Fix: macOS Ventura Screensaver or Dynamic Wallpaper Not Working

Ventura is the latest version of macOS 13.3, released in March 2023. The macOS Ventura 13.3 adds various features, such as new emoji characters, removing background, deleting duplicate photos in iCloud Shared Photo Library, and more. With macOS Ventura, you can easily access Screensaver and Dynamic Wallpapers. You can customize the Dynamic Wallpapers according to you, which is helpful and looks fantastic.

Alternatively, Dynamic Wallpapers automatically change the Wallpaper throughout the day, which is based on your device’s current location and time zone. Several users prefer dynamic wallpapers instead of static wallpapers on their macOS Ventura devices. With the latest macOS 13.3 update, you can now customize the Dynamic wallpapers in more detail. Unfortunately, most macOS Ventura users experience a screensaver or Dynamic Wallpaper not working on their devices.

The macOS Ventura screensaver or Dynamic wallpaper not working issue is caused by various reasons, which can be frustrating. However, you can quickly solve the problem by following some troubleshooting strategies. In this article, we will look at some possible troubleshooting solutions which you can easily take to solve them.

How to Fix macOS Ventura Screensaver or Dynamic Wallpaper Not Working

As we previously discussed, several factors cause the issue, and most users reported an issue on Reddit, Twitter, and other sites. It’s possible that you have not selected the proper wallpapers, or the Dynamic wallpapers aren’t downloaded. It’s also possible that your macOS Ventura has some software bugs and glitches preventing the Dynamic wallpapers and Screensaver from working.

If you have your own macOS Ventura device and have an issue with the Screensaver and Dynamic wallpapers, you don’t need to worry. You can quickly fix the issue by trying some eventual methods in this article. Remember all the mentioned solutions until your Dynamic wallpapers or Screensaver work again. So, let’s have a look at the possible fixes:

Fix 1: Make Sure Dynamic Wallpaper is Downloaded

Your Mac device provided several different Dynamic wallpapers. If you have selected a Dynamic wallpaper, but unfortunately, it’s not working, it’s possible that the Dynamic wallpapers aren’t downloaded on your Ventura. Make sure to download the Dynamic wallpapers and again apply on your device. Here’s how you can check for download on your Dynamic wallpapers:

Press Command + Spacebar Key to open Spotlight Search. Type System Settings and choose Return to open System Settings.
Scroll down and choose Wallpaper from the left side.
Select Dynamic Wallpaper under the Dynamic Desktop.
Press the Download icon on the selected Dynamic wallpapers to proceed.
Once the Wallpaper is downloaded, apply it on your device to check if the issue is resolved.

Fix 2: Check If Light Mode is Selected

The Dynamic wallpapers will not work anymore when the Dark mode is selected as default on your macOS Ventura device. If the Dynamic wallpapers are not working on your Ventura device, you should switch the Light Mode feature to solve the issue. To switch the Light Mode on your device, follow these steps:

Press Command + Spacebar Key to open Spotlight Search. Type System Settings and choose Return to open System Settings.
Choose Appearance from the left side of the screen.
Now choose Light Appearance.
Again, select the Wallpaper section from the left side of the screen.
Press the drop-down menu at the left side of the screen below Built-In-Display.
Make sure the Dynamic is selected and close the window. Now try to check if the issue is resolved.

Fix 3: Restart Your macOS Ventura

There may be a possibility that your macOS Ventura laptop Dynamic wallpapers are not working due to software bugs and glitches, which can be annoying. In such cases, restating the device may help you solve the problem you’re stuck on your laptop. A restart will fix any smartphone and laptops minor bugs and issues. To restart your Mac device, follow these steps:

Open your Mac, choose the Apple menu at the left corner of the screen.
Now choose the Restart option and confirm it to proceed.
Now your device will automatically turn off and back on after a moment.
Once the device is restarted, try to check if the Dynamic wallpapers or Screensaver is working.

