If you run the app with a gif or video you may notice that the Window's task manager can report a seemingly high gpu usage. However, this figure can be misleading. This is because windows reports the gpu usage as a % of the current speed and not as a % of the top speed. To find out your actual gpu usage and how to reduce it please read below.

When I set my desktop to this GIF on both of my hd monitors the task manager reports 20% of gpu usage for Wallpaper Alive. The actual gpu usage is much lower.

To find your actual usage you will need to download a program such as MSI Afterburner or HWiNFO. With all other programs closed except Wallpaper Alive, Afterburner reports my current gpu speed at 210 MHZ and a max speed of 1800 MHZ. To calculate your actual usage do the following: current speed * % Usage / Max Speed * 100. Ex. 210 mhz * 0.20 / 1800 mhz * 100 = 2.33%. My actual usage is 2.33%.

Some wallpapers will use more gpu usage. Videos that are higher resolutions and framerates will require more gpu usage. To reduce impact on performance videos are paused while the screen is covered.

If you still feel that your gpu usage is too high try the following:

• Use a lower resolution or framerate video or switch to GIFs.
  
• In the Performance menu select the performance mode for play pause behavior. This makes it so that all extra monitors pause when an application enters maximized or fullscreen mode even if the extra monitors are not covered themselves.