macOS Tahoe 26Free & open sourceMIT

Your videos, natively on the Tahoe desktop.

AerialDrop imports your MP4 or MOV into macOS Tahoe’s own Aerial catalogue. Screen saver and lock screen, played by Apple’s pipeline. No helper processes, no app-managed player.

Install View on GitHub

One command. Copy it below or pick your method.

v1.1.4 checking… · macOS 26+ · download
Encoding
HEVC Main10 · 30 fps · 10-bit Rec.709
Loops
80 s · sync samples at boundaries
Sources
MP4 / MOV · H.264 / HEVC
Backups
Auto, before every write
License
MIT

Built like Apple’s own aerials

Every import is re-encoded to the exact sample-group shape Tahoe expects, then registered as a first-class catalogue entry.

Catalogue

Native entries

Imports appear under AerialDrop in System Settings → Wallpaper, with HEIF previews like the built-in aerials.

Encoding

HEVC Main10

30 fps, 10-bit full-range YUV, Rec.709, temporal sub-layers with a 15 fps base layer and 1.9 s closed GOPs.

Looping

Every boundary safe

Short sources are repeated by passthrough export with the loop snapped to whole 30 fps frames, so every loop lands on a sync sample.

Activation

One click

Imported aerials apply across all Spaces and displays; WallpaperAgent and WallpaperAerialsExtension are restarted and the change verified.

Safety

Reversible writes

Every catalogue write is backed up first, compares the file before writing, and can be restored from the Maintenance menu.

Source

Never touched

Your file is opened read-only. Crop, quality, and resolution are tuned in place with a live 16:9 preview mask.

Install

Four ways in. Copy a command, run it, then verify with the check step.

checking your platform…

Homebrew cask

The cask tracks new releases, so brew upgrade --cask aerialdrop keeps you current.

  1. Install the cask

    brew install --cask yapwh1208/tap/aerialdrop

  2. Verify it’s in place

    ls /Applications/AerialDrop.app

    Expected output: AerialDrop.app and the version: 

    defaults read /Applications/AerialDrop.app/Contents/Info CFBundleShortVersionString

    Expected output: 1.1.4

  3. To upgrade later

    brew update && brew upgrade --cask aerialdrop
Before you install: the unsigned-app notice

AerialDrop is ad-hoc signed and not notarized by Apple. The install methods above clear the macOS download quarantine, which disables Apple’s malware check for this app; you are trusting the publisher instead of Apple. Only install from the official YapWH1208/AerialDrop repository, and audit the open-source code if you have concerns. The only way to get Apple’s own verification is Developer ID notarization, which needs a paid Apple Developer account.

What happens when you import

Seven steps, one pipeline. Press play to watch it run, or step through it manually.

Choose your video

Pick any MP4 or MOV (H.264 or HEVC), or drop it straight into the Import pane. You can tune the name, crop, quality, and output resolution before anything is written.

  • MP4 / MOV
  • H.264 / HEVC
  • Any orientation

Step 1 of 7 · Choose

First wallpaper in five checks

Tick each step as you go. Your progress is saved in this browser.

0 of 5 done

Questions, answered

Does AerialDrop modify my original video?

No. Your source is opened read-only and never touched. A re-encoded copy is installed into the wallpaper catalogue.

Why does my video need re-encoding at all?

Tahoe’s native player expects HEVC Main10 with temporal sub-layers (a 15 fps base layer at 30 fps) and sync samples at loop boundaries. Without that shape, the unlock transition can fail with VideoSampleReadingErrors and leave a black desktop. AerialDrop encodes to exactly the shape Apple’s own aerials use.

My video is shorter than 80 seconds. Will it work?

Yes. Short sources are encoded once, then repeated via passthrough export. The loop duration is snapped to whole 30 fps frames so every loop boundary lands on a sync sample.

Is the app signed or notarized?

It is ad-hoc signed and not notarized. Gatekeeper may complain on first launch: right-click and choose Open once, or clear the quarantine. Only install from the official repository, and audit the open-source code if you have concerns.

Does AerialDrop need to keep running after setup?

No. Once a wallpaper is imported, macOS plays it natively. AerialDrop is only needed for importing and managing the catalogue.

Where are my wallpapers stored?

Inside ~/Library/Application Support/com.apple.wallpaper/aerials/, with backups under aerials/AerialDropBackups and Store/AerialDropBackups. Use Open Aerial Storage Folder from the Maintenance menu to get there.

What if a future macOS update changes the catalogue format?

The catalogue is a private API, so it could change. Every write is backed up first, Restore Latest Backup can put the catalogue back, and a future update may require an AerialDrop update.

Bring your own skies.

Turn a flight, a hike, a city at night, anything you shot, into a living Tahoe wallpaper.

Install Star on GitHub