Performance · 4 min read
Lower GPU usage on Intel Macs
The GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) handles visual tasks like animation. On older Intel-based Macs, live wallpapers can make the GPU work harder, which may cause your Mac to feel warm or sluggish.
What you can do
- Turn on Battery Mode — this pauses the wallpaper when you don't need it. Click the star icon in the menu bar > Performance > Battery Mode.
- Choose simpler wallpapers — abstract wallpapers with gentle movement use less GPU than detailed cinematic scenes.
- Pause during heavy work — if you're editing video, running a big app, or gaming, stop your wallpaper temporarily. Click the star icon in the menu bar and tap Stop.
How to tell if your Mac has Intel or Apple Silicon
- Click the Apple menu (top-left corner) and choose About This Mac.
- Look at the "Chip" or "Processor" line.
- If it says "Apple M1" (or M2, M3, M4), you have an Apple chip. If it says "Intel," you have an Intel Mac.
[Screenshot of About This Mac showing the Chip/Processor info]
Apple Silicon Macs (M1 and newer) are much more efficient at running live wallpapers and should have no trouble at all.