Type Url

URL Wallpapers

A URL wallpaper (type value 1, Url) displays a remote web page — any http/https address — live on your desktop. Unlike a Web wallpaper (which is a local, self-contained HTML/JS theme you author), a URL wallpaper simply points a browser engine at an external website. It is the quickest way to put a live web page, a shader playground, an online clock, or your own hosted page behind your icons. This page explains what a URL wallpaper is, its engines, how to apply one, and its important caveats.

Contents

• What it is
• Engines for URL
• How to apply a URL wallpaper
• Interactivity
• Caveats
• Customization
• Tips
• See also

What it is

In the manifest, a URL wallpaper has "Type": 1 and a Source that is the remote URL itself (validated as a proper URL when you create it). Nothing is downloaded into a folder — the engine navigates a browser to that address each time the wallpaper runs.

Engines for URL

URL wallpapers are served by a browser engine:

Engine	Tech	Notes
CefSharp (default)	Chromium Embedded Framework (offscreen)	Default engine for Url. Requires the VC++ Redistributable (≥ 14.40.33816.0).
WebView	Microsoft Edge WebView2 (Chromium)	Requires the WebView2 runtime (≥ 131.0.2903.70).

Change the engine in Settings → Wallpaper (the UrlPlayer selector in the Engines area). See Choosing Engines, Engine-CefSharp, and Engine-WebView.

How to apply a URL wallpaper

1. Open the Portal → Library.
2. Create a URL wallpaper: in the Create dialog choose the URL type and paste a valid http/https address. (You can also drop a .url shortcut into the Library — see Managing Library.)
3. Right-click the card → Use.
4. (Optional) Switch the engine first in Settings → Wallpaper.

Interactivity

Because URL wallpapers run inside a browser engine, mouse and keyboard input are forwarded into the page when the desktop is focused. Whether the page actually responds depends on the site — a static page just sits there; an interactive site (a game, a shader toy) can react to the cursor.

Caveats

URL wallpapers are convenient but come with real trade-offs:

• No Sucrose live data. Sucrose's audio-reactive and system-status callbacks are injected only into the local Web type. An external URL does not receive SucroseAudioData or the Sucrose*Data system objects. If you need audio reactivity or system stats, host your page as a Web wallpaper instead.
• Requires a network connection. The page loads from the internet every time. If you are offline, or the site is down, the wallpaper will not display its content.
• You don't control the page. External sites can change, show ads, redirect, or break. Heavy pages can use significant CPU/GPU and network.
• Bandwidth and privacy. A live external page may continuously fetch resources and may track visits.
• Performance. A full website running in Chromium is heavier than a video or GIF. Sucrose's Performance Rules can pause/close it on lock, fullscreen, or battery.

Customization

URL wallpapers use the browser engine, so the engine's Customize panel applies where relevant (the same CSS-style filter set as other browser-served types: scale/zoom, saturate, hue-rotate, brightness, contrast, blur, grayscale, sepia, invert, mirror, animation). Because the page is external, filters style the rendered page; you cannot inject custom controls into a site you don't own. See Customizing Wallpaper.

Tips

• Prefer a page you control (e.g. one you host) so it stays stable and lightweight.
• For full interactivity plus audio/system data, package the page locally as a Web wallpaper instead of pointing at a URL.
• If a site refuses to render in an embedded browser, try the other engine (CefSharp ↔ WebView).
• Use a lightweight, fullscreen-friendly page; sites with fixed layouts or sticky ads look poor as wallpapers.

See also

• Wallpaper Types — all six types and the engine mapping
• Type-Web — local interactive themes with live data
• Type-YouTube — a specialized URL type for YouTube
• Engine-CefSharp and Engine-WebView — the browser engines
• Performance Rules — automatic pause/close behavior