How to put a GIF on your desktop: an always-on-top GIF guide for Windows

Ways to put a GIF on your Windows 10 or 11 desktop: always on top, click-through, with transparent GIF and WebM files. Step by step and free.

You want a favorite GIF to sit in the corner of your screen, but Windows doesn’t really allow it. You can’t pick a GIF as your wallpaper, and when you open a GIF in a browser the window disappears behind other apps. This guide explains why putting a GIF on your desktop is tricky, what makes a good desktop GIF, and how to do it in a few clicks with ErtePals.

Why Windows won’t let you put a GIF on the desktop

The Windows desktop background only supports still images such as JPG, PNG or BMP. Even if you set an animated GIF as wallpaper, you only see its first frame. And the wallpaper always sits behind your windows, so it vanishes as soon as an app is maximized.

What you actually want is an always-on-top GIF: a small layer that floats above every window, has no background, and doesn’t block your mouse clicks. That requires an app that opens a transparent, borderless, click-through window on top of the screen.

What makes a good desktop GIF

  • Transparent background: a GIF with a solid background looks like a box on your desktop. GIFs with the background removed look like they live right on top of your apps.
  • Reasonable size: a huge GIF covers your screen and wastes memory. 150–400 pixels on the longest side works for most screens.
  • Smooth loop: GIFs whose last frame flows into the first are easy on the eyes; jerky loops become distracting.
  • Right format: GIF only supports fully transparent or fully opaque pixels, which can leave jagged edges. APNG, animated WebP or WebM with alpha give softer edges.

Put a GIF on your desktop with ErtePals (step by step)

  1. Download and install ErtePals — Get the installer from the download page and run it. If Windows shows a SmartScreen warning for a new app, click “More info” → “Run anyway”.
  2. Pick your GIF — Choose a ready-made character from the library, or drag your own GIF, APNG, WebP, WebM or MP4 into the app.
  3. Add it to the screen — Press “Add to Screen”. The GIF appears above all windows instantly. The “Add to Screen” button on any character on our website also opens the app directly.
  4. Adjust position and size — Press Ctrl + Alt + L for Edit Mode; drag the GIF where you want it and change its size, speed or opacity, or mirror it.
  5. Switch back to Play Mode — Press Ctrl + Alt + L again. The GIF is now click-through, so you can keep using the app underneath.

A GIF that doesn’t block your clicks

In Play Mode characters are like ghosts: your clicks pass straight through to the window below. In Edit Mode you can grab, move, resize or remove them. Ctrl + Alt + H hides every character at once — handy before a screen share.

Will a desktop GIF slow down my PC?

Any animation uses some CPU and memory, but done right you won’t notice it. ErtePals runs one lightweight webview per monitor, only animates what’s visible and pauses itself while a game or app is fullscreen. Prefer a few small characters over many large GIFs, and use WebM for long or high-resolution clips.

Sharing your desktop GIF

Upload your GIF to ErtePals and keep it private, share it with an unlisted link, or submit it to Discover (public uploads are reviewed first). Several characters can be saved together as a Scene and shared with one link. Only upload things you made or have the right to share.

Download ErtePals for free and put your first GIF on your desktop

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