Fix 4: Check Your Date & Time Settings

The Dynamic wallpapers and the Screensavers feature on your MacBook, iMac, or Ventura will work depending on the Date and Time settings. A Date and Time are essential to access the various features and activities on the Mac laptop. However, if the Date and Time on your macOS Ventura laptop are not correctly selected, it’s possible that Dynamic wallpapers don’t work at all. To correct the Date and Time settings on your Mac device, follow these steps:

Press Command + Spacebar Key to open Spotlight Search. Type System Settings and choose Return to open System Settings.
Choose the General option from the left side of the screen.
Choose the Date and Time option.
Click the toggle next to Set Date and Time Automatically.
Now return back and choose the Language and Region option.
Make sure the region and language are correctly selected and try to check if the Dynamic wallpapers and Screensaver is working.

Fix 5: Enable Location Service

Once you select the Date, Time, and Region, you will have to check the location service is enabled on your macOS Ventura laptop. This feature will trigger the Dynamic wallpapers and Screensaver when your Mac switches to Dark mode based on the location service. Sometimes, the location service is disabled, which prevents the Dynamic wallpapers from working. Make sure to check the location service on your Mac to solve the issue. Here’s how you can do that:

Press Command + Spacebar on the keyboard to open the Search bar, type System Settings, and press to open the System Settings.
Choose Privacy & Security from the left sidebar.
Scroll down and choose Details next to System Services.
Click the toggle next to Location-based suggestions to enable the option.
Once enabled, select Done to confirm and close the window and check if the issue is resolved.

Fix 6: Try Using a Different User Account

You can also try using a different user account on your macOS Ventura laptop to see if the issue is resolved. Most users switch their user accounts where they can easily access Dynamic wallpapers and Screensaver on their laptops. However, if you don’t have a secondary user account on your Mac, here’s how you can create a new one by following the mentioned steps:

On your Mac, click on the Apple logo.
Go to System Preferences > Users & Group.
Click Add.
Choose the type of user profile that you want to add.
Type the name and password that you want to use and access.
Finally, click on Create User.

Fix 7: Boot into Safe Mode

Safe mode or safe boot helps you to diagnose the problem on your macOS, which allows you to solve the several features on your Mac. Activating safe mode allows you to troubleshoot the problems and bugs that prevent Dynamic wallpapers and Screensaver on the macOS Ventura. It helps you to protect and figure out the issue based on the computer’s reaction to the safe mode environment.

Alternatively, the safe mode allows you to fix any minor issues, or it allows you to scan the third-party applications for any diagnosis on the laptop. Safe mode also increases the performance and efficiency of the laptop. So, if you’re still experiencing an issue with the Dynamic wallpapers and Screensaver on your macOS Ventura laptop, you have to boot your laptop into safe mode. Here’s how you can boot your Mac by following the mentioned steps:

Start your macOS Ventura laptop.
Press and hold down the Shift key until you see the Apple logo on the screen.
Release the Shift key once the log-in windows appear. If Mac’s startup disk is encrypted with FileVault, you will log-in twice, where the first log-in unlocks the startup disk while the other logs you into the Folder.

Note: Once you diagnose the problem, you can leave the Safe Mode by simply restating your macOS Ventura laptop without pressing any keys at startup.

Fix 8: Update Your macOS Ventura

The last method you can try is to update your macOS Ventura laptop to the latest version. It’s possible that Dynamic wallpapers and Screensaver are not working due to the oldest version of software on the laptop. An outdated version has several bugs and minor issues, which can be fixed by updating the device software. Hence, an update may help you to fix the Dynamic wallpapers and Screensaver not working issue on your macOS Ventura laptop. Here’s how you can check for software updates:

Press Command + Spacebar on the keyboard to open the Search bar, type Check for Software Update, and hit Enter.
The device will automatically search for available updates.
If an update is available, download and install it by following the on-screen instructions.

After installation is completed, restart your macOS Ventura laptop and check if the issue is resolved.

Final Words

The Dynamic wallpapers and Screensaver not working issue is caused by several reasons, and by following the troubleshooting solutions, you can easily solve the problem that you’re facing on your macOS Ventura laptop. However, we have mentioned some possible troubleshooting methods which you can easily take to solve them. I hope the above-mentioned solutions help you to fix the problem. If the issue persists, you should contact the manufacturers or support team for further assistance.