AeroFloat AeroFloat

Documentation · v1.2.0

AeroFloat, on the desktop.

A GPU-first live wallpaper engine for Windows. Video sits under your icons. The pipeline sleeps when a game takes the screen.

Overview

AeroFloat is a local Windows application. It does not require an account, does not stream your library, and does not need administrator rights. The dashboard is a Mica window; the wallpaper is a borderless surface parented under WorkerW so Explorer shortcuts remain clickable.

  • Publisher See About
  • Version 1.2.0
  • OS Windows 10 2004+ / Windows 11, x64
  • Install %LocalAppData%\SloopNodge\AeroFloat

Install

  1. Download the latest per-user installer from GitHub Releases.
  2. If SmartScreen appears, choose More info → Run anyway. That is publisher reputation, not a virus finding.
  3. Complete setup. Files land in your profile — no UAC.
  4. Open AeroFloat from the tray mark. The dashboard enumerates your three libraries.

To build from source, publish the WinUI project self-contained for win-x64, then compile Installer/AeroFloat_Installer.iss with Inno Setup 6.

Libraries

Place looping video directly in a category folder. Nested subfolders are ignored. Prefer .mp4; .webm is accepted. 3840×2160 for dedicated GPUs; 1920×1080 is enough for the low-end tier.

Assets/Wallpapers/
├── Games/
├── Anime/
└── Cars/

Reopen the category tab after adding files — the catalog rescans on navigation. AeroFloat does not upload these files. Third-party loops you add remain yours.

Deep Sleep

When enabled, AeroFloat inspects the Win32 foreground window. Exclusive fullscreen games, DirectX titles, and fullscreen media players trigger a full freeze: players pause, sources detach, the wallpaper surface hides. Returning to the desktop reloads playback cleanly.

The toggle lives in Performance settings: Deep Sleep (freeze wallpaper in fullscreen games).

Shell & taskbar

The wallpaper window is borderless, chrome-stripped, and parented under WorkerW at monitor size. A self-heal timer reattaches after Explorer restarts so the surface does not become an ordinary app window.

Frosted taskbar is opt-in. When on, acrylic composition uses a cool navy tint. Optional File Explorer glass applies to cabinet windows. Double-click empty desktop space to fade icons over 0.4s.

Hardware tiers

Dedicated GPU

Native 4K decode, presentation unlocked to monitor refresh (60 / 144 / 240 Hz class).

3840×2160 · FPS unlocked
iGPU / battery

1080p presentation capped at 30 FPS with tighter memory discipline.

1920×1080 · 30 FPS cap

Tray & startup

AeroFloat can start with Windows via the current-user Run key — still no elevation. The tray exposes Next / Previous wallpaper and the dashboard. An in-app banner checks GitHub Releases for updates.

Self-debug logs: %LocalAppData%\AeroFloat\SloopNodge\logs, opened from Performance settings.

SmartScreen

Microsoft Defender SmartScreen shows “Windows protected your PC” for independent apps that have not yet accumulated download reputation. It is not a malware detection. Inspect the source on GitHub if you want. Click More info, then Run anyway. The warning recedes for all users once enough installs establish reputation. An EV / Azure Trusted Signing certificate removes it immediately; that is a paid publisher service, not a requirement to use AeroFloat.

Changelog — 1.2.0

  • True desktop surface: borderless OverlappedPresenter, Win32 chrome stripped, parented under WorkerW at full monitor size.
  • Self-heal timer reattaches after Explorer restarts.
  • Taskbar tint cleared by default; frosted glass is opt-in with cool navy acrylic.
  • Optional File Explorer glassmorphism.
  • Fixed crash when applying the window icon after WorkerW reparent.
  • Start with Windows (current-user Run key).
  • Tray: Next / Previous wallpaper.
  • Empty-library guidance when a category has no MP4s.