How to Add Your Own Custom Arial Screensavers & Wallpapers (macOS 14 Sonoma+)

[Edgecrusherr]

Hi everyone. I didn't see a direct how-to on this, so I thought I'd make one. Also, feel free to share your custom ones.


Arial screensaver / wallpaper file Info:
Use videos files, must be MOV format (you can rename most MP4s to MOV. If it doesn't work, use Quicktime or Handbrake to re-encode the file), ideally looping, 4K and HDR supported, but not needed.
Sound is not needed (probably not used at all), so stripping the sound out will save file space.
I've seen the thumbnails as small as 214×130 pixels, and as big as 1920x1080. Not sure it really matters. I just make a quick screenshot of the video and use that.

Placement and naming:
I'm doing this by replacing one of the already downloaded arial videos and thumbnail. However, I'm sure there's a way to modify the info files, so macOS knows the file is there, and I'm sure someone could write a simple script to do all of moving of the files and info entries, but I've already sucked at scripting, and my way is fast and easy enough.

PS: you need admin permissions to do all of this.


Video (MOV) goes here:
/Library/Application Support/com.apple.idleassetsd/Customer/4KSDR240FPS

Thumbnail (JPEG) goes here:
/Library/Application Support/com.apple.idleassetsd/snapshots


Update:
I'm finding that both the wallpaper and screensaver stop working after some time, and display as gray (what macOS uses when a wallpaper or screensaver is set, but missing). Toggling the option to "Show as Screensaver" off and back on fixes it for awhile. Not sure if there's a way we can fix this, or if it's a coincidental Sonoma bug (this version of macOS has been a crapshoot for me on the stability side of things,. I'm running it on 4 computers, and all 4 have various issues. I had to run the 14.2 beta just to use external drives on my Mac Studio. I wish Apple would focus on quality and stability, instead of feeding us new glittery versions every year!).


I have my halloween themed files attached, inspired by the upcoming Spooky Fast media event.

 

[TinyMito]

If someone can make a Matrix wallpaper...

 

[jedimasterkyle]

I'll have to try this out later. Thanks for posting!

 

[Edgecrusherr]

Thanks as well everyone! Please let me knowif anyone has any issues or discovers anything new with this. I notied on my work laptop that the wallpaper goes blank/gray after a few hours. I'm not sure if it's what I did, or just Sonoma being buggy (it's been a really poor quality system version for me).

 

[gank41]

If someone can make a Matrix wallpaper...

This would be amazing.

 

[nzreg]

This is great information, being able to have a custom screensaver was one thing I missed in Ventura.
when you say replace an existing screensaver with a custom one could you explain how to do this.
sorry but I am a real dumbbell at this sort of thing.
much appreciated👌

 

[Edgecrusherr]

I was using https://aerialscreensaver.github.io/ to do this before Sonoma, so that may be a better option for some people. to use a custom video, it take just about as many steps as this new way though, so I thought I've give this a try.

 

[Edgecrusherr]

Made another one based on the Apple Spooky Fast event opening and closing.

 

[bmw335dA]

Made another one based on the Apple Spooky Fast event opening and closing.

View attachment 2305821

Any chance to download this?

 

[Komyea]

Hmm, I was able to make a custom screensaver using OPs instructions but also ran into the issue where it stopped working. I noticed when it was only set to play on a single screen (I am running 3 on a 5,1/Sonoma) it worked. Then when I toggled 'show on all spaces' and it broke. Now it just shows black screen even for the wallpaper.

edit: After watching a YT video, i edited my mov to be the same length as one of the built in ones, and that proceeded to solve my problem for the screen saver however, it involves setting the same mov file as a wall paper which makes my desktops all black. Can't seem to get it to work any other way.

 

[Nicky.tbhp]

Hmm, I was able to make a custom screensaver using OPs instructions but also ran into the issue where it stopped working. I noticed when it was only set to play on a single screen (I am running 3 on a 5,1/Sonoma) it worked. Then when I toggled 'show on all spaces' and it broke. Now it just shows black screen even for the wallpaper.

edit: After watching a YT video, i edited my mov to be the same length as one of the built in ones, and that proceeded to solve my problem for the screen saver however, it involves setting the same mov file as a wall paper which makes my desktops all black. Can't seem to get it to work any other way.

