Wallpaper Storage

Wallpaper storage

All your wallpapers, Workshop downloads, their dependencies and the Wallpaper Engine assets copy live in one folder: the Wallpaper Storage folder. This page explains where it is and how to move it.

Where it is

	Location
Default	~/Documents/Open Wallpaper Engine
Custom	Any folder you choose in Settings › Assets › Wallpaper Storage

Inside it:

Item	What it is
<Workshop ID> folders	Workshop wallpapers and their dependencies
Other folders	Imported wallpapers and WE's default wallpapers
.owe-assets (hidden)	The Wallpaper Engine assets copy
.owe-steamcmd (hidden)	SteamCMD's download staging area; finished items are moved into place from here
Hidden index files	Which items were downloaded only as dependencies

Important

Every download lands in this folder, including Workshop dependencies and previews you apply. If the folder is on a drive that isn't connected, downloads fail with that reason; nothing silently falls back to another folder. Settings shows "… isn't connected. Workshop downloads fail until you connect it or choose another folder."

Moving it

1. Open Settings › Assets › Wallpaper Storage and click Choose....
2. Pick a folder. OWE asks:
   • Move Current Wallpapers – moves your wallpapers to the new folder. Hidden folders, such as the .owe-assets copy, are not moved: afterwards, check Settings › Assets and install the assets again if it says Missing.
   • Use Empty Folder – leaves them where they are and uses the new folder from now on.
   • Cancel.
3. Use Default Location returns to ~/Documents/Open Wallpaper Engine.

Saved display assignments, recent wallpapers and the downloaded-items index follow a moved library.

Settings › Assets › Library Folders can add more folders of wallpapers; their wallpapers are listed in the Installed tab too, but downloads always go to the storage folder.

Other data OWE keeps

Data	Where
Settings, playlists, per-display assignments, properties	The app's preferences (bundle ID app.openwallpaperengine)
Steam account name, Steam Web API key	The macOS Keychain
Translated shader cache	~/Library/Caches/app.openwallpaperengine/shader-variants
OWE's own SteamCMD	~/Library/Application Support/Open Wallpaper Engine/steamcmd

See Privacy for what leaves your Mac (nothing but Steam traffic).

Read more (for developers): Assets system and UI, localization and settings storage