How Video Profiles Work in Atmos

Video profiles are one of the most distinctive parts of Atmos. They are also one of the easiest features to misunderstand at first, because a video file is not locked to a single role.

Inside Atmos, one uploaded video can behave as:

• an audio source
• a visual background
• both at the same time

That flexibility is what makes video profiles more powerful than a normal wallpaper import or a normal media import. This guide explains how they work, what each mode means, and what Atmos is actually doing behind the scenes when you load one.

Why video profiles matter

Most desktop apps split media into strict categories. Music players handle sound. Wallpaper apps handle visuals. Atmos is different because it lets one piece of media support more than one layer of the experience.

That means a single video can become:

• the sound you hear
• the motion you see on the desktop
• or both parts of the setup at once

This is one of the clearest examples of how Atmos is designed as an atmosphere system rather than as a set of disconnected utilities.

The three video modes in Atmos

When you upload a video, Atmos lets you choose between three modes:

1. audio only
2. background only
3. both

These modes determine whether the profile contributes audio, background visuals, or both.

The app tracks that internally through the video profile's videoMode, which directly changes whether the profile appears in the Audio section, the Background section, or both sections of the library.

What audio only means

In audio only mode, the video behaves like a track.

That means:

• the file contributes audio
• the profile appears as an audio-capable profile
• the file does not count as a background profile

This mode is useful when a video file contains audio you want to keep, but you do not want the visual layer on your desktop.

For example, you might have:

• ambient visual videos whose sound works well on its own
• exported scene loops that contain music or environmental audio
• recorded media where the sound matters more than the visuals

In this mode, Atmos uses the shared player for the file just as it would for an audio track.

What background only means

In background only mode, the video contributes visuals but not usable audio.

That means:

• the profile counts as a background
• the profile appears in the Background section
• the file does not count as an audio-capable profile

This is the right mode when you want a moving wallpaper without using the video's audio in your listening setup.

Even when a background-only video is loaded, Atmos still routes it through the player path in some situations. In practice, the app then forces the player volume to zero for that mode. That keeps the profile behavior aligned with the user's intent: visual use only.

What both means

In both mode, the same video file contributes to both the audio and visual sides of Atmos.

That means:

• the profile appears in the Audio section
• the profile appears in the Background section
• the file can act as the current track
• the file can also act as the active background

This is the most Atmos-like mode because it allows one file to create a more unified environment.

If you want a scene, animation, or looped visual to carry its own audio at the same time, both is the mode that gives you that combined behavior.

Why Atmos never lets a video become “nothing”

The upload interface for videos includes a compact mode picker with separate controls for the audio side and the visual side.

However, Atmos always keeps at least one role enabled.

If you switch both roles off in the interface, the app falls back to audio only instead of allowing a roleless video profile. This is intentional. A video in the library needs to contribute something meaningful.

That safeguard prevents confusing setups where a saved profile exists but does not participate in either the audio or background system.

How video profiles appear in the library

Video profiles are interesting because the same item can belong to more than one section.

Depending on mode:

• audio only shows up with audio-capable profiles
• background only shows up with background-capable profiles
• both shows up in both places

This does not mean Atmos duplicated the file. It means one profile is being recognized through two different roles.

That distinction matters because many users assume they are creating separate entries for sound and visuals. In reality, Atmos is often working with one profile that contributes in multiple ways.

What happens when you load a video profile as audio

When you load a video profile from the audio side of Atmos, the app checks the mode and then decides how to initialize playback.

For video profiles:

• audio only loads normally through the shared player
• background only also loads through the shared player, but the player volume is forced to zero
• both loads normally through the shared player

That means a background-only video can still move through the same loading path, but Atmos suppresses its audible output.

This is one of the more subtle parts of the system. It is not obvious from the interface, but it helps keep video handling consistent without creating an entirely separate media stack for each possible role.

What happens when you set a video profile as the background

When a video profile becomes the active background, Atmos passes it into the wallpaper system.

At that point, the app:

• resolves the file path
• creates a desktop-level window
• attaches an AVPlayer to the background view
• loops the video continuously
• mutes the wallpaper layer

This muted wallpaper behavior is important. Even if the same file contributes audio elsewhere, the background layer itself remains visual-first and silent.

That keeps the wallpaper system from fighting the main playback system.

How both mode feels in real use

Both mode is the most immersive video profile setup because one file drives the visual and audio atmosphere together.

In real use, that means:

• the video can become your active background
• the same video can also be your current audio profile
• the desktop feels more unified because the visuals and sound belong to the same source

This is often the best mode for:

• animated scenic loops
• ambient environment videos
• cinematic background clips with matching sound
• focus setups where one scene defines the whole mood

If you want Atmos to feel like a single cohesive environment rather than a playlist plus a separate wallpaper, both is usually the strongest option.

How video profiles differ from image profiles

An image profile is simpler:

• it contributes visuals only
• it never acts as an audio source
• it appears only in the Background section

A video profile is more flexible:

• it can contribute audio
• it can contribute visuals
• it can move between roles depending on mode

That flexibility is why video deserves its own tutorial. It behaves less like a standard wallpaper asset and more like a multi-role media profile.

How video profiles differ from audio files

A normal audio file is also simpler:

• it contributes audio only
• it has no wallpaper role
• it appears only in the Audio section

A video file can overlap systems. That makes it more powerful, but it also means you need to think more intentionally about what role you want the file to play.

If you just want a song, use an audio file.

If you want one media source to shape more of the desktop experience, use a video profile.

When to use each mode

Here is a simple practical guide:

Use audio only when:

• the sound matters more than the visuals
• you do not want motion on the desktop
• the file happens to be a video, but you want to treat it like a track

Use background only when:

• you want motion without tying the setup to the video's sound
• you already have another audio track playing
• the video works better visually than sonically

Use both when:

• you want one file to define the whole atmosphere
• the visual and sound belong together
• you want the most immersive version of the setup

A good first workflow for video profiles

If you are new to the feature, try this order:

1. Upload one video file.
2. Start by testing it in background only mode.
3. Watch how it appears in the Background section.
4. Switch to both on your next upload if you want the same file to carry sound too.
5. Use audio only only when you specifically want to ignore the visual role.

This helps you understand each behavior separately before you start combining them.

Common confusion to avoid

The most common mistake is assuming that a video profile is always a wallpaper first and an audio source second.

That is not how Atmos treats it.

A video profile is a flexible media object whose role depends on mode. The same file can move between categories because Atmos is designed around contribution rules, not rigid file classes.

Once you understand that, the behavior becomes much easier to predict.

Final thoughts

Video profiles are one of the features that make Atmos feel different from almost every other desktop utility. They let one file participate in multiple parts of the app, bridge the gap between sound and visuals, and create setups that feel more unified than separate wallpaper and audio tools ever could.

If you understand audio only, background only, and both, you understand one of the most important design ideas in the entire product.

In the next tutorial, we will go deeper into another Atmos-specific system: how Smart Loop works and why it feels different from ordinary repeat playback.