I have only MacBook Air M1. No additional display. I made same Time length video as original wallpaper video. I can only run if I keep the option on "show as wallpaper". It goes blank after 5 seconds (1st loop of my video). it will work well after I press some key. Then again it goes blank after 5-6 loops.
Can you please provide the link of YouTube video?

 

[Komyea]

Here you go: You Tube

 

[perimus]

There's an open source project on github to simplify adding a custom video here: https://github.com/FalconLee1011/Customized-Aerial-Screen-Saver

In addition to copying the video and thumbnails, it updates `/Library/Application Support/com.apple.idleassetsd/Customer/entries.json` with a custom video category and the added videos

 

[nigameash]

There's an open source project on github to simplify adding a custom video here: https://github.com/FalconLee1011/Customized-Aerial-Screen-Saver

In addition to copying the video and thumbnails, it updates `/Library/Application Support/com.apple.idleassetsd/Customer/entries.json` with a custom video category and the added videos

Thanks for sharing, very cool.

 

[E.Lizardo]

Hi everyone. I didn't see a direct how-to on this, so I thought I'd make one. Also, feel free to share your custom ones.


Arial screensaver / wallpaper file Info:
Use videos files, must be MOV format (you can rename most MP4s to MOV. If it doesn't work, use Quicktime or Handbrake to re-encode the file), ideally looping, 4K and HDR supported, but not needed.
Sound is not needed (probably not used at all), so stripping the sound out will save file space.
I've seen the thumbnails as small as 214×130 pixels, and as big as 1920x1080. Not sure it really matters. I just make a quick screenshot of the video and use that.

Placement and naming:
I'm doing this by replacing one of the already downloaded arial videos and thumbnail. However, I'm sure there's a way to modify the info files, so macOS knows the file is there, and I'm sure someone could write a simple script to do all of moving of the files and info entries, but I've already sucked at scripting, and my way is fast and easy enough.

PS: you need admin permissions to do all of this.


Video (MOV) goes here:
/Library/Application Support/com.apple.idleassetsd/Customer/4KSDR240FPS

Thumbnail (JPEG) goes here:
/Library/Application Support/com.apple.idleassetsd/snapshots


Update:
I'm finding that both the wallpaper and screensaver stop working after some time, and display as gray (what macOS uses when a wallpaper or screensaver is set, but missing). Toggling the option to "Show as Screensaver" off and back on fixes it for awhile. Not sure if there's a way we can fix this, or if it's a coincidental Sonoma bug (this version of macOS has been a crapshoot for me on the stability side of things,. I'm running it on 4 computers, and all 4 have various issues. I had to run the 14.2 beta just to use external drives on my Mac Studio. I wish Apple would focus on quality and stability, instead of feeding us new glittery versions every year!).


I have my halloween themed files attached, inspired by the upcoming Spooky Fast media event.

View attachment 2302486

View attachment 2302505

View attachment 2302503

View attachment 2302504

I'm not as tech savvy and have been using and loving Magic Window. Tons of areal screen savers and time lapses,full control, everything I want. Forgot the cost but I'm really cheap so it can't have been much. New ones added all the time, the only problem is you can fill up your HD it you aren't careful.

 

[ovisopa]

hello everyone,

I'm new to mac and quite pissed off it's so complicated to add a custom dinamic wallpaper, I don't understand why they made this thing so dificult

I also tried to add a folder, from the settings -> Wallpaper > Add a folder or album (created a new folder and added a .mov 4k 60fps video I created, but nothing happens, no error is shown..)

Than I tried to manually copy the file in the 4KSD240FPS folder, but I couldn't find the video I added in Wallpapers setting or in Screen saver settings. If I chosed another one from the mac library I noticed it was imediately downloaded in the 4KSD240FPS folder, next to my video, but mine still doesn't show.. do I need to reboot ??

Thank you.

PS. Can you guys enlarge the settings window, to the right ? It seems it's locked to a quite small size, I'm unable to rezise it on the horizontal direction, only on vertical axis .. quite stupid, as the screen it's landscape, not portrait.. anyway, I'll be gratefull if anyone can tell me what I'm doing wrong, why my video doesn't show up in the settings window