Put anything alive on your screen

Popular characters

• Sleepy Cat
• Blue Butterfly
• Santa Cat
• New Year Fireworks
• Kitsune Spirit
• Tiny Robot
• Pal
• Cozy Campfire
• Baby Dragon
• Bouncy Screensaver
• Twinkle Tree
• Snowman Buddy

Categories

• Seasonal
• Real GIFs
• Funny
• Meme
• Animals
• Cute
• Gaming
• Anime Inspired
• Relaxing
• Ambient
• Pixel Art
• Fantasy
• Horror
• Sci-Fi
• Retro
• Effects

Guides

• What is a desktop pet? A short history and how to get one on Windows
• How to put a GIF on your desktop: an always-on-top GIF guide for Windows
• Add animated characters to OBS: a stream overlay character guide
• Make transparent GIF, WebM and PNG stickers with free tools
• Shimeji alternative: Shimeji-style apps vs ErtePals, an honest comparison

Frequently asked questions

Is ErtePals free?

Yes. ErtePals is free to download and use — no ads and no paywall. Uploading and sharing your own characters is free too. Optional supporter extras may come later for people who want to back ErtePals, but the free library will always stay free and there will never be ads on your screen.

Does it slow down my PC?

ErtePals runs one lightweight webview per monitor, only animates what’s on screen, and pauses automatically while a fullscreen game or app is in front. Hide everything instantly with Ctrl + Alt + H.

Is it safe? What data do you collect?

ErtePals collects anonymous usage stats (like “a character was added”) tied to a random install ID — never your name, your files or your IP address — and you can switch it off in Settings → Privacy. Public uploads are reviewed before they appear in Discover.

Will characters block my clicks?

No. In Play Mode characters are click-through — your clicks go straight to the app underneath. Switch to Edit Mode with Ctrl + Alt + L when you want to move, resize or remove them.

Does it work on Windows 10?

Yes — Windows 10 and Windows 11 (64-bit). ErtePals uses Microsoft WebView2, which is preinstalled on Windows 11 and installed automatically on Windows 10 if needed.

Can I put my own GIFs and videos on my desktop?

Absolutely. Drop in a GIF, PNG, APNG, WebP, WebM (with transparency) or MP4 and it floats above everything. Keep it private, share an unlisted link, or submit it to Discover.

Mac or Linux?

Not yet — ErtePals is Windows-only for now.