic desktop on your iPhone or iPad, you’ll need to use an app like Live Wallpapers for Me. This app includes a number of dynamic wallpapers, including some that are similar to the ones in Mojave.

To set a dynamic wallpaper, open the app and select the wallpaper you want to use. Tap on the “Set Live Wallpaper” button and then choose whether you want to set it as your Lock screen, Home screen, or both.

How to Enable and Use Dynamic Desktop in Mac OS Mojave

If you have a compatible Mac, you can enable Dynamic Desktop in System Preferences. Open System Preferences and click on the Desktop & Screen Saver preference pane. In the sidebar, you’ll see a new option for Dynamic Desktop. Click it and you’ll see the two dynamic desktops that are included with Mojave.

To set either of the dynamic desktops as your current desktop, simply click on the desktop image. It will change to reflect the time of day where you are. You can also click and hold on the image to see a preview of what the desktop will look like at different times of day.

If you want to create your own dynamic desktop, you’ll need to use a third-party app like DesktopDynamic. This app gives you much more control over the look of your dynamic desktop, including the ability to use your own photos.

Once you’ve downloaded and installed DesktopDynamic, open it and click on the “+” button to add a new dynamic desktop. You can give it a name and select a folder of photos to use. The app will then generate a dynamic desktop based on the photos in the folder.

If you want to use a dynamic desktop on your iPhone or iPad, you’ll need to use an app like Live Wallpapers for Me. This app includes a number of dynamic wallpapers, including some that are similar to the ones in Mojave.

To set a dynamic wallpaper, open the app and select the wallpaper you want to use. Tap on the “Set Live Wallpaper” button and then choose whether you want to set it as your Lock screen, Home screen, or both.